Liturgical Year

Special Notes for the Year of Grace 2008

• For the Sundays from December 8, 2007 – November 23, 2008, we are using the Year A Lectionary.
• For Weekdays, we are using the Year 2 Lectionary.
• The Solemnity of Saint Joseph is transferred from the Wednesday of Holy Week to Saturday, March 15. Masses celebrated in the morning and during the day will be for Saint Joseph Day. Masses celebrated in the evening will be for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.
• Saint Patrick’s Day:
  In 2008, the traditional date of Saint Patrick’s day (March 17) falls on Monday of Holy Week. In most of the Dioceses of the United States of America, therefore, the feast will not be commemorated liturgically. In those places where Saint Patrick is the principal patron of a particular church it is, customarily, commemorated as a solemnity. Because number 60 of the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar allows that “a solemnity impeded by a liturgical day that takes precedence over it should be transferred to the closest day not listed in nos. 1-8 in the table of precedence...,” this solemnity may be transferred to Friday, March 14. It should be noted that the Solemnity of Saint Joseph will be transferred from the Wednesday of Holy Week to March 15, which impedes the transfer of the solemnity of Saint Patrick to March 15.
• Easter Vigil:
  In 2008, the Easter Vigil cannot begin before 8:00 p.m.
• Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord:
  In 2008, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord has been transferred to Monday, March 31.

Liturgical Calendar for the Year of Grace 2008

Sunday, March 2, 2008
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Second Collection: Catholic Relief Services

Sunday, March 9, 2008
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Daylight savings time begins – set clocks ahead one hour

Thursday, March 13, 2008
Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of the Annunciation, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 15, 2008
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Transferred)
Masses celebrated during the day are for the Solemnity; Masses celebrated in the evening are for Palm Sunday.

Thursday, March 20, 2008
Holy Thursday

Friday, March 21, 2008
Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

Saturday, March 22, 2008
Easter Vigil
The Vigil, by its very nature, “ought to take place at night” (EV, no. 3). It is not begun before nightfall and should end before daybreak on Easter Sunday. This year, sunset is at 7:19 p.m. in the Diocese of Stockton. Nightfall is then presumed to be approximately 45 minutes later, or at approximately 8:00 p.m. The Easter Vigil is not to begin before 8:00 p.m. For more information, please see http://stocktondiocese.org/english/liturgy/calendar/easterVigil.html

Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter Sunday

Monday, March 31, 2008
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Transferred)

Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Second Collection: Black and Indian Missions, and Catholic Home Missions Appeal (CHMA)

Sunday, May 4, 2008
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Note that the observance of this Solemnity has been permanently moved to the seventh Sunday of Easter in the Diocese of Stockton.

Sunday, May 11, 2008
Solemnity of Pentecost

Sunday, May 18, 2008
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Second Collection: Catholic Charities

Sunday, May 25, 2008
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Friday, May 30
Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Sunday, June 1, 2008
Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Second Collection: Catholic Communication Campaign

Monday, June 23, 2008
Vigil of the Solemnity of Saint John the Baptist

Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Solemnity of Saint John the Baptist

Sunday, June 29, 2008
Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles
Second Collection: Peter’s Pence (Collection for the Holy Father)

Friday, August 15
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Holy Day of Obligation

Sunday, September 7, 2008
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Second Collection: Catholic University of America

Sunday, September 14, 2008
Feast of the Exultation of the Cross

Sunday, October 5, 2008
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Second Collection: Respect Life Sunday

Sunday, October 19, 2008
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Second Collection: World Mission Sunday (Society for the Propagation of the Faith)

Saturday, November 1, 2008
Solemnity of All Saints
This is not a Holy Day of Obligation.

Sunday, November 2, 2008
Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed – All Souls
Daylight Savings Time Ends: Set Clocks BACK one hour

Sunday, November 9, 2008
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateral Basilica in Rome

Sunday, November 23, 2008
Solemnity of Christ the King
Second Collection: Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD)

Calendar Notes for the Beginning of the Year of Grace 2009

Sunday, November 30, 2008
First Sunday of Advent of the Year of Grace 2009

Sunday, December 7, 2008
Second Sunday of Advent
Second Collection: Retirement fund for Religious

Monday, December 8, 2008
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This IS a Holy Day of Obligation, as the Patronal Day of the USA.

Thursday, December 14, 2008
Third Sunday of Advent
Second Collection: Retirement fund for Religious

Thursday, December 25, 2008
Christmas Day
This IS a Holy Day of Obligation.

Monday, January 1, 2009
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God
Bishop Blaire has dispensed with the obligation for this day for the Diocese of Stockton.

 Last Update March 6, 2008