Mass and the Church year

What happens at Mass, when Catholics are obliged to attend, and the feasts and seasons of the Church year.

• What happens at Mass?
  A Catholic Mass has four parts: the Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Concluding Rites. What happens in each one, why the order has not changed since the second century, and what to do if you are new.
• Is Missing Sunday Mass a Mortal Sin?
  Deliberately skipping Sunday Mass is a grave sin, but illness, caring for small children and other serious reasons excuse you. What to do if you missed.
• What are the holy days of obligation?
  Holy days of obligation are feasts Catholics must keep like a Sunday, chiefly by going to Mass. The universal list of ten, the six kept in the United States with their exceptions, valid reasons to miss, and why the Church has them.
• What is the Liturgy of the Hours?
  The Liturgy of the Hours is the Church's daily prayer of psalms and Scripture at set times of day. What the hours are, what each one contains, who must pray it and how to begin.
• What is Advent?
  Advent 2026 begins on Sunday, November 29. What the season means, why it is violet, how the wreath and O Antiphons work, and simple ways to pray it.
• What is the Feast of Christ the King?
  The Solemnity of Christ the King closes the Church's year. What it celebrates, why Pius XI created it in 1925, why it moved in 1969, what kind of king Jesus is, and how Catholics keep it on November 22, 2026.
• All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day: What's the Difference?
  All Saints' Day (November 1) honours those in heaven; All Souls' Day (November 2) prays for the dead being purified. What each means and how to keep it.

Sacraments and confession · Catholic prayer · Catholic beliefs