Holy Days of Obligation

In the Roman Catholic Church, Holy Days of Obligation are the days on which the faithful are required to participate in the Mass and abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body" (canon 1247 of the Code of Canon Law).

The holidays of obligation for Latin Rite Catholics are indicated in canon 1246:[1]

Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation. 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 are as follows:

January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God;

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.

Days of Fasting and Abstinence

Why do Catholics fast?

On Fridays throughout the year, except for solemnities, all Catholics over the age of fourteen are to abstain from meat. On Fridays outside of Lent, Catholics in the United States may substitute some other form of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, instead of abstaining from meat. (Code of Canon Law 1251-53)

Fasting. All Catholics between the ages of eighteen to fifty-nine are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The Church defines this as one meal a day, and two smaller meals which if added together would not exceed the main meal in quantity. The fast also excludes eating meat and eating between meals.

Those who are sick, frail, or pregnant, manual laborers (according to need), or others who would suffer from similar serious hardship are excused from the fast.

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