The Ordo (Order of prayer in the Liturgy of the hours and the Eucharist) lists all the days of the Church year and indicates what is celebrated that day and has details that help priests in preparing for the liturgy of the hours and Mass that day.  For this coming Monday, December 9, the Ordo lists this day as the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patronal Feast of the United States of America.  Then, it has in parenthesis, "Not a holy day of obligation this year."  I must say I was more than a little surprised that the bishops of the United States did not make this solemnity in which Catholics are obliged to participate in Mass that day.

When the bishops decided to make holy days that fall on a Monday or Saturday non-obligatory, they did so, I believe, primarily because of regularly scheduled Masses on Saturday and Sunday evening that are always celebrating the Mass of Sunday.  Some parishes, given the size of the Church, may not be able to schedule enough Masses for the holy day when it falls on a Saturday or Monday, to care for the needs of the people AND have their regularly scheduled weekend Masses.

The bishops still ask us to STRONGLY encourage our people to participate in holy days that falls on a Monday or Saturday.  I am going to do this verbally at Mass this weekend AND schedule two opportunities for our parishioners to attend Mass this Monday at 9:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.  PLEASE consider participating in the Solemnity NOT because you are obliged to do so (because you aren't this year), but becuse of your love for The Lord and His Mother, Mary, and her continuing intercession for our country.  We certainly need her help.