oly Days of Obligation in the United States. However, when four of them fall on a Saturday or Monday, the obligation to attend Mass is suspended.
Regardless of the day of the week, the obligation to attend Mass always remains for:
- December 8 — Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
- December 25 — Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Below is the official decree from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB):
National Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States of America
Decree of Promulgation
On December 13, 1991, the members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States of America made the following general decree concerning Holy Days of Obligation for Latin Rite Catholics:
In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as Holy Days of Obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America, in conformity with canon 1246, are as follows:
- January 1 — Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
- Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter — Solemnity of the Ascension
- August 15 — Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- November 1 — Solemnity of All Saints
- December 8 — Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
- December 25 — Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Whenever January 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.
This decree of the Conference of Bishops was approved and confirmed by the Apostolic See by a decree of the Congregation for Bishops (Prot. N. 296/84), signed by Bernardin Cardinal Gantin, Prefect of the Congregation, and dated July 4, 1992.
As President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, I declare that the effective date of this decree for all the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America is January 1, 1993, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
Given at the offices of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., November 17, 1992.
- Daniel E. Pilarczyk
Archbishop of Cincinnati
President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Robert N. Lynch
General Secretary