2015 Liturgical Notes for the Diocese of Cleveland EASTER VIGIL: In 2015, the Easter Vigil falls on 4 April, after the change to Daylight Saving Time. Title II, Chapter I, Number 21 of the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar states: “The entire celebration of this (the Easter) Vigil should take place at night, beginning after nightfall and ending with dawn.” This rule is to be taken according to its strictest sense, thus, in the Diocese of Cleveland the earliest possible time for the Easter Vigil to begin in 2015 is 8:30 p.m. HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION: The dioceses of the United States have six holy days of obligation; namely: The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (1 January), The Assumption of Mary (15 August), All Saints (1 November), the Immaculate Conception (8 December), and Christmas (25 December). In the province of the State of Ohio, the Feast of the Ascension has been transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter. The USCCB decision of November 1991, confirmed by the Apostolic See in July, 1992 regarding the abrogation of the precept to attend Mass on the Solemnities of Mary, Mother of God, the Assumption, and All Saints, when they fall on a Saturday or Monday, with its corresponding effects on ritual Masses, as well as other liturgical laws regarding ritual Masses and solemnities, works out in the manner found in the following chart for the liturgical year.

Date

Holy Day of Obligation

Funeral Mass

Funeral Outside Mass

Wedding / Nuptial Mass (w marriage rite readings)

Marriage Rite during Mass of the Day

Marriage Rite Outside Mass

30 November 2014 (Sunday) First Sunday of Advent 7 December 2014 (Sunday) Second Sunday of Advent 8 December 2014 (Monday) The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Patroness of the USA

Sunday

No 

Yes

No 

No 

No 

Sunday

No 

Yes

No 

No 

No 

Yes

No 

Yes

No

Yes, no

Yes

15 December 2014 (Sunday) Third Sunday of Advent 21 December 2014 (Sunday) Fourth Sunday of Advent

Sunday

No 

Yes

No 

No 

No 

Sunday

No 

Yes

No 

No 

No 

†

substitutions ǂ

Date

Marriage Rite during Mass of the Day

Funeral Mass

25 December 2014 (Wednesday) The Nativity of the Lord 27 December 2014 (Saturday) The Feast of St. John the Evangelist Patron of the Diocese of Cleveland 28 December 2014 (Sunday) The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph 1 January 2014 (Thursday) The Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God 4 January 2015 (Sunday) The Epiphany of the Lord 11 January 2015 (Sunday) The Baptism of the Lord 22 January 2015 (Thursday) Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children (USA) 15 February 2015 (Sunday) Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Annual Catholic Charities Appeal 18 February 2015 (Wednesday) Ash Wednesday 22 February 2015 (Sunday) First Sunday of Lent

Yes

No


Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

Yes

No


Yes

No

Yes, no

Yes

1 March 2015 (Sunday) Second Sunday of Lent 8 March 2015 (Sunday) Third Sunday of Lent 15 March 2015 (Sunday) Fourth Sunday of Lent 19 March 2015 (Thursday) Solemnity, Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary 22 March 2015 (Sunday) Fifth Sunday of Lent

25 March 2015 (Wednesday) Solemnity, Annunciation of the Lord 29 March 2015 (Sunday) Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion 31 March 2015 (Tuesday)

Funeral Outside Mass

Wedding / Nuptial Mass (w

Holy Day of Obligation

marriage rite readings †

Yes, no

Wedding Outside Mass Yes

substitutions ǂ

†

substitutions ǂ

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Sunday

Yes


Yes

No 

No 

No 

No

Yes

Yes

No ◊

Yes, but not recommended

Yes

Sunday

No


Sunday

No


No  No  No  Rite of Election The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 PM Yes No  No  No 

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

No

Yes

Yes

No †

Yes

Yes

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

No

Yes

Yes

No †

Yes

Yes

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

Yes

Chrism Mass The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 7:00 PM 2

Date

2 April 2015 (Thursday) Holy Thursday 3 April 2015 (Friday) Good Friday 4 April 2015 (Saturday) Holy Saturday 5 April 2015 (Sunday) Easter Sunday 6 April 2015 (Monday) Easter Monday 7 April 2015 (Tuesday) Easter Tuesday 8 April 2015 (Wednesday) Easter Wednesday 9 April 2015 (Thursday) Easter Thursday 10 April 2015 (Friday) Easter Friday 11 April 2015 (Saturday) Easter Saturday 12 April 2015 (Sunday) Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday) 19 April 2015 (Sunday) Third Sunday of Easter 26 April 2015 (Sunday) Fourth Sunday of Easter 2 May 2015 (Saturday)

Funeral Outside Mass

Wedding / Nuptial Mass (w

No


Yes

The celebration of marriage is forbidden.

No

No


Yes

No

No


Yes

Penance and anointing of the sick may be celebrated.

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

No

Yes

Yes

No ◊

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No ◊

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No ◊

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No ◊

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No ◊

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No ◊

Yes

Yes

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

Sunday

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

Permanent Diaconate Ordination The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 10 AM Sunday No
Yes No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Holy Day of Obligation

Funeral Mass

No

marriage rite readings

3 May 2015 (Sunday) Fifth Sunday of Easter 10 May 2015 (Sunday) Sunday No
Yes No  Sixth Sunday of Easter No  14 May 2015 (Sunday) Sunday No
Yes Ascension of the Lord 15 May 2015 (Wednesday) Anniversary of Installation of Diocesan Bishop (2006) Bishop Richard Lennon 16 May 2015 (Saturday) Ordination of Priests The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 10 AM 3

Marriage Rite during Mass of the Day

Wedding Outside Mass

Date

Marriage Rite during Mass of the Day

Wedding Outside Mass

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Corpus Cristi Procession The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 4:30 PM Sunday No
Yes No 

