It's the Most Obligatory Time of the Year....
(Unless my calculations are incorrect) this Sunday begins the most Masseriffic period of the Catholic calendar: a fifteen-day period in which American Catholics are obliged to attend Mass five times, on pain of incurring mortal sin. That is:
UPDATE (12/19/04): Ooops. The perils of doing things from memory, especially when your memory is bad. January 1 is the Feast of Mary, Mother of God, not the Feast of the Holy Family, as I initially wrote. Holy Family is the Sunday after Christmas. This year, it's the 26th.
Sunday, December 19 ... (because it's a Sunday)One out of every three days, Mass attendance is mandatory. This, I assume, is why they call it "the most wonderful time of the year".
Saturday, December 25 ... (because it's Christmas)
Sunday, December 26 ... (because it's a Sunday)
Saturday, January 1 ... (because it's the Feast of Mary, Mother of God)
Sunday, January 2 ... (because it's a Sunday)
UPDATE (12/19/04): Ooops. The perils of doing things from memory, especially when your memory is bad. January 1 is the Feast of Mary, Mother of God, not the Feast of the Holy Family, as I initially wrote. Holy Family is the Sunday after Christmas. This year, it's the 26th.
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