In 2023, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, January 1, falls on a Sunday, and the Ascension of the Lord, May 21, is moved to Sunday in most dioceses (“Thursday, May 18, is the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord in the ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha, and Philadelphia, while all other ecclesiastical provinces of the United States of America have transferred this Solemnity to the following Sunday, May 21“). Because many people have questions about these Holy Days AND because Catholics are obligated to attend Mass every Sunday all the time, we chose to include these dates on our list of Holy Days of Obligation.
Christmas, December 25, 2023, will be on a Monday and will remain a Holy Day of Obligation for this year. There will be no dispensation for Christmas. Pay close attention to the local Mass schedule because the faithful will need to attend both the fourth Sunday of Advent Mass (a Vigil Mass after 4pm on Saturday, December 22, or morning Mass on Sunday, December 24) AND Christmas Mass (a Vigil on Sunday, December 24 after 4pm OR morning Mass on Sunday, December 25).
Ascension of Jesus | May 21 (moved in most dioceses from May 18 to the following Sunday)
The Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life. “Sunday is the day on which the paschal mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic tradition and is to be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church.”
Also to be observed are the day of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension of Christ, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christi, the feast of Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, the feast of Saint Joseph, the feast of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul, and the feast of All Saints.
2177 Catechism of the Catholic Church
* In 2024, The Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, falls on a Monday. Because of this, the obligation to attend Mass is abrogated this year. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) falls on a Sunday in 2024, so it is transferred to Monday, December 9, and the obligation to attend Mass is abrogated.
**In most dioceses in the United States, the Ascension of the Lord (May 9) is moved to Sunday, May 12.
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