1962 Fast and Abstinence

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alwayslooking

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I’ve been attending a traditional parish (ICKSP) exclusively for about three years now. I decided to jump into lent headfirst and follow the far more stringent pre-council rules for fasting during lent.

While researching rules for lent I found that some, during the year, abstain from meat on Wednesday and Saturday as well as Friday. I’m not finding much on these two practices. Is there a certain devotion or reason for these two days of abstinence?
 
alwayslooking said:
While researching rules for lent I found that some, during the year, abstain from meat on Wednesday and Saturday as well as Friday. I’m not finding much on these two practices. Is there a certain devotion or reason for these two days of abstinence?
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Eastern Christians traditionally abstain from meat and dairy on Wednesdays and Fridays. We fast on Wednesdays in memory of the betrayal of Christ and on Fridays in memory of the crucifixion. We do not fast on Saturdays because it is the Sabbath, nor on Sunday due to the resurrection.

I’ve never heard of a traditional fast or abstinence in the west on Wednesdays, but I wonder if the reason would be the same.
 
I observe Wednesdays during Lent in this way. If you google, you will see that both Wednesday and Saturday were frequently observed.
 
babochka said:
Eastern Christians traditionally abstain from meat and dairy on Wednesdays and Fridays. We fast on Wednesdays in memory of the betrayal of Christ and on Fridays in memory of the crucifixion. We do not fast on Saturdays because it is the Sabbath, nor on Sunday due to the resurrection.

I’ve never heard of a traditional fast or abstinence in the west on Wednesdays, but I wonder if the reason would be the same.
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Cistercian (Trappist) monks typically fast on Wednesday and Friday throughout the year.

-Tim-
 
The wife and I have been following the TLM for a little over 4 years now and we Fast & Abstain on all days of Lent except Sunday. We bought a Traditional calendar that has all the traditional Fast & Abst. days of the year. Its not as difficult as one would assume.
 
TimothyH said:
Cistercian (Trappist) monks typically fast on Wednesday and Friday throughout the year.

-Tim-
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Also Benedictines. Our abbey fasts on Wednesdays and Fridays, and they don’t follow the 1962 Missal but the OF Missal and post-Vatican II Monastic Divine Office. It’s a monastic tradition, as it is in the Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 41:
From Pentecost throughout the summer, unless the monks have work in the fields
let them fast on Wednesdays and Fridays until the ninth hour; on the other days let them dine at the sixth hour.
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corsair said:
The wife and I have been following the TLM for a little over 4 years now and we Fast & Abstain on all days of Lent except Sunday. We bought a Traditional calendar that has all the traditional Fast & Abst. days of the year. Its not as difficult as one would assume.
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As long as one doesn’t have a medical condition such as diabetes. The Church doesn’t require a fast if affects one’s health.
 
As I recall: Wednesday because that was the day Judas made his deal, Friday because that was the day Jesus died, Saturday because that was the day He was in the tomb. You may find this discussed if you check out “Ember Days”. These were Wednesday, Friday and Saturday once each season of the year.
 
OraLabora said:
Also Benedictines. Our abbey fasts on Wednesdays and Fridays, and they don’t follow the 1962 Missal but the OF Missal and post-Vatican II Monastic Divine Office. It’s a monastic tradition, as it is in the Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 41:
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1600 year old tradition. 😃

I only eat meat once or twice each week anyway and am probably already following the 1962 rules. Can I call myself traditionalist now?

-Tim-
 
corsair said:
The wife and I have been following the TLM for a little over 4 years now and we Fast & Abstain on all days of Lent except Sunday. We bought a Traditional calendar that has all the traditional Fast & Abst. days of the year. Its not as difficult as one would assume.
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Right. Except for Fridays and Ash Wednesday each weekday and Saturday during Lent is a day of semi-abstinence, meat being allowed once during the day. Fast every day but Sunday.

N.B. One is no longer obligated to follow the 62 rules on this any more than a three-hour fast before communion, even if he attends the EF exclusively.

That said, per your advice I might try the 62 rules this year. 🙂
 
ProVobis,

I can’t resist being “nit-picky”, but I believe the term is “Partial Abstinnence”. Sorry, but I couldn’t resist. :o
 
alwayslooking said:
I’ve been attending a traditional parish (ICKSP) exclusively for about three years now. I decided to jump into lent headfirst and follow the far more stringent pre-council rules for fasting during lent.

While researching rules for lent I found that some, during the year, abstain from meat on Wednesday and Saturday as well as Friday. I’m not finding much on these two practices. Is there a certain devotion or reason for these two days of abstinence?
Click to expand...
Please remember that whatever type of parish you attend fasting is only required on two days a year and they are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Attending a traditional parish does not mean you are bound by any other fasting rules than the universal rules of the Church and those are the two days I mentioned.
Outside these two days all other fasting is voluntary and not required.
 
I’m in the process of translating the Lent newsletter for the oblates of our abbey, and this comment by our Oblate Master might perhaps be pertinent;
Saint Benedict asks us to look forward to Easter with the joy of spiritual desire, which perhaps means: look forward to Easter without looking too much at one’s self. Looking at one’s self is often what can happen during Lent. If we pay too much attention to our ascetic practices, we are doing them much more for ourselves than for the Lord. However if we look towards Him: “For as we advance in the religious life and in faith, our hearts expand and we run the way of God’s commandments with unspeakable sweetness of love.” RB PR, 49. In this manner, Lent can thus become a time to leave one’s self behind to journey towards God.
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