Is Canon Law 919 a JOKE???

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I simply fail to see how going without food/drink for 60 minutes (effectively only 15 minutes) constitutes a fast
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The canon doesn’t say anything about it being a “fast” it says “abstain” for a min of 60 min.

It’s not a fast and doesn’t claim to be one.

This is a minimum amount of time, surely one can fast longer if one desires to. I fail to see how this canon is a “joke” as you suggested. To me, it’s pretty clear.
 
GregoryPalamas said:
I think this very issue is ripe for the picking. Perhaps our original poster would like to start such a thread and do a satire on a pre Mass tailgating party gone bad. Or how the Tailgating party intended one thing but produced another. My juices are beginning to flow. Perhaps I’ll have time tonight to post something if you all don’t beat me to it.

I can see one on Bingo. Nuns used to be easy pickings but they take themselves far too seriously these days. Can’t wear a habit, don’t you know, because we really wish to cease existing. Perhaps somethig a priests sees now that he looks at the people all of the time that he wishes he didn’t. That would work for the Trads or the Easterners since they still face East…but you get my point.

Any other ideas?

CDL
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How about a thread titled
smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_1_123.gif CANON-FODDER … MAKE MY DAY

subtitled:

TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT AT CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS

however, there is a scripture that says “…call no man fodder…”)

%between%
 
Originally Posted by GregoryPalamas
The Orthodox have the Onion Dome as a satire page to poke fun at themselves. What do the Catholics have? I think it is greatly needed.
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Granted, but I did not see anything in the website that poked fun at the Holy Eucharist, per se. You may dismiss some of us as being unable to appreciate humor, but that simply is your own opinion. Besides, I don’t believe the OP meant it to be humor. He was indignant about the lack of time lawfully granted by the Church in a specific Canon Law. These precepts are not enacted lightly, but only after much deliberation by the Magisterium. The fact that it is even raised to the level of Canon Law indicates the seriousness of it.
 
I would have to say that of the CAF posters I encounter, half of them have no sense of humor.

And the ones with the best get tossed.

I agree with Gregory, we need to lighten up.
 
GregoryPalamas said:
You seem a bit overly sensitive. I thought the tail-gating comment to be humorous and to the point. I don’t know why the original poster is so touchy about not identifying himself but I’m Eastern Catholic.

BTW If we won’t laugh at ourselves others will have to do it for us.

CDL

I meant to quote Anachara, not CRW. Sorry about that. The tailgating quote seemed to be spot on.
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Naww not really over sensitive, I could see he was trying to be funny 🙂 and as my post pointed out I did think he was a attack a bit too quickly in the thread. But then I could see where someone would find it offensive. That’s probably what I should have wrote instead of saying “I” was offended. I posted that at the crack of dawn out in Cali, been up since 2am…couldn’t sleep…but then again his post did seem a bit harsh…I don’t know I’m tired and can’t make a decision :whacky: :yawn: need to think on it.
 
What the priests sees when he faces the people instead of facing Christ seems to me to be fair game. There is no order that says the priest must face the people. In fact just the contrary. So what he sees is open to humor.

Tonight, I hope.

CDL
 
JimO said:
If you look at it objectively, what is the purpose of any fast? To suffer for suffering’s sake? No. It’s a spiritual exercise to bring focus on God, in this case, a focus on receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus into our bodies.
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Good point. The point where I stop eating food is where my eyes turn ahead to where I will shorty be. For me, it helps carve out that time.

Also, a 3 hour or more fast makes receiving at daily mass more difficult, especially if you have to make and serve dinner to everyone else and then go (in the evening). I, at least, don’t cook and serve food without testing it for salt and stuff.

Actually, I have had to rearrange things on numerous occasions over the years to meet the fast (I go to the Sat mass). If I went on Sunday, the fast would never cause this.
 
lepanto said:
You hit the issue on the head, WH. I simply fail to see how going without food/drink for 60 minutes (effectively only 15 minutes) constitutes a fast.
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It doesn’t, but it is symbolic, which is really all the fast was ever really intended to be, symbolic.
 
