Baltimore Book of Prayers/Fasting and Abstinence
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Our Holy Mother, the Catholic Church, does not leave her children without guidance, and to their own devices, in this important matter; she tells them not only when, but how to fast and abstain, and the rules she has established are those inspired by her heavenly wisdom, and shaped and fashioned by centuries of practical experience. Every Catholic is bound to keep these mild and gentle rules first of all before any other form of bodily mortification can be worthily undertaken. If these are wilfully neglected, no amount of self-imposed austerity can ever make up the loss, or atone for the disobedience.
The law of ABSTINENCE affects onlt the kind of food, and has no reference to its quantity. On Abstinence days the faithful are obliged to abstain from flesh-meat and meat-juice only; the number of meals and the amount of food may be the same as on other days.
The law of FASTING includes no longer that of Abstinence, and affects only the quantity of food. On Fasting-days, only one full meal is allowed,to be taken about noon or later. besides this full meal a collation is allowed. If the full meal is taken about the middle of the day, the collation will naturally be taken in the evening; if the full meal is taken late in the day, the collation may be taken about noon. Besides the full meal and collation, general custom has made it lawful to take a light breakfast in the morning. This is important to observe, for by means of this many persons are enabled—and therefore obliged—to keep the fast, who could not otherwise do so.
It should be borne in mind that these practices of Fasting and Abstinence are not merely penitential works of counsel, recommended to our observance, but acts of mortification of precept enjoined by laws binding strictly on the conscience; and therefore not to be evaded or omitted without Mortal Sin. Various reasons, however, may exist for excuse or dispensation from these laws (especially from the law of fasting), which are commonly noted in the published "Regulations for Lent" in every Diocese. But as to abstinence, legitimate excuses are very few; and generally no one can proceed safely in excusing himself from abstinence before consulting his confessor.
Contents |
Days of Abstinence Only
- All Fridays of the Year
NOTE.—When any holiday of obligation falls on a Friday, that Friday is not a day of abstinence.
Both Fasting and Abstinence
- Ash Wednesday
- The Wednesdays and Fridays of Lent
- The Four Ember-Days, viz: The Wednesday, Friday and Saturday following—the first Sunday in Lent; Whitsunday; the fourteenth day of September; and, the third Sunday of Advent.
- The Vigils of Whitsunday, of the Assumption, of All Saints, and of Christmas.
Days of Fasting Only
All the other weekdays of Lent (until noon of Holy Saturday).
Marriages Are Not Solemnized
From the first Sunday in Advent until Christmas, and from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday.