Does Any Mass Fulfill Sunday Obligation?

[LouisvilleFan]

In a couple weeks I'm attending a Catholic wedding that will be 7pm on a Saturday night. Since it's after 5pm, and assuming they include the Liturgy of the Eucharist, does it fulfill the Sunday obligation?

[cappie]

With respect to Saturday evening, Canon Law states: “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” (Can. 1248, par. 1). Each diocese has the right to determine the hour at which ‘evening’ begins; commonly it is 4 p.m.

The Liturgical Calendar invites pastors to celebrate the day of the Lord’s resurrection with zeal and joy. It states: “Wedding or funeral Masses are not to be considered as a Sunday Mass when they are celebrated on Saturday afternoon or evening”

However, according to an authorized commentary of Canon 1248, participation in ‘any’ Mass, even a wedding Mass, after 4 p.m., is enough to satisfy the obligation of Sunday Mass (The Canon Law, Letter and Spirit, The Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 1995, Commentary No 2467, John M. Huels, O.S.M.). Remember, every Mass celebrates Christ’s mystery.

Here is an exceptional situation, since nobody attends a Marriage Mass every weekend. And we should also keep in mind that the faithful going to a marriage Mass takes part in the celebration of two sacraments: the Eucharist and Marriage. The present interpretation, which is according to the spirit and not the letter, is still more acceptable when the faithful regularly attends Holy Mass on Sunday.

If after having participated in a Marriage Mass at 7 p.m. on Saturday, you think that you have fulfilled your Sunday obligation and you decide not to come back, you can be at peace.