Holy Days Of Obligation

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Canon Law lists 10 holy days of obligation: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1), Epiphany (Jan. 5), St. Joseph (March 19), Ascension (40 days after Easter), Corpus Christi (June 14), Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29), Assumption (August 15), All Saints (November 1), Immaculate Conception (December 8) and Christmas (December 25).

But some time ago, Canon Law also allowed Bishops (with prior approval needed from the Vatican) to “transfer” certain holy days of Obligation to the nearest Sunday or suppress them altogether.  This means that the feast remains on the calandar but you are not obliged to attend mass if your local Bishop gives the OK. 

The feasts of St Joseph and Sts. Peter and Paul have not been Holy Days of Obligation for many years in the United States.  The U.S. Bishops have also transferred the Feasts of Epiphany and Corpus Christi to the nearest Sunday after January 1st and Trinity Sunday respectively. [url="http://www.bustedhalo.com/faith_guides/qb_holy_days.htm"](Source)[/url]

On December 13, 1991 the members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States of America made the following general decree concerning holy days of obligation for Latin rite Catholics:

In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America, in conformity with canon 1246, are as follows:

January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God;
Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity of the Ascension;
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.

Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated. [url="http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/q&a/general/obligation.htm"](Source)[/url]

If you're in [b]New York City[/b], you have to attend them all despite the day they fall on with the exception of Ascension Thursday which may be transferred to the Sunday after by Cardinal Egan.

In [b]Canada[/b], there are only 2 Holy Days of Obligation: Christmas and January 1st. 

In [b]Mexico[/b], Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Holy Day of Obligation.

In [b]England and Wales[/b], there are 7 Holy Days of Obligation: Christmas, The Epiphany, St. Peter and St. Paul, The Assumption of Mary, All Saints, The Ascension, and Corpus Christi.

In [b]Australia[/b], there are only 2 Holy Days of Obligation: Christmas and the Assumption of Mary.

In [b]Ireland[/b], there are 6 Holy Days of Obligation: The Immaculate Conception, Christmas, The Epiphany, St. Patrick's Day, The Assumption of Mary, and All Saints

In [b]Poland[/b], there are 6 Holy Days of Obligation: Christmas, Mary, the Mother of God, Epiphany, The Assumption of Mary, All Saints, Corpus Christi[url="http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Holy_Day_of_Obligation"](Source)[/url]

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[b]Some Feast Days[/b]

[b]January[/b]
1 - Mary, the Mother of God
25 - Conversion of St. Paul

[b]February[/b]
2 - Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
22 - St. Peter, First Pope

[b]March[/b]
8 - John of God
17 - Patrick
19 - Jospeh, the husband of Mary
25 - Annunciation by the Angel Gabriel to Mary

[b]April[/b]
25 - Mark, Evangelist

[b]May[/b]
1 - Joseph, the Worker
3 - Philip and James, Apostles
14 - Matthias, Apostle
31 - Visitation by Mary to Elizabeth

[b]June[/b]
3 - Uganda Martyrs, Charles Lwanga and Companions
11 - Barnabas, Apostle
24 - Birth of John the Baptist
29 - Peter and Paul, Apostles

[b]July[/b]
3 - Thomas, Apostle
25 - James, Apostle
31 - Ignatius Loyola

[b]August[/b]
8 - Dominic
15 - Assumption of Mary to Heaven
22 - Queenship of Mary
24 - Bartholomew, Apostle
29 - Beheading of John the Baptist

[b]September[/b]
8 - Birthday of Mary
15 - Our Lady of Sorrows
21 - Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
27 - Vincent de Paul
29 - Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael

[b]October[/b]
1 - Teresa of the Child Jesus
4 - Francis of Assisi
7 - Our Lady of the Rosary
18 - Luke, Evangelist
28 - Simon and Jude, Apostles

[b]November[/b]
1 - All Saints
2 - Remembrance of the dead
21 - Presentation of Mary in the Temple
30 - Andrew, Apostle

[b]December[/b]
3 - Francis Xavier
8 - Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
21 - Peter Canisius
25 - Christmas, the birth of Jesus
27 - John, Apostle and Evangelist