 | In 2010, Ash Wednesday is February 17.
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| In the Diocese of Baton Rouge, as in the rest
of the Church in the United States, Catholics aged 18 through 59 are
bound by a grave obligation to observe a solemn fast on
both Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Catholics aged 14 and up are to
abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, all Fridays of Lent, and Good
Friday as well. These norms have been established by the US Conference
of Catholic Bishops in accord with the norms of canons 1249-1253 in the
revised Code of Canon Law of 1983.
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| To fast means to consume only one full
meal a day at most, although taking of other, smaller quantities of food
at the other customary mealtimes is permitted. Food and drink "between
meals" (excepting only water and medicine) is not permitted on fast
days.
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| To abstain from meat means refraining
from eating beef, veal, pork, or poultry at least, although not
necessarily eggs, milk products, or meat broths or condiments made from
animal fat. The consumption of fish, shellfish, and reptiles (e.g.,
turtle, alligator) is
permitted if desired.
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| In addition to the
mandatory days listed above, abstinence from meat on every Friday
throughout the year which is not a Solemnity, and fasting on all Lenten
weekdays (especially Wednesdays and Fridays) and on Holy Saturday, is
strongly recommended to all the faithful. There always remains, of
course, the grave obligation to participate at Holy Mass on all Sundays
and days of obligation.
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| Each in his or her own way, every Christian is
bound to do penance by virtue of divine law. Only ill health
or some similar situation of urgency excuses. During the Lenten
season, Christ Jesus' own challenges to "prayer, fasting and almsgiving"
are paramount (see the Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday, Mt 6:1-6,
16-18). We seek ongoing forgiveness for sin (especially in the Sacrament
of Penance) and come to appreciate ever more the great sufferings and
sacrifice which Our Savior experienced for the sake of our salvation.
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| All diocesan clergy (priests and deacons)
and those religious priests who have
legitimate residence and active ministry within the Diocese of Baton
Rouge have been delegated the power to dispense the faithful of
the diocese, in individual cases and for a just reason, from the
obligation to observe a particular day of penance, or to commute some or
all of its obligations to other pious works. Included in this is the
faculty to dispense from the Lenten obligations to fast and abstain from
meat. Yet the obligation to do some kind of penance remains a serious
one, and is not taken lightly by a good Catholic. |
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