Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Lent is Here!

Lenten Regulations:

Canon 1249—All members of the Christian faithful in their own way are bound to do penance in virtue of divine law; in order that all may be joined in a common observance of penance, penitential days are prescribed in which the Christian faithful in a special way pray, exercise works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their responsibilities more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence according to the norm of the following canons.

Canon 1250—All Fridays through the year and the time of Lent are penitential days and times throughout the universal Church.

Canon 1251—Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion of the Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. [Whenever a solemnity (i.e., first class feast) falls on a Friday, abstinence is dispensed.]

Canon 1252—All persons who have completed their fourteenth year are bound by the law of abstinence; all adults are bound by the law of fast up to the beginning of their sixtieth year. Nevertheless, pastors and parents are to see to it that minors who are not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are educated in an authentic sense of penance.

Canon 1253—It is for the conference of bishops to determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence and to substitute in whole or in part for fast and abstinence other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.

Fasting: (for those 18-59 years old)
One full meal for the day and two smaller ones. The two smaller ones, if combined, cannot add up to one full meal.
Abstinence: (for those over 14 years old)
No flesh from land mammals or fowl allowed.
Weekdays of Lent:
No obligation to fast; however voluntary acts of self-denial are recommended.
Easter Duty: (Paschal Communion)
The receiving of Holy Communion between the 1st Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday. This is normally proceeded by Easter Reconciliation (Penance, Confession). The receiving of these sacraments is an obligation once a year - normally during this season.

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