6 Questions Every Catholic Should Know How to Answer About Holy Days of Obligation

1. "What is a Holy Day of Obligation?"

Holy Days of Obligations are solemnities in the Church calendar that are to be treated with the same obligation as a Sunday Mass. This means that we are to treat those days as days of rest and attend Mass on those days, as we would on Sundays.

2. "When are they?"

In The United States...Jan. 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the Solemnity of the Ascension; Aug 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Nov 1, the Solemnity of All Saints; Dec 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception; December 25, the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

3. "What do I have to do on one?"

Treat it like a Sunday! Go to Mass, of course. Make an effort to rest- even if you can't skip work or school. If you want, you could learn about the solemnity being celebrated, make special meals that relate to the celebration, or take the day off of work or school to make it a true day of rest.

4. "Can I miss it for work?"

Try your absolute hardest not to! Plan to have the day or shift off, or try to flex your time so you can attend Mass. Many parishes offer both morning and evening Mass times so those who are working can make it. If there is some reason why it's absolutely impossible (ie: you're performing surgery on someone, your car broke down and you're stranded on the side of the road, you or your family member have a contagious illness, etc.) then Jesus knows your heart and intentions- but you should always TRY your best to get to Mass.

5. "What about my/my child's sport practice?"

Sports are optional activities and should never take precedence over Mass.

6. "My parents won't take me. What do I do?"

You can try to respectfully explain to your parents why you, as Catholics, need to attend Mass. If they still won't take you, you can try going with a friend or another family member (with permission, of course!).

If you have NO WAY of getting to Mass, then it would not be sinful for you not to attend- the culpability would lie with those who kept you from going.

What other questions do you have about Holy Days of Obligation? Ask away in the comments!