Holy Days of Obligation, Days of Penance and Movable Feasts of 2021

 

HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION – 2021

Friday, January 1^st – Mary, Mother of God

Wednesday, December 8^th – The Immaculate Conception

Saturday, December 25^th -- Christmas

 

Epiphany (Wednesday, January 6^th), Ascension of the Lord (Thursday, May 5^th), and Corpus Christi (Thursday, May 26^th) are all transferred to Sundays. St Joseph, Husband of Mary (Friday, March 19^th) and Sts Peter and Paul (Tuesday, June 29^th) are not obligation days in the USA.

The Assumption of Mary (August 15^th) falls on a Sunday.

All Saints’ Day (November 1^st) is not a day of obligation this year, because it falls on a Monday. Mary, Mother of God (January 1^st) will not be a day of obligation in 2022, because it falls on a Saturday.

 

DAYS OF PENANCE and EMBER DAYS – 2021

Every Friday throughout the year (abstinence or some penance)

Friday, January 22^nd – Anniversary of Roe v Wade (recommended fasting and abstinence)

Every Day of Lent – February 17^th to April 3^rd (Sundays and Solemnities are generally less penitential)

Wednesday, February 17^th – Ash Wednesday (fasting and abstinence)

Fridays, February 19^th, 26^th, March 5^th, 12^th, (not 19^th), 26^th – Fridays of Lent (abstinence)

Friday, April 2^nd – Good Friday (fasting and abstinence)

Saturday, April 3^rd  – Holy Saturday (recommended fasting and abstinence)

 

EMBER DAYS and ROGATION DAYS (recommended fasting and abstinence)

February 24^th, 26^th, 27^th – Ember Days of Lent (February 24^th is the feast of St Matthew)

April 25^th – Major Rogation day (this year falls on a Sunday, no penance)

May 10^th, 11^th, 12^th – Minor Rogation Days; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before the Ascension

May 26^th, 28^th, 29^th – Ember Days of Pentecost (penance is commonly moved to the following week, on             account of the Octave celebration of Pentecost)

September 22^nd, 24^th, 25^th – Ember Days of September

December 15^th, 17^th, 18^th – Ember Days of Advent

 

Penance is not required on the following Fridays: January 1^st (Mother of God), March 19^th (St Joseph),

            April 9^th (Octave of Easter), June 11^th (Sacred Heart).

* Abstinence means abstaining from meat, and binds from 14 years until death. Abstaining from eggs and dairy    as well as from meat is a laudable tradition.

** Fasting means one regular meal and two small snacks, and binds from 18 until 60.

 

MOVABALE FEASTS – 2021

Ash Wednesday, February 17^th; Palm Sunday, March 28^th; Easter Triduum, April 1^st-3^rd

Easter Sunday, April 4^th; Ascension Thursday, May 13^th; Pentecost, May 23^rd

Corpus Christi Thursday, June 3^rd; Corpus Christi Sunday, June 6^th; Sacred Heart, June 11^th

First Sunday of Advent, November 28^th