How Many People Observe Ember Days?

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Tomorrow, Friday and Saturday are traditional Ember days. How many of you observe them and how so?

*This week the traditional liturgy features the September Ember Days on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Ember Days broadly mark the changing of the seasons, and are traditionally days of fast and abstinence “to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy”.

The masses for these days are more elaborate than the usual, especially on Saturday, where there are several readings.
*

australiaincognita.blogspot.com/2010/09/ember-days-in-september.html
fisheaters.com/customstimeafterpentecost8.html
 
HCC said:
Tomorrow, Friday and Saturday are traditional Ember days. How many of you observe them and how so?

*This week the traditional liturgy features the September Ember Days on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Ember Days broadly mark the changing of the seasons, and are traditionally days of fast and abstinence “to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy”.

The masses for these days are more elaborate than the usual, especially on Saturday, where there are several readings.
*

australiaincognita.blogspot.com/2010/09/ember-days-in-september.html
fisheaters.com/customstimeafterpentecost8.html
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As a very recent revert to the TLM I was just this week reminded of Ember Days by the Mass schedule in the parish bulletin. I attend Mass on Wednesdays and Fridays as a rule and will be adding First Saturdays so Mass isn’t a problem. I intend to fast and abstain when possible, we travel a lot in the warm seasons and that complicates abstinence.

I puzzle over why traditions such as this and celebrating the Sundays after Pentecost were ever dropped; Sundays in Ordinary Time are meaningless to me.
 
I fast and abstain, and usually dedicate my rosaries for a fruitful season.
 
Ember days are a part of real Catholic culture. Culture is in the details, if it’s just standardized… what is left? 😃

But I think most people don’t know about Ember Days, or easily when to observe them. They would if they did.
 
Yes, I fast and abstain. Like Nowhereman, I’ll offer more Rosaries and do the complete LOTH on the Ember days. Mass is a little far for me to do something at church (120 miles). Not to mention I’ll be traveling to Canada to see some grandchildren. Probably do Mass on Sunday in Vancouver, BC at the FSSP parish.
 
Ember Days and Rogation Days have always been a mystery to me. :o
As to how to observe them (when I am even aware that they are here) I’ve never received any instruction. :o:o:o
 
I fast and abstain and add prayers for priests (because I read that part of the purpose is a blessing for priests) and thanksgiving.
 
"Archdiocesan Ember Day set

The autumn Ember Day is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 22. An Ember Day is one set aside for voluntary prayer and fasting. Archbishop John Vlazny reinstituted Ember Days in 2002 as days of prayer for victims of child sexual abuse. In the Archdiocese of Portland, Ember Days are scheduled for September, Advent, and Lent. "

This is from our Archdiocese…I admit…I had to ask what it was…but I’m newly returned…but don’t have time to wait for it to be covered in RCIA. I will be doing voluntary prayer and fasting to observe.
 
Annabelle_Marie said:
"Archdiocesan Ember Day set

The autumn Ember Day is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 22. An Ember Day is one set aside for voluntary prayer and fasting. Archbishop John Vlazny reinstituted Ember Days in 2002 as days of prayer for victims of child sexual abuse. In the Archdiocese of Portland, Ember Days are scheduled for September, Advent, and Lent. "

This is from our Archdiocese…I admit…I had to ask what it was…but I’m newly returned…but don’t have time to wait for it to be covered in RCIA. I will be doing voluntary prayer and fasting to observe.
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Wow! Now that is an example of using the traditions of the Church wisely! God bless your bishop and may other’s follow his example! 👍

Have a meaningful fast everyone. I’ll include you in my prayers, please remember me as well. Thanks!😉
 
Hi,
This is the first I have heard of Ember days. Thank you.
I may have missed this, but are the different times of the year this occures?
and what exactly are we celebrating?
I thank you in advance for your patience and your replies.

Gods’ peace to you all,

James 🙂
 
Ember days (corruption from Lat. Quatuor Tempora, four times) are the days at the beginning of the seasons ordered by the Church as days of fast and abstinence. They were definitely arranged and prescribed for the entire Church by Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) for the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after 13 December (S. Lucia), after Ash Wednesday, after Whitsunday, and after 14 September (Exaltation of the Cross). The purpose of their introduction, besides the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy. The immediate occasion was the practice of the heathens of Rome. The Romans were originally given to agriculture, and their native gods belonged to the same class. At the beginning of the time for seeding and harvesting religious ceremonies were performed to implore the help of their deities: in June for a bountiful harvest, in September for a rich vintage, and in December for the seeding; hence their feriae sementivae, feriae messis, and feri vindimiales. The Church, when converting heathen nations, has always tried to sanctify any practices which could be utilized for a good purpose. At first the Church in Rome had fasts in June, September, and December; the exact days were not fixed but were announced by the priests. The “Liber Pontificalis” ascribes to Pope Callistus (217-222) a law ordering: the fast, but probably it is older. Leo the Great (440-461) considers it an Apostolic institution. When the fourth season was added cannot be ascertained, but Gelasius (492-496) speaks of all four. This pope also permitted the conferring of priesthood and deaconship on the Saturdays of ember week–these were formerly given only at Easter. Before Gelasius the ember days were known only in Rome, but after his time their observance spread. They were brought into England by St. Augustine; into Gaul and Germany by the Carlovingians. Spain adopted them with the Roman Liturgy in the eleventh century. They were introduced by St. Charles Borromeo into Milan. The Eastern Church does not know them. The present Roman Missal, in the formulary for the Ember days, retains in part the old practice of lessons from Scripture in addition to the ordinary two: for the Wednesdays three, for the Saturdays six, and seven for the Saturday in December. Some of these lessons contain promises of a bountiful harvest for those that serve God.
newadvent.org/cathen/05399b.htm
 
Too late for me to do any fasting today (I’m well ahead of the US timewise, being in Australia). But I’ll certainly make extra time for prayer and add the fasting on Friday and Saturday 👍

I like the idea of offering it for victims of clerical abuse - and add for the sanctification of our priests and religious, as well as for vocations. 👍 Makes it more meaningful.
 
:hmmm:
I’m a little confused. Some people (Anglicans and Vatican II never happened types) are claiming that Ember Days were last week.

Clarification?
 
HCC said:
:hmmm:
I’m a little confused. Some people (Anglicans and Vatican II never happened types) are claiming that Ember Days were last week.

Clarification?
Click to expand...
Pope John XXIII moved the Ember Day’s to be celebrated the week after the specially commemorated Feast Day (in this case, the Exaltation of the Cross).

From Wikipedia:

“The ember days began on the Wednesday immediately following those days. This meant, for instance, that if September 14 were a Tuesday, the ember days would occur on September 15, 17, and 18. As a result the ember days in September could fall after either the second or third Sunday in September. This, however, was always the liturgical Third Week of September, since the First Sunday of September was the Sunday closest to September 1 (August 29 to September 4). **As a simplification of the liturgical calendar, Pope John XXIII modified this so that the Third Sunday was the third Sunday actually within the calendar month. Thus if September 14 were a Sunday, September 24, 26 and 27 would be ember days, the latest dates possible; **with September 14 as a Saturday, however, the ember days would occur on September 18, 20 and 21 - the earliest possible dates.”
 
Ahhh, ok…thanks for that note. Despite having attended the EF Mass off/on since 1991, I have never mastered the calendar. Which would make an interesting thread in itself. So many questions.

Any resources to figure it all out? Resources according to the 1962 calendar?

For instance, this past Monday was the feast of St Eustace and his companions. However, the priest offered a votive mass in honor of the BVM. Tricky!
 
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