Joysong said:
Besides, I don’t believe the OP meant it to be humor.
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Yes, the tail-gating comment was meant to be humorous. I thought it was obvious, but that apparently got lost in written form.
He was indignant about the lack of time lawfully granted by the Church in a specific Canon Law.
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Not indignant at all. More like confused :confused: as to how going 15 minutes without food even merits inclusion in Canon Law.
These precepts are not enacted lightly, but only after much deliberation by the Magisterium. The fact that it is even raised to the level of Canon Law indicates the seriousness of it.
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Again, how does going 15 minutes without food merit consideration by the magisterium and inclusion in Canon Law? Nobody has yet to address the efficacy of the 60 minute (15 minute) fast. Does a 60 (15) fast really do anything to prepare us to receive the Lord?
 
lepanto said:
Again, how does going 15 minutes without food merit consideration by the magisterium and inclusion in Canon Law? Nobody has yet to address the efficacy of the 60 minute (15 minute) fast. Does a 60 (15) fast really do anything to prepare us to receive the Lord?
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Maybe I didn’t do a very good job, but I thought that I had addressed this. I suppose the method used to focus our attention could have been one of many things, but it was derived from the fast. Abstaining from food before receiving the Eucharist has become such a well-known practice that it wouldn’t make sense to change it to something else completely. However, having something in place that causes us to at least pause and focus our attention is the minimum that I think is necessary.
 
lepanto said:
Yes, the tail-gating comment was meant to be humorous. I thought it was obvious, but that apparently got lost in written form.

Not indignant at all. More like confused :confused: as to how going 15 minutes without food even merits inclusion in Canon Law.

Again, how does going 15 minutes without food merit consideration by the magisterium and inclusion in Canon Law? Nobody has yet to address the efficacy of the 60 minute (15 minute) fast. Does a 60 (15) fast really do anything to prepare us to receive the Lord?
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well I do not understand your 15min fast thingy…are you saying folks are sitting in the pews eating up until 15 mintues
before recieving COmmunion?
Our family does this if we attend the 10am Mass…we do not consume any food etc. after 9am…
 
Karin said:
well I do not understand your 15min fast thingy…are you saying folks are sitting in the pews eating up until 15 mintues
before recieving COmmunion?
Our family does this if we attend the 10am Mass…we do not consume any food etc. after 9am…
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I agree with the implication of the original poster. 15 minutes without food prior to going to mass or even if it’s 60 minutes doesn’t make an impression on most. I would think it would make even cafeteria catholics feel like saints. If there is going to be canon law why not make it mean something?

CDL
 
GregoryPalamas said:
I agree with the implication of the original poster. 15 minutes without food prior to going to mass or even if it’s 60 minutes doesn’t make an impression on most. I would think it would make even cafeteria catholics feel like saints. If there is going to be canon law why not make it mean something?
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The fact that it is in the Canon is probably an artifact. But, it wouldn’t make sense at this point to do away with it and most Catholics would pitch a fit if they made it longer. Personally, I’d have no problem with a true fast, but the Church has had to make a lot of changes to satisfy the multitudes unfortunately.
 
Karin said:
Our family does this if we attend the 10am Mass…we do not consume any food etc. after 9am…
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Assuming that communion at your Mass was distributed at 10:45, you would according to Canon Law 919 be allowed to eat/drink all the way up to 9:45.
 
lepanto said:
Assuming that communion at your Mass was distributed at 10:45, you would according to Canon Law 919 be allowed to eat/drink all the way up to 9:45.
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that is nice…I dont mind stopping at 9am or earlier:)
 
Lepanto,

I believe the folks here have answered your original question; i.e., it is not a joke, and yes the fast is now reduced to a time period of one hour.

Beyond that, none of us here are not able to help you. If you would like to disagree with the Magisterium’s guidance, you may address a letter of complaint to them; meanwhile, lengthen your own time for fasting. It is not a good practice to admonish those who do not hold your viewpoint, however.

Thanks for clarifying your motive of being humorous. 🙂
 
JimO said:
The fact that it is in the Canon is probably an artifact. But, it wouldn’t make sense at this point to do away with it and most Catholics would pitch a fit if they made it longer. Personally, I’d have no problem with a true fast, but the Church has had to make a lot of changes to satisfy the multitudes unfortunately.
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I am not so sure about that!

I think if it is tried it will give pastors a great opportunity to preach on personal piety and the commitment it takes to be a Christian. This could be just what the church needs right now to snap it out of a dream state. Anyone who decides to complain is leaving themselves open to some personal ‘spiritual direction’, which they probably really need.

Another option is for the priest to make an announcement like this: “Just a gentle reminder, that the Holy Gifts are for those who have prepared themselves with prayer, with fasting and with confession”. However, with a one hour minimum fast, most people will not really take this admonition seriously.

It is time to reemphasize the sacredness of the Holy Eucharist.
 
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