BIG C CATHOLICS

• The time of Lent is to be observed by Catholics as a special season of prayer, penance and works of charity. • Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, in particular, are the most important penitential days of the liturgical year. They are days of both fast and abstinence. All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence. • The rule of fasting states that only one full meal a day can be taken. Two small meals, “sufficient to maintain strength,” are allowed, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals breaks the fast, but drinking liquids does not. The rule of fasting obliges all Catholics from 18 to 59. • Abstinence refers to the eating of meat. The common estimation of the community is used to determine what falls under the category of meat. The rule of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years or older. • The substantial observance of the laws of fast and abstinence is a serious obligation. • Self-imposed fasting on the other weekdays of Lent is recommende

Three days set apart for fasting, abstinence, and prayer during each of the four seasons of the year. They were the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after St. Lucy (or Lucia, d. 304) (December 13), the First Sunday of Lent, Pentecost, and the feast of the Holy Cross (September 14). Since the revision of the Roman calendar in 1969, Ember Days are to be observed at the discretion of the National Conference of Bishops. Moreover, their observance may be extended beyond three days and even repeated during the year. Possibly occasioned by the agricultural feasts of ancient Rome, they came to be observed by Christians for the sanctification of the different seasons of the year, and for obtaining God's blessing on the clergy to be ordained during the Embertides. (Etym. Anglo-Saxon oemerge , ashes.) [Ember days draw us closer to God and His universal Church.] Source: Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ, Doubleday, 1980. An Ember Day Prayer Almighty and eternal God, h

God does not require that we be successful only that we be faithful. — St. Teresa of Calcutta Saint Teresa of Avila, after participating in the sacrament of reconciliation, would wait for her fellow sisters to finish their individual confessions. As the sisters came out, she would greet each one saying, “Begin again… begin again!” We are now more than halfway through Lent. You may have observed in full the Lenten observances below. To those who have done so imperfectly or half-heartedly, you can always renew your Lenten sacrifice. Abstaining from meat on Fridays is an easy act of self-denial (and commendable outside of Lent.), as is forgoing enjoyable foods, activities, television, etc., in honor of Christ’s Passion. LENTEN SACRIFICE ABSTINENCE No meat can be taken by those 14 and older on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays. FASTING A limit of one full meatless meal by those aged 18-59 on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. SELF-DENIAL Voluntary acts of self-denial are rec

Why do we say that there are 40 days of Lent? When you count all the days from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, there are 46. A. It might be more accurate to say that there is the "40-day fast within Lent." Historically, Lent has varied from a week to three weeks to the present configuration of 46days. The 40-day fast, however, has been more stable. The Sundays of Lent are certainly part of the Time of Lent, but they are not prescribed days of fast and abstinence. Does that mean that when we give something up for Lent, such as candy, we can have it on Sundays? A. Apart from the prescribed days of fast and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and the days of abstinence every Friday of Lent, Catholics have traditionally chosen additional penitential practices for the whole Time of Lent.  These practices are disciplinary in nature and often more effective if they are continuous, i.e., kept on Sundays as well. That being said, such practices are not regulated

From its earliest days, the Church has urged the baptized and catechumens to observe the threefold discipline of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer as a preparation for the celebration of Easter. Failure to observe individual days of penance is not considered serious, but failure to observe penitential days (Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays of Lent) must be considered serious. The penitential season of Lent begins this year on Ash Wednesday, March 1st. The sixth Sunday of Lent, April 9th, marks the beginning of Holy Week and is known as Passion (or Palm) Sunday. Lenten Regulations are summarized as follows: Abstinence: Abstinence from meat is to be observed on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent by all Catholics 14 years of age and older. It should be noted also that “the Fridays of the year outside of Lent remain days of penance, but each individual may substitute for the traditional abstinence from meat some other practice of voluntary self-denial