Ember Days?

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Rachele_Ann

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Hello,

I belong to an OF parish but one of our priests has been celebrating a few EF Masses each week. He usually gives a quick lesson on some aspect of the Mass after Mass is celebrated. Today he spoke about ember days. Can someone please explain a bit more about ember days? I didn’t completely understand what Fr. was saying.

Thank you!!!🙂
 
Rachele_Ann said:
Hello,

I belong to an OF parish but one of our priests has been celebrating a few EF Masses each week. He usually gives a quick lesson on some aspect of the Mass after Mass is celebrated. Today he spoke about ember days. Can someone please explain a bit more about ember days? I didn’t completely understand what Fr. was saying.

Thank you!!!🙂
Click to expand...
They were penitential days that occurred at four points during the year; it was also common for ordinations to take place during those times. Full explanation here:

newadvent.org/cathen/05399b.htm
 
Thank you for the replies! Okay, I just want to make sure I have this right. Correct me if I am wrong.
  1. This coming Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are Ember Days.
  2. To observe these days I fast and abstain from meat as I would on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday.
  3. Thursday doesn’t count as an ember day so I do not fast.
  4. The purpose of the fasting is to remember the Lord in the season of winter and to pray for vocations.
Do I understand this correctly? Do traditional parishes observe ember days?
 
Rachele_Ann said:
Thank you for the replies! Okay, I just want to make sure I have this right. Correct me if I am wrong.
  1. This coming Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are Ember Days.
  2. To observe these days I fast and abstain from meat as I would on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday.
  3. Thursday doesn’t count as an ember day so I do not fast.
  4. The purpose of the fasting is to remember the Lord in the season of winter and to pray for vocations.
Do I understand this correctly? Do traditional parishes observe ember days?
Click to expand...
Yes…they do…but the onus is on the folk of course , some folk are less ardent for whatever reasons than others but the daily attendance is often up …Ember Days are also traditionally used to emphasise the need of prayers for the vocations for priests and religious:thumbsup:
 
Observance of the Ember days is no longer required by the USCCB, but it would be of benefit to keep them anyway if one is so inclined.
 
Rachele_Ann said:
Thank you for the replies! Okay, I just want to make sure I have this right. Correct me if I am wrong.
  1. This coming Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are Ember Days.
  2. To observe these days I fast and abstain from meat as I would on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday.
  3. Thursday doesn’t count as an ember day so I do not fast.
  4. The purpose of the fasting is to remember the Lord in the season of winter and to pray for vocations.
Do I understand this correctly? Do traditional parishes observe ember days?
Click to expand...
What a nice summary! Saves me the trouble of looking it up. Thank you.

:blessyou:
 
You are basically correct. I added one slight correction in red below.

More information here:

fisheaters.com/customsadvent11.html
fisheaters.com/emberdays.html
Rachele_Ann said:
Thank you for the replies! Okay, I just want to make sure I have this right. Correct me if I am wrong.
  1. This coming Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are Ember Days.
  2. To observe these days I fast and abstain from meat as I would on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday. You only need to abstain from meat at the smaller meals that do not equal the larger meal. At the main meal you may eat meat; these are days of partial abstinence.
  3. Thursday doesn’t count as an ember day so I do not fast.
  4. The purpose of the fasting is to remember the Lord in the season of winter and to pray for vocations.
Do I understand this correctly? Do traditional parishes observe ember days?
Click to expand...
 
Thank you everyone for your help so far!

I have another question related to this. What was/ are the traditional fast and abstinence rules for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday? To do three days of fast and abstinence (even if only partial on Wed. and Sat.) makes my one day fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday seem not enough.
 
Rachele_Ann said:
Thank you everyone for your help so far!

I have another question related to this. What was/ are the traditional fast and abstinence rules for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday? To do three days of fast and abstinence (even if only partial on Wed. and Sat.) makes my one day fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday seem not enough.
Click to expand...
I’m no authority, but It seems to me that the Church placed these days of fast and abstinance in observence of special days and seasons as a reminder to us that we are indeed called to fast, abstinance and mortification thoughout the year, not just these days. Minimalism is not the answer. I believe we should make it a part of our daily lives. Fasting is good for your health as well.👍
 
  1. To observe these days I fast and abstain from meat as I would on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday. You only need to abstain from meat at the smaller meals that do not equal the larger meal. At the main meal you may eat meat; these are days of partial abstinence.
Click to expand...
Actually, on Ember Fridays, that doesn’t apply as its a Friday. So, complete abstinence is observed on the Fridays. The partial abstinence also only applies to the U.S.
 
Silver_Thread said:
I’m no authority, but It seems to me that the Church placed these days of fast and abstinance in observence of special days and seasons as a reminder to us that we are indeed called to fast, abstinance and mortification thoughout the year, not just these days. Minimalism is not the answer. I believe we should make it a part of our daily lives. Fasting is good for your health as well.👍
Click to expand...
Every weekday of Lent used to be a fast day, which means basically one full meal during the day which can include meat. Two other “collations” without meat are allowed.

I admire you for your devotion, and encourage you to offer your sacrifices for vocations, so that your penances become truly ecclesial in orientation.
 
Rachele_Ann said:
Thank you everyone for your help so far!

I have another question related to this. What was/ are the traditional fast and abstinence rules for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday? To do three days of fast and abstinence (even if only partial on Wed. and Sat.) makes my one day fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday seem not enough.
Click to expand...
By traditional were you speaking of before 1917 Code of Canon Law or after 1917?
 
AJV said:
By traditional were you speaking of before 1917 Code of Canon Law or after 1917?
Click to expand...
I honestly don’t know…like I said I’m from an NO parish and I’m just learning. What is the common practice in capital ‘T’ Traditional parishes now 🙂 ? What was it before Vatican II?

I guess what I’m working towards is I would like to do more this coming Lent because I am observing the ember days. It doesn’t seem fitting to do three days worth of fast and abstinence for vocations when I only do one on Good Friday.

Although as jj2011 said all of Lent was a fast so perhaps I just need to do a little something more throughout Lent this coming year.

Thank you for your help everyone!😃
 
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