Fasting during Lent

[barbfromtucson]

Hi,

I wanted to ask your opinion on fasting during Lent.

For the past several months, I’ve been dealing with a health issue that involves frequent “Immodium-moments”. The doctors haven’t figured out what’s going on yet, but we’ve ruled out parasites, Celiac, Collitus, and Crohns.

In the meantime, my diet has been greatly reduced from what it used to be. I don’t eat anything that I think would cause me to have to stick close to a bathroom.

Last July-Sep, it was really bad–I was so afraid to eat anything that I was loosing 10-12 lbs a month. By October, I started to figure out which foods made it worse and so my health stabilized a little bit and was starting to eat a little bit more.

However, my diet still isn’t ‘normal’ and I’m still losing about 2-4 lbs a month.

I am assuming that I would fall under the category where I don’t have to observe fasting on Ash Wednesday/Good Friday because of my health issue, or should I still try to cut down on my meals on those days?

Thanks!

Barbara

 

[porthos11]

Hi,

I wanted to ask your opinion on fasting during Lent.

For the past several months, I’ve been dealing with a health issue that involves frequent “Immodium-moments”. The doctors haven’t figured out what’s going on yet, but we’ve ruled out parasites, Celiac, Collitus, and Crohns.

In the meantime, my diet has been greatly reduced from what it used to be. I don’t eat anything that I think would cause me to have to stick close to a bathroom.

Last July-Sep, it was really bad–I was so afraid to eat anything that I was loosing 10-12 lbs a month. By October, I started to figure out which foods made it worse and so my health stabilized a little bit and was starting to eat a little bit more.

However, my diet still isn’t ‘normal’ and I’m still losing about 2-4 lbs a month.

I am assuming that I would fall under the category where I don’t have to observe fasting on Ash Wednesday/Good Friday because of my health issue, or should I still try to cut down on my meals on those days?

Thanks!

Barbara

Always follow your doctor’s advice in this case. If he says don’t fast, then don’t fast. If he says do not skip meat, then definitely do not skip meat.

Only his opinion should count, and not anyone else’s on this forum.

 

[ac_claire]

Always follow your doctor’s advice in this case. If he says don’t fast, then don’t fast. If he says do not skip meat, then definitely do not skip meat.

Only his opinion should count, and not anyone else’s on this forum.

I’d also add to this- talk with your priest about it when you get the chance. If you have legitimate health issues with fasting, he should be able to help you come up with an alternate form of penance for the fast and abstinance days.

 

[puzzleannie]

no one with a medical condition that does not allow fast and/or abstinence has ever been bound by this discipline. ordinary prudential judgement is the only test one needs to apply.

 

[chrisb]

Grace and Peace,

What are the proper observances in the Latin Rite with regard to Fasting during Lent?

As I understand it we are only asked to Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstain from meat on Fridays. Is that all?

 

[paperwight]

Abstaining from meat on Fridays depends which country you’re in. In the UK, for instsnce, it’s only suggested. We can substitute another penance such as cutting down on tv, or doing something like visiting a sick neighbour.
Making it one of many options like this seems much more sensible to me, particularly as I don’t eat meat already on any day of the year.

 

[ac_claire]

Abstaining from meat on Fridays depends which country you’re in. In the UK, for instsnce, it’s only suggested. We can substitute another penance such as cutting down on tv, or doing something like visiting a sick neighbour.
Making it one of many options like this seems much more sensible to me, particularly as I don’t eat meat already on any day of the year.

Huh. I always thought the abstainance on Fridays was a Church-wide rule. But maybe this explains why our Bishop felt the need to write an open letter to the dioscese explaining that we’re expected to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and Abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. A copy of the letter was in every parish bulletin handed out this past weekend.

 

[po18guy]

A fast may include much more than food. The Lord will not deny you that which is necessary to sustain you. Pick a favorite activity or hobby. Give it up. As to food, give up one of the pleasures and return to basic nutrition (sounds like you have!).

As to the underlying health problem, consider consulting with an allergist for allergy testing. Food allergies are extremely common. These can develop during your life. if you were allergic as a child, those allergies may return without warning in adulthood. Allergies to many other substances, household mold for example, can cause a wide variety of similar symptoms.

Christ’s peace be with you.

 

[Mary1973]

Barb,

I saw a program on Discovery Health and the woman had your problem for years. She finally found out it had to do with her gall bladder. Wish I could remember more! The doctor who discovered this condition is here in NJ and the syndrome is actually named after him.

God bless and good health!