By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald
The wick on the last candle of the Advent wreath will barely get a singe this year with the Fourth Sunday of Advent also being Christmas Eve.
That also means a scrunching of Mass schedules for some busy parishes.
Because Dec. 25 falls on a Monday this year, parishes with regularly scheduled Sunday evening Masses will have to cancel them to make way for Vigil Masses (those celebrated the evening before) of the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord.
So it will be possible to go to Mass twice on Dec. 24, once for the fourth Sunday in Advent, then again for the Christmas vigil. Going to the Christmas vigil covers the obligation to attend Christmas Mass, but does not also cover the Sunday obligation.
The diocese made these Mass duties clear in a memo sent out Nov. 3 by the Office of Worship to priests, deacons, parishes and schools regarding December’s two holy days of obligation.
The other holy day of obligation is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, which falls on a Friday this year. Regarding this feast, the Office of Worship reminded parishes of their own obligation to schedule Masses for the benefit of their parishioners.
“Masses MUST be scheduled at times that are convenient for the faithful to fulfill their obligation,” the office stated.
“This may include a Vigil Mass the night of Dec. 7,” the office added. “It is recommended that an announcement with the times for the Masses be publicized at least three weeks in advance.”
Christmas and the Immaculate Conception are the only holy days of obligation observed in Hawaii out of the six observed on much of the Mainland.
