Catholics obliged to attend fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Masses

  With the fourth Sunday of Advent falling on Christmas Eve this year, Catholics may lack clarity in how to observe the full liturgical calendar as well as fulfill their Mass attendance obligations. Is there a two-for-one Mass on Christmas Eve, for example – that would fulfill all obligations?
   
The short answer is no. Catholics are obliged to attend Mass for both the Fourth Sunday of Advent and for Christmas Day, which is the following Monday. Although there are some exceptions in which a holy day of obligation can be abrogated, says Father Tom Ranzino, who leads the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, there is never an instance in which Christmas Day, or the fourth Sunday of Advent can be set aside.

“I would encourage people to move away from that (sense of obligation) as the only driving force and really allow yourself to pay attention to the difference in the two liturgies. The Fourth Sunday of Advent will have different prayers, different music. It’s a different day.  Christmas has its own music and prayers. Both can feed your soul because they’re different."

Father Tom Ranzino   

He referred to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy Newsletter dated February 2017: “The obligation to attend Mass on Christmas is never abrogated, regardless of the day of the week. Consequently, the faithful are obliged to attend Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent—which is also never abrogated—and for Christmas Day.”  

One can attend the Vigil Mass on Dec. 23 or morning Mass on Dec. 24, but that satisfies the obligation for the Fourth Sunday of Advent only. To celebrate the Feast of Christmas, one must still either attend a Vigil Christmas Mass, which generally begin at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve throughout the diocese, or Mass on Christmas Day to celebrate the Feast of Christmas.   

Rather than view this double obligation as a burden or “doing what you have to do,” Father Ranzino encourages the faithful to appreciate the uniqueness of each of the Masses.  

“I would encourage people to move away from that (sense of obligation) as the only driving force and really allow yourself to pay attention to the difference in the two liturgies. The Fourth Sunday of Advent will have different prayers, different music. It’s a different day.  

“Christmas has its own music and prayers. Both can feed your soul because they’re different. They are different days of the Church year and different seasons of the year,” said Father Ranzino.  

The following weekend, which includes New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, there will be a consolidation of sorts, meaning the laity will not be obligated to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family and the Feast of Mary, Mother of God. According to Canon Law 1246 §2, whenever Jan. 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or Aug. 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or Nov. 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated. Accordingly, the weekend Masses for Dec. 30–31 this year will celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. The feast of Mary, Mother of God, is abrogated.