Greg Daly
There are set to be sharp divisions when members of the hierarchy discuss a plan that could see Irish Catholics absolved from the requirement to attend Mass on two traditional major feastdays, The Irish Catholic understands.
The Irish bishops’ conference is currently considering a proposal that would reduce the importance of both All Saints’ Day (November 1) and the Immaculate Conception (December 8). It is understood that a number of bishops are opposed to the move seeing it as a concession further secularisation.
Obligation
Currently, Catholics are required to attend Mass on both days as they are designated as ‘Holydays of Obligation’. However, the plan – if adopted – would see the obligation removed.
While Canon Law prescribes ten holydays of obligation throughout the year, local bishops’ conferences are entitled to supress the obligation for certain days with the permission of the Vatican. It is understood that some bishops feel that the fact that fewer practising Catholic attend Mass on both feastdays means their status should be reduced. However, this is expected to be fiercely resisted by other members of the hierarchy.
In addition to supressing the holydays, consideration is also being given to returning the feast of the Ascension to the traditional Thursday rather than the Sunday celebration of the feast adopted by the Church in Ireland in 1996. This would return the tradition of the nine-day novena the apostles of Christ kept between the Ascension of the Lord and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday.
The feast of Corpus Christi – referred to the Body and Blood of Christ – was also transferred from a weekday to a Sunday in 1996. There are understood to currently be no plans to restore this feastday.
In 2006, bishops in England and Wales decided to transfer the Epiphany, the Ascension and and Corpus Christi to the nearest Sunday. However, this year they received permission from the Vatican to restore the traditional dates for both the Epiphany and the Ascension.