Why did United States Catholic bishops change Holy Days of Obligation?

Answer 1

Catholic AnswerThe United States bishops do not have the authority to change the Holy Days of Obligation, of which there are ten (outside of Sundays) in the year for the universal church. However, they may petition Rome, and Rome will decided how many days must be observed in the national territory. The United States bishops have requested six Holy Days of Obligation be mandatory for the United States, but the universal Church allows each province to choose if they want to maintain Epiphany on the 6th of January or move the obligation to the nearest Sunday. Also, if a Holy Day of Obligation falls on a Saturday or Monday, the Holy See allows the Bishops' Conference to remove the Obligation for that day. Why did they do the things they did? Not really sure, you would probably have to ask the Bishops' conference or your own Bishop.

1) The Vatican decides which Holy Days are Obligatory for each bishops' conference, for instance here in the United States only six holy days are obligatory. The bishop has absolutely no say in the matter, beyond being able to vote at the Bishops' Conference to ask the Holy See to add or subtract a Holy Day of Obligation. So, no, each bishop may not decided which Holy Days are Obligatory, if someone told you that, you should ask someone else and find out what is going on.

2) It is a serious (mortal) sin to miss ANY Holy Day of Obligation, it would just be the same as deliberately missing Sunday Mass without a grave reason. Missing Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation then makes you unable to receive Holy Communion until after you have been to confession - period.

3) This is true of every diocese in the world, and for every Catholic in the world. You need to go to confession, in which you might ask these questions while you're at it.