Articles - From the Vicar

A few weeks ago the Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales announced that some of the 'holy days of obligation' (days on which Roman Catholics are required to attend Mass) are to be celebrated on the nearest Sunday if they fall on a weekday. The festivals include the Feasts of the Epiphany and of the Ascension (which, of course, always falls on a Thursday). The reasoning behind this move is plausible. Many people find it increasingly difficult to attend midweek Masses because of pressures at work and at home: moving the festivals in question affords the possibility of enabling a greater number of people to celebrate them more fully.

The Bishops' decision has not been universally welcomed in the Roman Catholic community; and although, as an Anglican, I am not affected I nevertheless feel a certain sadness that the Bishops of our sister church have felt it necessary to disrupt the ancient rhythm of the Christian year. Their decision might not seem important in the wider scheme of things, but there is a danger that, in permanently moving the celebration of these festivals to Sundays (when people expect Christians to be in church anyway), a little of the distinctiveness of Christian witness to the wider community will be lost - especially if other Christian denominations continue to celebrate the festivals on the traditional dates.

Perhaps the wider question for all Christians is how we honour the truth of the Incarnation - God becoming human and thus fully affirming the human condition - whilst at the same time also honouring our call to be salt and light in a world that is indifferent or hostile to the Good News we seek to share. Our holy days, especially those like the Epiphany and the Ascension that celebrate events in the life of our Lord, are fine opportunities for beginning to resolve that dilemma. We should make full use of the possibilities for evangelism that they offer, whichever day they fall on.

© St Edmund's Church, Roundhay