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Ilovejesus1234

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I have a question is there any rule stating I must fast or abstain on Easter Sunday, or does this only apply to Ash Wednesday, Fridays of Lent, and Good Friday

Also I found this on the USCCB, what does it mean, and is it required:

“If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection.”

usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/catholic-information-on-lenten-fast-and-abstinence.cfm
 
Ilovejesus1234 said:
I have a question is there any rule stating I must fast or abstain on Easter Sunday, or does this only apply to Ash Wednesday, Fridays of Lent, and Good Friday

Also I found this on the USCCB, what does it mean, and is it required:

“If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection.”

usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/catholic-information-on-lenten-fast-and-abstinence.cfm
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Nope, there’s no rule saying that you should fast or abstain on Easter Sunday. In fact, most liturgists would tell you not only that you’re not obligated to do so, but that you should not fast on Easter Sunday.

The USCCB site is suggesting, though not requiring, that individuals also fast on Holy Saturday, leading into the Easter Vigil on the night of that day. The only days on which Catholics are required to fast are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
 
Ilovejesus1234 said:
I have a question is there any rule stating I must fast or abstain on Easter Sunday, or does this only apply to Ash Wednesday, Fridays of Lent, and Good Friday

Also I found this on the USCCB, what does it mean, and is it required:

“If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection.”

usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/catholic-information-on-lenten-fast-and-abstinence.cfm
Click to expand...
Easter Sunday is the single biggest celebration in the entire Church. Jesus rose from the dead. He died for your sins. It is a time to feast!
 
SeekerOfIron said:
Nope, there’s no rule saying that you should fast or abstain on Easter Sunday. In fact, most liturgists would tell you not only that you’re not obligated to do so, but that you should not fast on Easter Sunday.

The USCCB site is suggesting, though not requiring, that individuals also fast on Holy Saturday, leading into the Easter Vigil on the night of that day. The only days on which Catholics are required to fast are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
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For Catholics of the Latin Church this is true. For our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters the fasting requirements are typically much stricter.
 
So overall and I just want to make sure on this, for two of the questions I addressed they are not required, correct?

I don’t have to fast or abstain on Easter Sunday

and for the vigil thing, what is that? and do I need to let my fast/abstainence drag on to that day
 
Assuming you’re a Latin Catholic (and if you don’t know, then I think it’s pretty safe to assume you are), then you are correct, they are not required. Latin Catholics are not required to fast on Holy Saturday, Easter, or any other day besides Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

If you are an Eastern Catholic, I defer to people more knowledgeable than myself.
 
Then yeah, I’d think you fall under the Latin rite within the Catholic Church, and you are not required to fast on those days.
 
Can you rephrase what day I am not required to fast on, it would be the vigil day and easter sunday right?
 
As I said before,
SeekerOfIron said:
Latin Catholics are not required to fast on Holy Saturday, Easter, or any other day besides Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
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Holy Saturday is the day before Easter. Is there a reason you’re so worried about this?
 
Alright. Rest assured on this issue at least; if it is not Ash Wednesday, and it’s not Good Friday, you are not obligated to fast. For the rest of 2015, that means you aren’t obligated to fast on any day except April 3rd.
 
Then why do the bishops recommend doing this but not obliging it?

“If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection.”
 
Because the Church has authority over its flock - real, binding authority. If a Catholic fails to fulfill his/her obligations as set by the Church, it is a sin. Therefore, the Church does its best to not make universal laws that would be a burden for any significant portion of its members.

Fasting is a powerful tool to bring us closer to God, and many people (myself included) find it to be particularly effective to continue fasting from Good Friday through Holy Saturday until the Easter Vigil. The bishops want to encourage people to examine this idea and decide whether it would be beneficial for their spiritual lives, and so they encourage it.

Does that make sense? Basically, the Church wants to minimize the obligations it sets on its members, and encourage them to do spiritually nourishing things of their own free will instead.
 
So they include this to us, just to show us that if you want you can do this but you don’t have to kind of thing right? In short it really isn’t required but encouraged correct, for the paschal fast.
 
But just wondering what is the paschal fast?

Also is there any rule saying i must fast or abstain on easter sunday.
 
I think at this point it would be best for you to talk to someone in person, since I’ve answered the same question about Easter Sunday a number of times. No, there is no rule that says you must fast on Easter Sunday. Nor do the bishops encourage you to fast on Easter Sunday.

To answer the other question though, the “paschal fast” would just be the fast from Good Friday through Holy Saturday until the Vigil. Explaining why it’s called that is beyond my ability though.
 
I am sorry, I am just paranoid because I don’t want to sin against god, especially if it is a mortal sin. What is vigil though?

By the way are you located in the USA, and within the bishop grouping that goes along with these rules ?
 
No, it’s ok. I’m not upset, it just seems like you’re having to deal with scrupulosity, which basically means that you’re constantly worried that you’re sinning against God and committing mortal sins. That’s something that priests are often trained to help with, but not something that I’m going to be able to help you overcome.

By the ‘Vigil’ I meant the Easter Vigil. I just get lazy when I type sometimes.

I have to go for tonight, but I would seriously talk to your confessor or parish priest about this. They’ll be able to help guide you much better than I can.
 
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