Moving The Ascension

[Guest SaintEdward]

I personally don't agree with the moving of the feast to the nearest Sunday. I realize that the bishops felt that they were causing people to sin by leaving the feast where it was but i don't think that i should have been done. Opinions?

[Katholikos]

My diocese (Phoenix) also moved the Feast of the Ascension to Sunday. I don't like it.

Likos

[bonoducchi]

[quote name='Katholikos' post='1276178' date='May 17 2007, 09:44 PM']My diocese (Phoenix) also moved the Feast of the Ascension to Sunday. I don't like it.

Likos[/quote]

Why?

[Era Might]

I won't speak for the Bishops. They have their own reasons, and they are within their rights to regulate the Liturgy. If I were to make a recommendation, however, I would prefer that the feast not be moved. I assume it is moved so that Catholics who must work do not miss out on the Feast. This is a legitimate concern and a pastoral concession, but I think the value of setting aside specific weekdays is more important. I don't think it is so much a question of Catholics sinning, because there is no sin if you have a legitimate excuse not to attend Mass that day, and if you don't follow the teaching of the Church in general, then there is a deeper problem that needs to be addressed.

[Maggyie]

[quote name='VaticanIILiturgist' post='1276189' date='May 17 2007, 10:59 PM']Why?[/quote]

I can't speak for anyone else, but the reason I don't like it much is because it seems to be another "lowering of the bar," which seems to have been going on for so many years, with many negative results. And it just seems so schizophrenic. The Vatican celebrates it today, but the rest of Italy celebrates it on Sunday. In the eastern dioceses, the Ascension is celebrated today, while here in Ohio it's on Sunday. One of the things I enjoy about the Church is that on any given day throughout the world we are all listening to the same readings, praying the same prayers, etc. It sort of spoils the unity of worship.

[White Knight]

I actually here though from the view point of Rome, moving the Ascension to the nearest Sunday is to rise the Holy Mass Attendance, but still I agree Thursday the 17th was the 40th day after the Resurrection and I believe it sould have stayed the way it is, and not move, but then again its a good attention grapper I think.

[Apotheoun]

I see this move (a move already made by the Latin bishops on the Pacific coast) as another sign of the continuing disintegration of the Roman liturgy.

I am so happy that I am Eastern Catholic.

[kenrockthefirst]

[quote name='Era Might' post='1276194' date='May 17 2007, 09:06 PM']I won't speak for the Bishops. They have their own reasons, and they are within their rights to regulate the Liturgy. If I were to make a recommendation, however, I would prefer that the feast not be moved. I assume it is moved so that Catholics who must work do not miss out on the Feast. This is a legitimate concern and a pastoral concession, but I think the value of setting aside specific weekdays is more important. I don't think it is so much a question of Catholics sinning, because there is no sin if you have a legitimate excuse not to attend Mass that day, and if you don't follow the teaching of the Church in general, then there is a deeper problem that needs to be addressed.[/quote]

In terms of pastoral concessions, couldn't they simply organize masses early in the morning, at lunch, and/or in the evening? I have a day job but on Holy Days of Obligation, attend lunchtime masses at a church local to my workplace.

[Apotheoun]

Celebrating Ascension Thursday on Sunday destroys the only liturgical novena common to both East and West. That said, it also destroys the liturgical cycle, which is supposed to sanctify time, and not simply reduce worship to Sundays for the sake of convenience.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='kenrockthefirst' post='1276550' date='May 18 2007, 04:49 PM']In terms of pastoral concessions, couldn't they simply organize masses early in the morning, at lunch, and/or in the evening? I have a day job but on Holy Days of Obligation, attend lunchtime masses at a church local to my workplace.[/quote]

That's what I was thinking. I always went to a morning one on my way to work, or occasionally an evening one on my way home. Yes, it can make a long day, but it's well worth it, in my opinion.

[Era Might]

[quote name='kenrockthefirst' post='1276550' date='May 18 2007, 11:49 AM']In terms of pastoral concessions, couldn't they simply organize masses early in the morning, at lunch, and/or in the evening? I have a day job but on Holy Days of Obligation, attend lunchtime masses at a church local to my workplace.[/quote]
On Holy Days we are supposed to treat it as a Sunday, and not work at all.

It would be nice if the local parishes can offer Mass at convenient times on Holy Days, but that would be up to the Pastor. I don't think the Bishop has much control over that, because it depends on the schedule and availability of each parish. You may not be able to attend anyway, depending on where you work, whether there is a parish nearby, whether your lunch break is long enough, and so on. We are fortunate that Sunday is a day off, so most people do not need to work. I'm not sure what the Bishops consider when they decide to move the feast, but I think these practical issues probably are important.

[quote name='Apotheoun' post='1276557' date='May 18 2007, 11:56 AM']Celebrating Ascension Thursday on Sunday destroys the only liturgical novena common to both East and West. That said, it also destroys the liturgical cycle, which is supposed to sanctify time, and not simply reduce worship to Sundays for the sake of convenience.[/quote]
Correct me if I'm wrong, but there are no Holy Days of Obligation in the East. They are not required to take a day off from work every Holy Day and treat it as a Sunday. That makes it easier to keep the Feast as it is, because there is no extraordinary obligation on those days, which we have in the West.

[kenrockthefirst]

[quote name='Era Might' post='1276615' date='May 18 2007, 12:15 PM']On Holy Days we are supposed to treat it as a Sunday, and not work at all.

It would be nice if the local parishes can offer Mass at convenient times on Holy Days, but that would be up to the Pastor. I don't think the Bishop has much control over that, because it depends on the schedule and availability of each parish. It also depends on where you work, whether there is a parish nearby, whether your lunch break is long enough, and so on. We are fortunate that Sunday is a day off, so that most people do not need to work. I'm not sure what the Bishops consider when they decide to move the feast, but I think these practical issues probably are important.[/quote]

Really? Of course, I guess that's where "holiday" comes from. Back in the day, people didn't work on holy days. I don't see that flying in modern America, however. In light of that, the concession would seem to be, given that people [i]aren't[/i] going to take the day off, offer masses around work hours as and where possible, or move it to a Sunday.

[Apotheoun]

The Latin Bishops in the U.S. are doing one of two things: moving all of the major holy days of the Roman liturgy to Sundays, or dispensing with holy days altogether. It's truly sad.

I remember that when I was a Methodist we celebrated Christmas at Church the Sunday before December 25th. It was pretty pathetic.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='Apotheoun' post='1276623' date='May 18 2007, 06:26 PM']I remember that when I was a Methodist we celebrated Christmas at Church the Sunday before December 25th. It was pretty pathetic.[/quote]

We did that as at my Baptist church, too, or just didn't have a Christmas service if it actually fell on a Sunday. And Easter was the shortest service of the year. Makes me so glad to be Catholic, among other reasons.

[KnightofChrist]

Seems to be a Americanization of the Mass one of the package all in one deals. Christ says come follow me, not come follow me oh wait too busy? Oh let me see maybe I can work you in....