I believe this refers to heavy-duty calorie burning labor, such as you might see on a farm doing heavy chores, or heavy lifting and heavy duty construction work, or work in steel mills, etc. The type of labor that requires a lot of calories and energy to perform and where fasting would be detrimental to one’s health/job performance.I just read that one of the ways you are excused from the Lenten Fast is if you are engaged in manual labor. I just started the fast last year and was off of work on Ash Wednesday (and had smoothies on Good Friday - oops!). As a deli clerk am I under the obligation? Note, I’m not trying to get out of it, but I am curious.
It is a day of fasting and abstaining from meat. It isn’t a Holy Day of obligation.Ash Wednesday, like any Sunday is a
Day of Obligation, we must attend mass
and receive holy Communion. It is also
a special day of fasting in preparation for
Lent. Good Friday is another day of Fast.
As to work, if it doesn’t takes our focus
away our attention from spiritual matters,
it’s Okay, we are to make it a day to be
mindful of God, any kind of work or busi-
ness which takes away from the worship
of God is not Okay.
As pointed out, there is no requirement to attend Mass on Ash Wednesday. Further, there is no requirement to receive Holy Communion on Ash Wednesday or any other day or any given Sunday, providing that one’s Easter Duty has been met. It is also not “in preparation for Lent;” Ash Wednesday IS Lent. You also imply that the Sunday “day of rest” rules apply to Ash Wednesday, which is also untrue.Ash Wednesday, like any Sunday is a
Day of Obligation, we must attend mass
and receive holy Communion. It is also
a special day of fasting in preparation for
Lent. Good Friday is another day of Fast.
As to work, if it doesn’t takes our focus
away our attention from spiritual matters,
it’s Okay, we are to make it a day to be
mindful of God, any kind of work or busi-
ness which takes away from the worship
of God is not Okay.
A deli clerk isn’t really manual labor. However, if you have to do heavy lifting or exertion on that particular day-- say some duties that checking people out at the counter don’t normally entail-- then perhaps. It’s a judgment call. But, just ringing up orders or making sandwiches, for most people that would not be “manual labor” to the extent that you could not do fasting. Also, it depends on your physical condition as well-- so we can’t really tell you “yes” or “no”. Just as office work is work, but not manual labor.I just read that one of the ways you are excused from the Lenten Fast is if you are engaged in manual labor. I just started the fast last year and was off of work on Ash Wednesday (and had smoothies on Good Friday - oops!). As a deli clerk am I under the obligation? Note, I’m not trying to get out of it, but I am curious.
Correct.It is a day of fasting and abstaining from meat. It isn’t a Holy Day of obligation.
yesDoes manual labor (like digging ditches all day) exempt one currently?
Thanx for correcting me, I had read the CatechismIt is a day of fasting and abstaining from meat. It isn’t a Holy Day of obligation.
Here from EWTN with the Canons:Can someone direct me to the CCC and/or Code of Canon Law that states manual labourers to exempt from fasting. I can see nothing there apart from those under 14 and over 60 exempted.
Merriam Webster Dictionary, manualI just read that one of the ways you are excused from the Lenten Fast is if you are engaged in manual labor. I just started the fast last year and was off of work on Ash Wednesday (and had smoothies on Good Friday - oops!). As a deli clerk am I under the obligation? Note, I’m not trying to get out of it, but I am curious.
Thanks. However it is not in Canon Law. The exemptions are from the Bishops Conference. That may differ from country to country although they make sense.