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Ash Wednesday and Lent

Te Deum

Roman Catholic Seminarian
ashwednesdaypainting.jpg


Ash Wednesday: This is a day of mandatory abstinence and fasting (Can. 1251). All Catholics aged 14 or older must abstain from meat on this day (Can. 1252). Meat is considered to be the flesh and organs of mammals and fowl. Also forbidden are soups or gravies made from them. Salt and freshwater species of fish, amphibians, reptiles and shellfish are permitted.

However, those between 18 and 59 years of age (Can. 1252), are also bound to fast on Ash Wednesday. On this day one, normal-sized meal and two smaller meals that do not equal the normal meal are allowed. Eating between meals, however, is prohibited although fruit juices and milk are allowed. These rules are much more lenient than centuries past. If you can, truly make your fasting a sacrifice.

Good Friday: This day is the most somber day in the year when we recall Our Savior's death. The rules for Ash Wednesday apply to today (Can. 1251).

The Fridays of Lent: All the Fridays of Lent excluding Good Friday are mandatory days of abstinence from meat (Can. 1250). The abstinence rules outlined under Ash Wednesday apply to today. However, a person may still choose to voluntary fast today. Fasting is to be encouraged, though not mandatory, each Friday of Lent. Traditional Catholics will abtain and fast on both the Fridays and Saturdays of Lent.

All days of Lent but Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and 1st Class Feasts: Traditional Catholics will still fast and partially abtain from meat on these days. By partial abstinence, a person is allowed to eat meat only at the major meal.

All Fridays of the Year: All Catholics must abstain from meat all Fridays of the year, not just during Lent (Can. 1250 & Can. 1251). However, Catholics can do another form of penance on the Fridays of the year instead of abstaining. Fridays in Lent, though, are mandatory abstinence and another act of penance does not void the necessity to abstain from meat and meat products. Traditional Catholics will always abstain on each Friday of the year, though. Above all, some form of penance is required. Failure to perform penance is sinful.

Pre-Vatican II Fasting: For information on fasting before Vatican II, see Fish Eaters. It is always a good, pious practice to voluntarily fast and abstain on days that used to be required for fasting and abstaining like Holy Saturday, Christmas Eve, and the Vigil of Pentecost. Also, fasting and abstinence were required on Rogation Days and Ember Days.


General Lenten Information:

Ways to improve your Lent
The Origin of Lent
The Purpose of Lent according to Monsignor Massimo Camisasca
What should I give up for Lent?
Fasting/abstinence rules
General historical/biblical information (by another blog)
Holy Week
Lenten Customs
Family Customs
40 Ways to Improve your Lent
The Real Presence Association's Suggestions for Lent
Should holy water be removed during Lent?
Book Recommendations

Prayers:

Fat Tuesday Prayer
Ash Wednesday Prayer
General Lent Prayer
Prayer to Our Lord Jesus Crucified
Stational Churches
Seven Sorrows of St. Joseph
Seven Sorrows of Mary
Prayer for Avoiding sin
Lenten Prayer II
Prayer before a Crucifix
Stations of the Cross
Prayer for the Grace of the Passion
Prayer in the Steps of the Passion
Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim


Pope Benedict XVI's words:

The 2007 Lenten theme and message
The 2006 Lenten theme and message
Our journey "in the shadows"
Ash Wednesday Audience

Ash Wednesday:
What is Ash Wednesday and what are the rules of this day?
Ash Wednesday Prayer

Holy Week:

Top Ten Suggestions for Holy Week
Palm Sunday
Monday's Mass readings: Year B
Tuesday's Mass readings: Year B
Wednesday's Mass readings: Year B
Spy Wednesday
Holy Thursday

Good Friday:

Good Friday information
Good Friday Prayer
Pope Benedict XVI's Good Friday service (2006)

Quotations/Letters/Documents:

"The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ"
Cardinal George of Chicago - his Lenten message (2006)
St. Benedict's Words on Lent
St. Leo the Great's Words on Lent
St. Leo the Great's Words on Charity
Advice from the St. Andrew Daily Missal

Scripture:

Isaiah 53:11b-12
Isaiah 53:4-6
 

johnnys4life

Pro-life Mommy
Yay! I've been looking for this kind of information. We got a calendar from the church so when I saw the fridays marked with "abstinence" I was like woo-hoo...the church is making us be abstinent today! But my husband was like, no, it's abstinence from meat. I thought I was actually gonna get a break lol! I was sooo disappointed! :(
 

Te Deum

Roman Catholic Seminarian
Yay! I've been looking for this kind of information. We got a calendar from the church so when I saw the fridays marked with "abstinence" I was like woo-hoo...the church is making us be abstinent today! But my husband was like, no, it's abstinence from meat. I thought I was actually gonna get a break lol! I was sooo disappointed! :(

Just as a side note to all of the material in the original post, it is an ancient practice for all married Catholics to abstain from any sexual relations during the entirety of Lent as well.
 

johnnys4life

Pro-life Mommy
No way! You mean the whole thing? Isn't lent like 40 days long...? They totally did not teach us that in RCIA.
 

johnnys4life

Pro-life Mommy
From what I read on EWTN that is just more of a voluntary thing. Pennance is good...extra pennance can be even better...but too much pennance and my husband is going to be a very unhappy man!

I do feel sorry for people who don't understand the value of pennance though. I just glanced at somone's blog mocking Lent because we "want to take the fun out of life". In my opinion it isn't that at all, but it shows how much you love God when you take other things away and focus more on Him. It gives you a lot more time to pray, which is a blessing. Just my take on it. Not that I'm perfectly pennitent. I'm sure I didn't even spell it right.
 

Te Deum

Roman Catholic Seminarian
Penance should be voluntary and not too far over so that we are still able to do our duties. However, we are bound to participate in certain penances such as fasting and abstinence on certain days of the year. Failing to do so is mortally sinful.
 
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