Good grief. Our girls go to a Catholic school ....

[2sugars]

... and today the whole school is going to Mass as it's All Saints Day. Which means dd1 is missing swimming.

When H found this out, he was fuming. I said (although I'm certain it's not)"It's All Saints Day. It's a Holy Day of Obligation"

To which he huffed and puffed and replied "It should be a holy day of education."

When we enrolled dd1 with the school, we were told in no uncertain terms that if we didn't like it we could take our children out? So why is it such a huge surprise to him now?

BTW I'm Catholic and he's very anti.

[bossykate]

it is a holy day of obligation.

i don't know why it is a surprise to him now!

oh dear. good luck

[ExplosiveScienceT]

My boys are probably at Mass right now.

Mass is good - nothing to worry about!

[MissInvisible]

dd(4) came home with letter saying they were going and could we attend too!, but when i got to school teacher said dd's class too young(reception) so teacher will be reading liturgy(sp) and saying prayers at time mass is on!

[TigerFeet]

Yes it is a holy day of obligation

It's a shame that your dd is missing swimming but it that's what happens when your dc's go to a Catholic school - if your dh has a problem with that then perhaps it's a bit late now to object???

I went to a Ctholic school and we had to go to mass every second friday as well as holy days of obligation. Twas a right pita

[GothicCandles]

Very anti-religion people often just don't register the commitment involved in being religious, no matter howq clearly you spell it out, until they actually experience it themselves.

[Anchovy]

I went to a Catholic comprehensive with its own chapel. We were barely out of the chuffing place. Some times we would have compulsory confession in lieu of an RE lesson.

Am not very good at swimming, but in those days my soul was well buffed!

It goes with the territory of attending a Catholic school. Actually there are very few Holy Days of Obligation which are in term time, so should not be a major issue.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

My school had it's own chapel too,hidden behind a folding screen in the French room !
At primary school we always had Holy Day of Obligation off - I can remember going to Chessington Zoo on one and db breaking his collar bone ( Divine retribution !) but I'm sure we all went to Mass too.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

By the way, did anyone else at a catholic school get the Crusade Messenger magazine ? and little collecting boxes made of navy blue fabric that folded out when hyou filled them ? probably collecting for lepers I think.

[Tinker]

As a child, having Holy Days of Obligation off were the benefits of going to a Catholic school. We had a chapel as well, and nuns who would barge into maths lessons asking if anyone wanted to go to confession. Hmm, maths or skiving in the chapel?

[vacua]

yes it is a Holy Day of Obligation, how can you be at an RC school and not know?

[Tinker]

Haven't heard the phrase Holy Day of Obligation for yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaarrrrs

[MaryAnnSingleton]

did we get St Peter and Pauls day off too ?
and the Assumption ?
what others ?

[Tinker]

Ash Wednesday - that was a biggy with your big ash mark on your forehead. Actually, not sure we got the day off but did have mass in hall.

[vacua]

do they do the Angelus?

[Tinker]

Just looked them up Corpus Christi was one as well, I think. That we got off, I mean.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

oh yes, ash on the forehead -
we also had Benediction every week which I loved - lots of incense

[DumbledoresGirl]

For your husband's information:

From the 1st Sunday of Advent 2006 the Holydays of Obligations for England and Wales changed. They are:

Every Sunday
Birth of the Lord (25 December)
St Peter & St Paul (29 June)
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (15 August)
All Saints (1 November)

The following celebrations have been transferred to the nearest Sunday:

Epiphany of the Lord
Ascension of the Lord
Body and Blood of the Lord

Perhaps your husband should regard the obligation in his case to not complain when these dates clash with school days.

[frogs]

We never had the day off, just Mass in Church with the whole school, which is what my dc have.

There are actually quite a few feast days that fall in term time: All Saints, Ash Wednesday, Ascension, Corpus Christi (when all the First Communion children get to dress up in their outfits), SS Peter & Paul. At the dc schools I think they also take them to Mass for All Souls and the patronal feast day. Plus a welcome Mass in September and an end of term Mass in July.

[frogs]

DG!

[stleger]

What is 8th December? It is the day all the country people come to Cork to shop... Annunciation?

[Anchovy]

Frogs, isn't Ascension pretty much always in half term, given that it's 40 days after Easter.

We always had first communions on the Corpus Christi weekend. If you were a girl, you took off your veil after the first communion activities and joined the corpus chrisi procession, wearing a bonnet and gloves and walking round the school playing field behind a statue of Mary strewing petals.

(I had a very hardcore Catholic upbringing, but this was all in the state sector in a very unposh area).

[Tommy]

8th December is The Immaculate Conception - not a holy day of obligation

[Tinker]

Oh, the May Procession! We did that as well.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

I loved my First Holy Communion outfit, lovely white dress made by mum, net veil with daisies on an elastic headband and pristine white shoes. I had a silver holy communion medal on a satin ribbon round my neck !

[Tommy]

MaryAnne - we used to get the Crusader magazine!