Transferred Feasts

[faithcecelia]

I'm asking this here to avoid it becoming a debate about whether feasts should be transferred or not.

Here in England and Wales the Church has transferred a number of feasts, including Ascention, to the nearest Sunday, so we celebrate it next Sunday not Thursday. As this is a national decision, where does that leave Thursday? Is that still, officially, Ascention in this country if the Church has transferred it?

I ask because my parish holds a large number of Tridentine Masses, but is not fully Tridentine and does not have these Masses each Sunday in a way that would allow those who chose to fulfil their obligation Sunday Masses in this form (2-3 Tridentine Masses a week, but only one Sunday a month). For many feasts, including this coming week for Ascention, they celebrate the feasts twice - so Thursday in the Tridentine form and Sunday in the new form. Is this actually allowed? And how does that work for those who chose to go on Thursday but then had to go on Sunday as well as it was the only way to fulfil Sunday obligation?

I hope this makes sense? Thanks

[cappie]

Can. 1246 §1 The Lord's Day, on which the paschal mystery is celebrated, is by apostolic tradition to be observed in the universal Church as the primary holyday of obligation. In the same way the following holydays are to be observed: the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension of Christ, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, the feast of Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, the feast of St Joseph, the feast of the Apostles SS Peter and Paul, and the feast of All Saints.

§2 However, the Episcopal Conference may, with the prior approval of the Apostolic See, suppress certain holydays of obligation or transfer them to a Sunday.

Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holydays of obligation, the faithful are obliged to assist at Mass. They are also to abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body.

Can. 1248 §1 The obligation of assisting at Mass is satisfied wherever Mass is celebrated in a catholic rite either on a holyday itself or on the evening of the previous day.

§2 If it is impossible to assist at a eucharistic celebration, either because no sacred minister is available or for some other grave reason, the faithful are strongly recommended to take part in a liturgy of the Word, if there be such in the parish church or some other sacred place, which is celebrated in accordance with the provisions laid down by the diocesan Bishop; or to spend an appropriate time in prayer, whether personally or as a family or, as occasion presents, in a group of families.

This is the Universal law, so where Ascension in this case is transferred with the approval of the Holy See it's OK. Since the Code has been written we have seen the introduction of the Extraordinary form of the Mass with its own calendar, which too is valid.

In your particular case, I would suggest that the day of Obligation is the Sunday as that is the general law of the church. The practice of the Ascension being on its traditional day is a good practice but would not of itself constitute a Holy Day of Obligation as the bishops with the prior approval of the Holy See have transferred the obligation to the Sunday. In a similar way if you were in a diocese where the Feast was celebrated as a Day of Obligation then you would be required to attend Mass. Of course the "problem" arises when you have 2 Masses of Ascension, one Thursday one Sunday in your parish. As the obligation attaches to the Sunday then you have no choice, as there is no alternative than to attend again.