Office of Worship
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 9, 2024 – A Holy Day of Obligation
Last month, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops received a response to an inquiry about whether the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is to be observed as a holy day of obligation, even though it will be moved to Monday, December 9th this year, since December 8th falls on a Sunday and will be observed as the Second Sunday of Advent.
In response to the inquiry, the Vatican’s Dicastery for Legislative Texts clarified that even though the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is being transferred to Monday, December 9th, it must still be observed as a day of obligation, and the Catholic faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on that day, unless excused for a serious reason. To read the full text of the response, please click here.
OCIA Updates, Upcoming Workshop, and Helpful Information
The new text for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) has been published and is available for purchase by pastors and parish staff. The text may be used as early as the First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2024, and its mandatory use begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
To assist parish teams in their implementation of the new OCIA text, an OCIA Presentation and Workshop Day will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle, 5815 5th Avenue N., St. Petersburg. The main presenter will be Rita Thiron, Executive Director of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. More details will be forthcoming.
Also, Liturgy Training Publications has made available a series of Frequently Asked Questions, along with links to register for upcoming “Digital Institutes” for OCIA Coordinators and others who wish to learn more about the new text. To access these resources, click here.
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