Ages for fasting during Lent

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Hi all,

My diocesan regs state that those between the ages of 18 and 59 inclusive are to fast.

I read another article that stated that if you have passed your 59th birthday, you are in your 60th year and are not required to observe the fast.

I need some advice here.

Thanks,
NYCCatholic
 
The US bishops say Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of universal fast and abstinence. Fasting is obligatory for all who have completed their 18th year and have not yet reached their 60th year. Fasting allows a person to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may be taken, not to equal one full meal. Abstinence (from meat) is obligatory for all who have reached their 14th year.

Assuming your health is OK, I don’t think minimizing your food for two days a year is a problem, even if you are a day or two past your 60th birthday.
 
NYCCatholic said:
Hi all,

My diocesan regs state that those between the ages of 18 and 59 inclusive are to fast.

I read another article that stated that if you have passed your 59th birthday, you are in your 60th year and are not required to observe the fast.
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If you are 60+, you are not required to fast. But, if it won’t effect your health by fasting, it is still good for the soul to fast. This rule was probably made so that the 60+ (the majority of whom are in declining or bad health) don’t have to get a dispensation each year in oder to not have to fast. 🙂
 
If you made your Confirmation, you can’t eat meat on
Ash Wednesday or any Friday of Lent.
 
Snowball7 said:
If you made your Confirmation, you can’t eat meat on
Ash Wednesday or any Friday of Lent.
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The question was on fasting not abstinence. Abstinence (from meat) is obligatory for all who have reached their 14th year. Confirmation does not effect the obligation to abstain from meat Ash Wednesday and Fridays of Lent.
 
Thanks for the comments so far.

I looked up the Code of Canon Law, #1252.

Once you reach your 59th birthday, on the following day, you are in your 60th year. Up to and including your 59th birthday, you are obligated to fast. After that, you are not.

But as you have all stated, fasting is good, and I will still fast, but in a modified way.

Grace and peace,
NYCCatholic
 
What about pregnant and breast feeding mothers? Do they need to fast or only observe the abstinence from meat? And if breast feeding mothers are exempt from fasting, is it only those exclusively breast feeding newborns, any mothers breast feeding a child under a certain age, or ALL breast feeding moms? I have always been curious about this requirement. I tend to not to fast during pregnancy, but I almost always fast while breast feeding, but I’ve never had a new born during Lent so my milk has been well established by that time. This year, however, I will be giving birth during Lent and I’m not sure I will be physically able to fast. I tend to stay hungry the first few months until my milk production stabalizes.
 
7armyrugrats said:
What about pregnant and breast feeding mothers? Do they need to fast or only observe the abstinence from meat? And if breast feeding mothers are exempt from fasting, is it only those exclusively breast feeding newborns, any mothers breast feeding a child under a certain age, or ALL breast feeding moms? I have always been curious about this requirement. I tend to not to fast during pregnancy, but I almost always fast while breast feeding, but I’ve never had a new born during Lent so my milk has been well established by that time. This year, however, I will be giving birth during Lent and I’m not sure I will be physically able to fast. I tend to stay hungry the first few months until my milk production stabalizes.
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If you have a medical reason (such as what you have stated above) you dont have to fast.
 
NYCCatholic said:
Thanks for the comments so far.

I looked up the Code of Canon Law, #1252.

Once you reach your 59th birthday, on the following day, you are in your 60th year. Up to and including your 59th birthday, you are obligated to fast. After that, you are not.

But as you have all stated, fasting is good, and I will still fast, but in a modified way.

Grace and peace,
NYCCatholic
Click to expand...
Remember, as others have pointed out, that the required fasting applies only to Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. These are the only times in the whole year that fasting is obligatory (of course subject to age and medical condition).
Do not confuse fasting and abstaining.
 
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