Lenten Reminders

Abstinence

All Catholics who have reached their 14th birthday are called to abstain totally from meat on the following days:
Ash Wednesday, all Fridays of Lent, and especially Good Friday.

Fasting

All Catholics between their 18th and 59th birthdays are also called to observe the Law of Fast on the following days: Ash Wednesday & Good Friday. This practice involves limiting yourself to only one full meal for the day. Two smaller, lighter snacks may be eaten. All eating between meals should be avoided.

Easter Duty

After they have celebrated their First Eucharist, all the faithful are called by obligation to receive Eucharist at least once a year. This must be fulfilled during the Easter season, unless for a good reason it is fulfilled at another time during the year. This obligation may be fulfilled between March 1 (First Sunday of Lent) and June 7 (Trinity Sunday).

Reconciliation

Catholics are called by obligation to faithfully confess serious sins at least once a year according to Cannon 989.

Other Fridays of the Year

Catholics should be reminded that all other Fridays of the year remain as days of penance, in prayerful remembrance of the Passion of Jesus Christ.

Penance

The obligation which we have as members of the Church to do penance is a serious one. Furthermore, the obligation to observe the penitential days (days of fasting and abstinence) specified by the Church is a serious one.

While no one should hold himself or herself lightly excused, you should not become overly critical. Failure to observe individual days of penance is less serious than failing to observe any penitential days at all or a large number of these days.

In the name of peace, and in union with the Bishops of our country, the faithful of our Diocese are invited to add voluntary fasting to their practice of penance during the Fridays of the year. Together with works of charity and service toward our neighbors, this practice would become a sign of our commitment to conversion, reconciliation, and peace. (The Challenge of Peace, Art. 298)