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Digitonomy
Guest
I know we discussed this last year, but I don’t recall if a conclusion was reached: If one is celebrating St. Joseph’s Day by attending the vigil mass on Friday night, is he still bound by the fast?
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Ubenedictus
Guest
Personaly i think ‘heavy’ abstainence should be droped on sundays. I probable think so because my daily prayers have one scripture reading for the first 4 sunday of lent, neh 8:8,10, this pasage ‘prohibit’ morning and weeping on d lords day, this parallels the lenting reading frm joel that talks about coming to God morning and weeping. The reading for the 5th sunday of lent is lev 23:4 to 7, if a liberal interpretation is used these passages may seem to prohibit physical ‘penance’ on the lords day. I think the judgement of what should be considerd ‘heavy penance’ belongs to the individual. It wont b beautiful to fast on a sunday.
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Lapey
Guest
To my understanding the Lenten requirement is superseded by the solemnity, so no we are not bound by the fast. It is not a holy day of obligation so I don’t think it matters abound when the Mass would be. Our Parish has the Friday weekday Mass at 8:30, this would be the only St. Joseph Day Mass celebrated.
I’m not sure if there is a vigil Mass Friday evening, for the celebration of St. Joseph’s Day which falls on a Saturday, if there is an obligation to abstain on the Friday, I would guess that the Lenten Friday would be in affect; at least until the start of the Mass. My opinion only…you know what that means…
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Kathryn_Ann
Guest
Of course we had those calendars. But I could not tell you what the calendars of my childhood indicated compared to what they indicate now. But in any case, calendars are not going to tell us what days our personal Lenten resolutions are binding and whether or not Sundays could be free days.
All the stories we read in (Catholic) school and all the information given by the sisters was that we were to give up something beginning with Ash Wednesday and continuing through Holy Saturday. Back then, the sisters taught all Catholic practices as if they were Church law. They did not distinguish between Church law and traditional pious practices. I have come to realize that many of the the sisters didn’t understand the distinction so they would not have passed it along to their students. MY teachers did not suggest that Sunday was a free day from giving up candy. Neither did my mother. I did not know that teachers and mothers elsewhere were apparently telling children something different.
Oh, and our traditional Christmas Eve family meal was Cheese Pizza.
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Kathryn_Ann
Guest
This is an interesting question. So far I believe that on Sundays during Lent, it is permitted to forgo the* personal* voluntary sacrifices (such as giving up candy, for example. But all during Lent, we observe the rules regarding no meat on Fridays, etc.
I’m still wondering about the forty days though. Some here are saying it’s an approximate count that excludes Sundays, and others say forty (excluding Sundays) is an exact count. Can anyone clarify on this point? Forty days, approximate or exact?
I’m still wondering about the forty days though. Some here are saying it’s an approximate count that excludes Sundays, and others say forty (excluding Sundays) is an exact count. Can anyone clarify on this point? Forty days, approximate or exact?
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Lapey
Guest
It’s quite simple, Lent starts 00:00 Ash Wednesday, and ends at the beginning of Mass on Maundy Thursday. If Mass starts at 7 PM, Lent is 43 days 19 hrs.
It is not AW through Easter Sunday minus the Sundays. It is the season of Lent, “These 40 Days Of Lent” are not exactly 40.
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Digitonomy
Guest
"Digitonomy:
If we accept that your way of counting is proof that Lent is 40 days, we must also accept that the days you are counting really are part of Lent, and the days you are not counting are not part of Lent. And yet, as someone mentioned earlier, the Church is quite clear that the Triduum is not part of Lent.
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sedonaman
Guest
Clear? I don’t get that from this newadvent.org/cathen/15041c.htm.
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Digitonomy
Guest
No, I don’t either. Just to be sure, are you using a century-old article that doesn’t discuss Lent at all, from an independent group of scholars, to contradict a document approved by the pope 60 years more recently, which explicitly defines the days included in Lent vs the Triduum?
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Chatter163
Guest
We have this discussion every year. 
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felsguy
Guest
I note that you are practicing a unique form of Lenten penance here. In the vein of the OP for this thread, do you consider it “cheating” if you don’t post here on Sundays?
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sedonaman
Guest
If such a document exists, then it would contradict what others are saying here because it would objectively define Lent, contrary to those who are saying, in essence, Lent is whenever you want it to be.
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Lapey
Guest
I’m sorry if I seem rude, but we have repeatedly explained exactly what the season of Lent is, you choose to ignore it. Lent is precisely 00:00 AM Ash Wednesday through Mass start time Maundy Thursday. That’s it. It’s not AW until ES less the Sundays in between, that would be subjective because it is outside of Church guidelines.
Now back to the OP please, is it required to abstain on Sundays during Lent?
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Lapey
Guest
This is self mortification, I do continue even on Sundays of and in Lent…I note that you are practicing a unique form of Lenten penance here. In the vein of the OP for this thread, do you consider it “cheating” if you don’t post here on Sundays?
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utah_rose
Guest
I agree Sundays in Lent are part of Lent. In fact the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary are encouraged on Sundays during Lent.
I think if you’ve given up something for Lent, it’s far easier to keep doing it on the Sundays during Lent. On the other hand, during Lent I may do a little more secular reading, and maybe watching more TV.
I’ve given up listening to secular music or watching TV though on the Fridays of Lent, which is a real sacrifice for me, and also saying the Stations.
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salusanimarum17
Guest
I’d like to be directed to an official document of the Church that says Lent is 40 days. I know of hymns and devotional material that say so. I know Lent is called quadragesima. I also know the General Norms for the Liturgical Year say: “# 28. Lent runs from Ash Wednesday until the Mass of the Lord’s Supper exclusive.” scborromeo.org/litcal.htm
I think that it bears saying that regardless of how many days Lent is today, the Church can change that number if She thinks that there is a good reason to do so. Lent could be 57 days or 32 days or any other number of days that the Church determines.
The Church could get rid of Lent altogether.
I can’t imagine the Church doing any of those things and I don’t think it would be wise. But She could.
The Church could get rid of Lent altogether.
I can’t imagine the Church doing any of those things and I don’t think it would be wise. But She could.
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sedonaman
Guest
There is no fish symbol on any of the Sundays of Lent* on my Catholic calendar. Of course that’s a strong, objective symbol, but I suppose someone could make it subjective.
*Lent: A period of time beginning with Ash Wednesday and extending to some subjective length according to personal preference.
My Catholic calendar has fish symbols on Ash Wednesday and on the Fridays starting with February 24 and ending with April 6. The numbers for the days starting with Ash Wednesday are purple.up through the Wednesday of holy week with the following three exceptions: St. Joseph’s Day and the Annunciation of the Lord are in black (which I presume is because white would be a dumb choice since the paper is white) and Passion Sunday is red. Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday are black. And Good Friday is red.
If printed Catholic calendars are considered authoritative then where I live Sundays are part of Lent (with the possible exception of Passion Sunday.)
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