Liturgical Calendar
Frequently asked Questions
About Dates
- When are Holydays of Obligation?
- The Holydays of Obligations for England and Wales are:
- Every Sunday
- Nativity of the Lord (25 December)
- Epiphany of the Lord (6 January*)
- Ascension of the Lord (Thursday after 6th Sunday of Easter)
- St Peter & St Paul (29 June*)
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (15 August*)
- All Saints (1 November*)
- * According to a decision of the Bishops' Conference (1984) Holydays which fall on Saturday or Monday are transferred to the Sunday.
- The main Calendar page gives a table of dates for the next few years.
- For more details see the Holydays page.
- How can I find the date of Easter and other moveable feasts?
- The Calendar pages have 4 places where this information can be found.
- On the Calendar home page there is a summary table giving the main dates for the next few years.
- There is also a list of moveable feasts extending until 2040.
- The Liturgy Office produces Calendar Notes each year that summarise the significant days for the year after. A draft note is produced for 2 years' time.
- For the current and forthcoming year a more detailed calendar can be found with a page for every month.
- What resources are there for Liturgical Seasons?
- For each season there is a summary page which brings together documentation, text and other other information.
- What about Saints?
- On the website there is information about the Saints in the National Calendars of England and Wales. There is also information about Saints who are celebrated as Solemnities. It is hoped to develop the resources for the Proper of Saints. The current Calendar however, on many days give precedence to the ordinary or seasonal weekday so that the Lectionary narrative is followed.
- What is the Table of Rubrics?
- Within the Calendar there is a hierarchy of days. On some days, such as Solemnities, it is not possible to celebrate anything else. On other, lesser, days it is possible to celebrate Masses for the Dead or for Various Needs and Occasions etc. The Table of Rubrics lays out what is possible when. On the seasonal pages the directly relevant information is repeated.
- What is the Cycle of Prayer?
- Through the year the Church not only remembers the mysteries of the Lord and his saints but also special intentions for prayer are marked. These special intentions are organised in the Cycle of Prayer.
- In the Cycle of Prayer the year is divided into seasons. Within each season the Church community is asked to remember particular intentions. The intentions can be marked through both prayer and action. Some intentions are focussed on a particular a day, often a Sunday. Though it is important that the intentions are remembered and that a parish community has a wide variety of concerns care should be taken that any marking of the intention particularly on a Sunday should not overly distract from the Sunday liturgy.
Liturgy Preparation
- Where can I find the Sunday Readings?
- The readings are listed for every Sunday with both the reference and the caption given. This information can be access either through the date of the relevant Sunday or through the Sunday pages.
- Are there ideas for the Prayers of the Faithful?
- On a Sunday the Prayers of the Faithful should reflect both the content of the Sunday liturgy and the needs of the local community. As local needs and circumstances will cast a light on the Sunday readings and other texts it is better that the Prayers of the Faithful are prepared within the community in which the liturgy is celebrated.
- Though the Intercessions need careful preparation they should as a rule be short and simple inviting people into prayer. Further guidance can be found:
- Are there ideas for Liturgy of the Word with Children?
- The best starting point for preparing Liturgy of the Word with Children are the texts of the liturgy itself. As a starting point information is included about the readings for every Sunday. The Department has prepared Guidelines for Liturgy of the Word with Children [pdf].
- What material is there for Liturgy Preparation Groups?
- Beyond the detail material for Sundays and Seasons outlined above there is a section of the website for Liturgy Preparation Groups.