A Holy Day of Obligation (HDO) is a day on the Catholic Church’s Liturgical Calendar when Catholics are obligated to go to Mass; their significance lies in honoring Our Lady, Our Lord, and major saints. All Sundays have been obligatory in addition to the HDOs (except when lifted by the Bishop in certain times) but nowadays, depending upon the country you live in, only a half a dozen or so other days are HDOs. Did you know that the Catholic Church once had thirty-six Holy Days of Obligation, in addition to Sunday Mass?

Here is a list of all thirty-six. I am posting this because in these perilous times, we need to increase our piety and connections to the Church Triumphant. Although the obligation has been removed, (and in many cases, the dates have been moved around in 1955 through 1962), you can still attend Mass or view it online. Perhaps even just pray novenas to whomever is honored or some other devotion to them. The current HDO’s are in black, suppressed ones in red. What is notable is that all Twelve Apostles were honored with an HDO. Pope St. Pius X reduced them in number in 1911.

HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION

and

SUPPRESSED FESTIVALS (former HDOs)

ALL SUNDAYS and Feasts of each of the Twelve Apostles

January 1 Circumcision of Our Lord/Mary Mother of God

January 6 Epiphany

February 2^nd Purification/Candlemas

Feb 24: St. Matthias

March 19^th St. Joseph, Spouse of the BVM

March 25^th Annunciation

May 1^st SS Phillp and James

May 3^rd Holy Cross

June 11^th St. Barnabas, Apostle

Easter Monday

Easter Tuesday

WhitMonday -(Monday after Pentecost, a/k/a WhitSunday)

WhitTuesday-(Tuesday after Pentecost a/k/a WhitSunday)

Corpus Christi

Ascension Thursday

June 24^th Nativity of St. John the Baptist

June 29 SS Peter and Paul

July 25^th St. James, Apostle

July 26^th St. Anne (Mother of the BVM)

August 10^th St. Lawrence

August 15 Assumption

August 24^th St. Bartholomew, Apostle

September 8^th Nativity of the BVM

Sep 21: St. Matthew

September 29^th St. Michael the Archangel (Michaelmas)

October 28^th SS Simon and Jude, Apostles

November 1 All Saints

November 30 St. Andrew, Apostle

December 8 Immaculate Conception

December 21^st St. Thomas, Apostle

December 25^th Christmas

December 26^th St. Stephen, Protomartyr

December 27^th St. John the Evangelist, Apostle

December 28^th Holy Innocents

December 31 St. Sylvester

The Principle Patrons of One’s Country, City, etc.

SOURCE: an old out-of-print prayer book of mine referred to these; I subsequently double checked with online references including Wikipedia, Catholic Encyclopedia (on New Advent) and a sedevecantist site (typically bad for contemporary issues, but useful for pre-Vatican II information.)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)