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This year the fourth Sunday of Advent falls on Dec. 24, Christmas Eve. This means that all the morning Masses on Dec. 24 are for the fourth Sunday of Advent, while Masses celebrated later in the late afternoon or early evening will be for the vigil of Christmas, the Nativity of the Lord.
The most important point made below is this: It is not permissible to attend one Mass on Dec. 24 and fulfill both your Sunday obligation and your Christmas obligation at once.
Please consider the following points regarding this: • Both the fourth Sunday of Advent (Dec. 24) and Monday, Dec. 25, the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) are days of precept – that is, the faithful are obligated to observe these days by participating in Mass.
• Anyone who participates in Mass on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 24, fulfills the Sunday precept.
• Anyone who participates in Mass on Monday, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day), fulfills the precept of the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. This includes the vigil Masses for Christmas, celebrated in the evening or during the night of Dec. 24.
• It is not permissible to attend one Mass on Dec. 24 and fulfill both obligations at once. • Sunday, Dec. 31 is the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. It is a day of precept – that is, the faithful are obligated to observe this day by participating in Mass. • Monday, Jan. 1 is the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. It is not a day of obligation. |
