The Sunday Eucharistic celebration of the Lord's Day is at the heart of Church life, "the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church." On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass (CIC, canon 1247).
In addition to Sunday, six other days have been accepted by the United States Bishops as holy days of obligation.
The Holy Days of Obligation are:
By the authority of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, you are not obligated to attend Mass whenever the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1), the Solemnity of the Assumption, (August 15), or the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), falls on a Saturday or on a Monday.
- January 1 ~ The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
- The Solemnity of the Ascension is celebrated on the Seventh Sunday of Easter
- August 15 ~ The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- November 1 ~ The Solemnity of All Saints
- December 8 ~ The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
- December 25 ~ The Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are special Mass schedules for the Solemnities of Easter, Christmas, and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1)
Times and locations for these Masses will be posted on the website and in the Bulletin several weeks before, along with which choirs will be at each service, and last year's attendance.
Mass schedules for Holy Days, that are not days of obligation, will also be posted on the website and in the bulletin.