Rome of the West

May Everyone Have a Happy New Year!

[Update: a reader reminds me that today is not a Holy Day of Obligation, since today is a Monday. The regulations for the United States are:

In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America, in conformity with canon 1246, are as follows:

January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity of the Ascension
August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
November 1, the solemnity of All Saints
December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.]

By the way, the word "holiday" comes from "Holy Day of Obligation": since Catholics are ordinarily required to attend Mass on these days, employers customarily gave these days off from work. Most notoriously, the Puritans did not like the "holidays", and even outlawed the celebration of Christmas.