No 

No 

Yes ǂ

No 

Holy Day of Obligation

Funeral Mass

Funeral Outside Mass

Wedding / Nuptial Mass (w marriage rite readings

23 May 2015 (Saturday)

24 May 2015 (Sunday) Pentecost 31 May 2015 (Sunday) Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity 6 June 2015 (Saturday)

7 June 2015 (Sunday) Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ 29 June 2015 (Monday) Solemnity of St. Peter & St. Paul 26 July 2015 (Sunday)

Adult Confirmation The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 4:30 PM Sunday No
Yes No  Sunday

No

No


Yes

Yes

Yes

No †

50th Wedding Anniversary Mass The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 2:30 PM No Yes Yes No †

15 August 2015 (Saturday) Yes, recommend no Solemnity of the substitutions ǂ Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 16 August 2015 (Sunday) Admission to Candidacy for the (Permanent) Diaconate The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 5:30 PM No  No  6 September 2015 (Sunday) No Yes Yes Anniversary of the Dedication of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 14 September 2015 (Monday) The Exaltation of the Holy Cross Anniversary of Episcopal Ordination of Diocesan Bishop (2001) Bishop Richard Lennon 24 October 2015 (Saturday) Ordination to the Transitional Diaconate St. Mary’s Seminarians The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 10 AM 1 November 2015 (Sunday) No Yes Yes No  No  The Solemnity of All Saints 4

Yes

Yes

No 

Date

2 November 2015 (Monday) The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) 22 November 2015 (Sunday) The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

29 November 2015 (Sunday) First Sunday of Advent 8 December 2015 (Tuesday) The Solemnity of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Patroness of the USA

Funeral Outside Mass

Wedding / Nuptial Mass (w

Marriage Rite during Mass of the Day

Wedding Outside Mass

Yes

Yes

No

Yes, but not recommended

Yes

No


Yes

No 

No 

No 

2016 LITURGICAL YEAR Sunday No
Yes No 

No 

No 

Yes, no

Yes

Holy Day of Obligation

Funeral Mass

No

Sunday

Yes

No


Yes

marriage rite readings ◊

No †

substitutions ǂ

†

The Wedding/Nuptial Mass with readings from the Rite of Marriage may not be celebrated.

ǂ

“If the marriage is celebrated on a Sunday or solemnity, the Mass of the day is used with the nuptial blessing and the special final blessing according to the circumstances. The liturgy of the word as adapted to the marriage celebration, however, is a highly effective means for the catechesis on the sacrament of marriage and its duties. Therefore, when the wedding Mass may not be held, one of the readings from the texts provided for the marriage celebration (nos. 67 – 105) may be chosen, except from Holy Thursday to Easter, on the solemnities of Epiphany, Ascension, Pentecost, or Corpus Christi, or on holydays of obligation.” (Rite of Marriage, 11) Participation in the Rite of Marriage during Mass fulfills the Holy Day obligation (Canon 1248).

◊

The Wedding/Nuptial Mass with readings from the Rite of Marriage may not be celebrated. Ritual Masses are connected to the celebration of certain Sacraments or Sacramentals. They are prohibited on Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter, on Solemnities, on the days within the Octave of Easter, on the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day), on Ash Wednesday, and during Holy Week, and furthermore due regard is to be had for the norms set out in the ritual books or in the Masses themselves. (GIRM 372)



Marriages may be celebrated on any day of the week except Sunday. (Diocese of Cleveland 1999 Marriage Policy - X. Issues of Rite, Place and Time of Marriage – page 42).

►

The Prayers, Preface, Blessing and Readings are of the Day. 5



A Funeral Mass is permitted and fulfills the Holy Day obligation. (Canon 1248)



Among the Masses for the Dead, the Funeral Mass holds first place. It may be celebrated on any day except for solemnities that are holy days of obligation, Holy Thursday, the Easter Triduum, and the Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter, with due regard also for all the other requirements of the norm of the law. (GIRM 380) Participation at a Funeral Mass fulfills the Sunday or Holy Day obligation. (Canon 1248)

22 January

* ADDITIONAL NOTES Day of Prayer/ Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade

Mass for Peace and Justice (Violet Vestments) 14-15 February

Catholic Charities Annual Appeal

18 February

Ash Wednesday

There is no penitential rite on Ash Wednesday. 25 March 4 April

Solemnity of the Annunciation Easter Vigil

In the Diocese of Cleveland the Easter Vigil is not to begin before 8:30 PM. 12 April

The Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday)

The Congregation for Divine Worship decreed (23 May 2000) that “throughout the world, the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that human kind will experience in the years to come.” How should a person, parish or diocese properly prepare for and celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday? The essential celebration consists in the celebration of the liturgy of the Second Sunday of Easter during which the homily should focus on the scriptural readings of the day. It should be noted that the three cycles of scriptural readings and the orations are all centered on the forgiveness of sins and God’s infinite mercy. Other celebrations are as varied as the people who plan them. Most consist of a Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation does not need to be celebrated or offered on that day. Private prayer includes the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

Finally, in a decree dated 3 August 2002, the Apostolic Penitentiary announced that in order “to insure that the faithful would observe this day with intense devotion, the supreme Pontiff himself established that this Sunday be enriched with a plenary indulgence.” The plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on that day, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection of a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the 6

tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, and adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g., Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!) 6 September

Anniversary of the Dedication of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

The anniversary of the dedication of the cathedral is observed as a solemnity in the Cathedral and as a feast in the parishes of the Diocese of Cleveland. This observance takes precedence over the Saturday of the Twenty-Second week in Ordinary Time. 2015 Liturgical Notes –issued on 10 November 2014

7