Last Minute Check

[Not The Philosopher]

I can fulfill my obligation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception by attending a Mass tomorrow evening, right? I'm likely gonna have to work all Saturday.

[arfink]

Going to mass on Friday as the vigil for Saturday is just fine.

 

Going to mass on Saturday evening won't count, because it's the mass for Sunday.

Edited December 6, 2012 by arfink

[Slappo]

Going to mass on Friday as the vigil for Saturday is just fine.

 

Going to mass on Saturday evening won't count, because it's the mass for Sunday.

 

The above bolded is incorrect.

 

 

From Dr. Edward Peters: (bolded is my emphasis)

 

 

That said, a few folks who correctly remind others that there are two attendance obligations coming up seem also to assert that the type of Mass attended determines which attendance obligation can be satisfied thereat, as in, for example, a Mass of Anticipation for the Second of Advent, celebrated at 5 pm next Saturday, can only be applied toward one’s Sunday obligation, not toward Immaculate Conception. That’s an error arising from confusing the canonical obligation on people to attend Mass with the liturgical obligation on priests to celebrate the Mass called for by the rubrics.

 

 

 

http://canonlawblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/02/two-mass-obligations-means-two-masses-but/

 

That being said, Fr. Zhulsdorf and Dr. Peters disagree on if a Saturday evening vigil fulfills both the Immaculate Conception and the following Sunday. Fr. Z thinks you can "double dip" so to say and kill 2 birds with one stone whereas Dr. Edwards asserts that two separate obligations requires two separate attendances at mass.

 

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/12/quaeritur-do-i-fulfill-my-8-december-holy-day-mass-obligation-on-saturday-and-my-sunday-obligation-by-going-to-mass-on-saturday-evening/

[Basilisa Marie]

I thought it depended on what day was being celebrated.  If a Saturday night mass uses the "text" for the feast, then it's for the feast.  If it uses the "text" for the sunday/vigil, then it's the sunday. 

[Winchester]

I thought it depended on what day was being celebrated.  If a Saturday night mass uses the "text" for the feast, then it's for the feast.  If it uses the "text" for the sunday/vigil, then it's the sunday. 

 

This. The Liturgy of the Word determines whether you get the bonus round.

[Lil Red]

I can fulfill my obligation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception by attending a Mass tomorrow evening, right? I'm likely gonna have to work all Saturday.

 

yes.

[Not The Philosopher]

This topic is starting to go interesting places. But good to know that Friday is OK. I always have Sundays off and almost always work on Saturdays, so questions regarding the Saturday vigil Mass have been dodged for now.

[Slappo]

I thought it depended on what day was being celebrated.  If a Saturday night mass uses the "text" for the feast, then it's for the feast.  If it uses the "text" for the sunday/vigil, then it's the sunday. 

 

Not according to Canon Law which dicates our obligations.

 

That's also why a saturday evening nuptial mass using nuptial mass texts as opposed to the Sunday vigil texts still fulfills the Sunday obligation. The liturgy celebrated is dictated by the liturgical calendar, our obligation is dicated by Canon Law(1248 1.) which states:

 

 

The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day.

 

 

It doesn't speak of requiring us to attend a liturgy using the liturgical texts of the holy day.

[Basilisa Marie]

Not according to Canon Law which dicates our obligations.

 

That's also why a saturday evening nuptial mass using nuptial mass texts as opposed to the Sunday vigil texts still fulfills the Sunday obligation. The liturgy celebrated is dictated by the liturgical calendar, our obligation is dicated by Canon Law(1248 1.) which states:

 

 

It doesn't speak of requiring us to attend a liturgy using the liturgical texts of the holy day.

 

Hmmm.  But does it inherently apply as a two-for-one deal?  Because it sounds to me like in this situation, there are two obligations that must be satisfied, whereas in the nuptial example only one obligation needs to be satisfied.   Can two obligations be satisfied in one mass, when a bishop hasn't given an explicit dispensation? 

 

So it seems to me like the canon is sufficiently vague to allow for a two-for-one deal on a technicality, but the technicality doesn't seem like it fits with the spirit of the law, as it looks to me.   But then I don't take a canon law course until this summer, so my interpretation of the "spirit" of the canon is coming from thin air. :) 

Edited December 7, 2012 by Basilisa Marie

[Nihil Obstat]

I am not comfortable enough with my own understanding of canon law to disagree with Dr. Peters. Franky I am not remotely competent to do so. :smile3:

Edited December 7, 2012 by Nihil Obstat

[Nihil Obstat]

If there is only one thing I have learned from his blog, it is that without formal training, people are simply not competent in interpreting canon law. Lol.

[Slappo]

Hmmm. But does it inherently apply as a two-for-one deal? Because it sounds to me like in this situation, there are two obligations that must be satisfied, whereas in the nuptial example only one obligation needs to be satisfied. Can two obligations be satisfied in one mass, when a bishop hasn't given an explicit dispensation?

So it seems to me like the canon is sufficiently vague to allow for a two-for-one deal on a technicality, but the technicality doesn't seem like it fits with the spirit of the law, as it looks to me. But then I don't take a canon law course until this summer, so my interpretation of the "spirit" of the canon is coming from thin air. :)

Like I said, Fr. Z and Dr. Peters disagree on the two for once but they both agree that the Saturday night vigil this weekend could fulfill either obligation. Dr. Peters would say that if you use the Saturday vigil to fulfill the Saturday obligation than you must go to mass on Sunday to fulfill the Sunday obligation, but he clearly states that the Saturday vigil could be used to fulfill the Saturday obligation.

I'm certainly not banking on the vigil being a two for one deal but I might have to go to the vigil to satisfy Saturday.