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Office of Divine Worship
Catholic Diocese of Joliet

In 1991 the Bishops of the United States requested approval from Rome to lift the obligation to attend Mass on the Solemnities of the Assumption, All Saints and Mary, Mother of God, when they fall on a Saturday or Monday. In 1992 Rome gave their approval to this request. The following information is given in order to help clarify some of the confusion concerning our Holy Days of Obligation.

January 1: Mary Mother of God is a holy day of obligation when it falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday. When it falls on a Saturday or Monday it is a holy day without obligation.

Ascension has been transferred to the seventh Sunday of Easter and is a holy day of obligation.

August 15: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a holy day of obligation when it falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Sunday. When it falls on a Saturday or Monday it is a Holy Day without obligation.

November 1: All Saints Day is a holy day of obligation when it falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Sunday. When it falls on a Saturday or Monday it is a holy day without obligation.

December 8: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is always a day of obligation, except in years when December 8 falls on Sunday and the solemnity is observed on December 9.

December 25: Christmas is always a holy day of obligation.

What about Weddings and Funerals on Holy Days of Obligation?

Wedding Masses may not be said on Sundays in Advent, Lent and Easter Season, solemnities (both of precept, Holy Days of Obligation, and not of precept), days within the octave of Easter (Saturday after Easter), All Souls Day, Ash Wednesday, and during Holy Week. On these days the Mass is of the day and the nuptial blessing is given. In addition to the nuptial blessing one of the readings of the day may be changed.

Funeral Masses maybe celebrated on any day except solemnities that are days of obligation (on Holy Days in which the obligation is lifted Funeral Masses may be said), Holy Thursday, Easter Triduum, and Sundays of Advent, Lent and the Easter Season.

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