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Local Liturgical Feasts
In the Diocese of Baton Rouge, there is one local diocesan-wide feast day.
The "Anniversary of the Dedication of St. Joseph Cathedral" is observed throughout the diocese on September 30 with the rank of feast, unless September 30 falls on Sunday when the Ordinary Sunday observance takes precedence. (In the cathedral itself the day is always observed with the rank of Solemnity.)
Since the principal patronal feast of the diocese and of its cathedral is that of St. Joseph, which is already celebrated with the rank of Solemnity throughout the entire universal Church, there is no additional diocesan liturgical norm for the feast of St. Joseph on March 19.
View General Holy Days of Obligation
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Parish & Provincial Observances
Each parish celebrates, with the rank of Solemnity, the "Anniversary of the Dedication" of its church-building. This observance is impeded only by liturgical days having greater precedence. Also, the feast or memorial of the titular patron of a parish is also celebrated as a Solemnity within that parish, even if of lesser rank in the universal calendar.
There are three special observances for the Diocese of Baton Rouge and the other six dioceses which make up the Metropolitan Province of New Orleans. The first is the Solemnity of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Patroness of Louisiana, observed on January 8 unless impeded by another solemnity (e.g., Epiphany or the Baptism of the Lord). The others are the optional Memorial of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, C.Ss.R., on October 5, and the Feast of St. Martin de Porres, the secondary patron of the Province, on November 3.
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Holy Days of Obligation
On Sundays and other "Holy Days of Obligation," Catholics are obliged to participate in the Mass and to refrain from unnecessary work and all spiritually-distracting activities.
In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as "Holy Days of Obligation" in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, in conformity with canons 1246-1247 of the Code of Canon Law and various specific decisions of the Holy See, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Bishops of the State of Louisiana, are as follows:- January 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
- 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, patroness of the USA
- December 25, the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas).
Throughout the universal Church, when December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, falls on the Second Sunday of Advent, the observance of the feast is transferred to Monday, December 9, but the obligation to attend Mass is dispensed. If December 8 falls on a Saturday or a Monday, however, it remains a day of obligation.
In the dioceses of the USA, 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 obligation to attend Mass is dispensed.
In the Metropolitan Province of New Orleans, which includes the Diocese of Baton Rouge, the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord, which in some other places in the USA is celebrated on the Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, is celebrated on the Seventh Sunday of Easter.
There is no obligation for the faithful to participate at Mass on Ash Wednesday and on Holy Thursday, although this is certainly highly recommended.
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Other Anniversaries
The creation of the Diocese of Baton Rouge was announced by Blessed Pope John XXIII on July 22, 1961. The actual erection of the diocese and installation of the Most Reverend Robert E. Tracy as our First Bishop took place on November 8, 1961. Thus these days too are special to the community of the Christian faithful here.
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Particular Liturgical Calendar for the United States
The particular liturgical calendar for the United States differs from the universal liturgical calendar in a number of ways (e.g., different days or ranks for certain weekday celebrations).
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January
4
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Obligatory Memorial5
St. John Neumann
Obligatory Memorial
6
Blessed André Bessette
Optional Memorial
22
Particular Day of Penance for Violations
to Human Dignity Through Acts of Abortion
Memorial
March
3St. Katharine Drexel
Optional Memorial
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May
10St. Damien de Veuster of Moloka'i
Optional Memorial15
St. Isidore the Farmer
Optional Memorial
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July
1
Blessed Junípero Serra
the Optional Memorial4
Independence Day
Optional Memorial
Note: Appropriate liturgical texts found in the Roman Missal and Lectionary14
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Obligatory Memorial18
St. Camillus de Lellis
Optional Memorial
August
18St. Jane Frances Frémiot de Chantal
Optional Memorial
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October
3St. Mother Theodore Guerin
Optional Memorial6
Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher
the Optional Memorial19
Sts. Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf, and the other North American Martyrs
Obligatory Memorial20
St. Paul of the Cross
Optional Memorial
November
13St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Obligatory Memorial18
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
Optional Memorial23
Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro
Optional Memorial
Note: Thanksgiving Day on the Fourth Thursday of November may be observed using the appropriate liturgical texts found in the Roman Missal and Lectionary.
December
9St. Juan Diego
Optional Memorial12
Our Lady of Guadelupe
Feast
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To add the general liturgical calendar for the United States of America to your Google or Apple Calendar, you can download a .ics file with the feasts of each year.
- Click the link on the "Add Liturgical Calendar" button and visit the liturgy.guide website.
- Select the Year
- Select "The Local Calendar of the USA" under the general or local calendar drop-down.
- Save the .ics file that is generated to your computer.
- Open your Google or Apple calendar and import the calendar.
- For Apple's iCal, click here or Google's Calendar, click here for information
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