Questions regarding Lent 2020?

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KyrieVarLee

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I read in an old Catholic book that during the weekdays of Lent, it is expected that the faithful fast throughout the week. So one two small meals and one normal sized meal. I had the understanding that this type of fasting was only expected on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (in addition to abstaining from meat). Am I mistaken? If someone could inform me, lest I be mistaken, what are the requirements of the faithful in America during the Lenten season?
 
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Fauken said:
You can find the US requirements on the USCCB page:
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It seems to be as I suspected, only fasting Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Did it used to be fasting every day of lent? ( Before Vatican II perhaps?) I’m just wondering if that changed or I just misunderstood what the book was saying.
 
KyrieVarLee said:
It seems to be as I suspected, only fasting Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Did it used to be fasting every day of lent? ( Before Vatican II perhaps?) I’m just wondering if that changed or I just misunderstood what the book was saying.
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The rules were different before Vatican II, yes.
 
KyrieVarLee said:
I read in an old Catholic book that during the weekdays of Lent, it is expected that the faithful fast throughout the week.
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That is no longer the discipline of the Church.
KyrieVarLee said:
I had the understanding that this type of fasting was only expected on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (in addition to abstaining from meat). Am I mistaken?
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You are not mistaken.
 
Fasting rules are a discipline of the Church and have changed over time. They also may be different for different countries (though not so much for Lent). You are bound to follow the rules for your specific diocese, not what might be written in an old book.
 
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Every day of lent - no eating until 3pm (since Christ died at 3pm) and only amount of one meal per day, no meat or eggs or dairy (which is why eggs are gifts on Easter). That is how most Catholics conducted lent throughout history. It actually used to be no meal until evening but then relaxed to 3pm. . . .
 
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As you mentioned, these are the old rules of the Church.
The OP is required to follow what USCCB says if she’s in USA, not what you posted.
 
If Christ gave us the example of fasting for 40 days in the desert, how can you say it is a false premise?
 
BradWatson_Miami said:
Personally, I have never fasted and don’t see it as helpful in gaining any closeness to GOD or receiving any enlightenment. Some traditions that are based on false premises need to die out.
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It has worked for thousands of years, and benefited countless saints, monastics, and faithful of virtually all faiths. Fasting was promoted by Christ Himself. . . .
 
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BradWatson_Miami said:
Personally, I have never fasted and don’t see it as helpful in gaining any closeness to GOD or receiving any enlightenment.
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That isn’t why Christians fast.
BradWatson_Miami said:
Some traditions that are based on false premises need to die out.
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Some people have false ideas and they need to be corrected.

We fast, minimally, out of obedience to the Church.

Fasting is a form of penance. That is why we fast during Lent. In solidarity with Jesus who fasted 40 days in the desert, and in the same tradition as the great fasts of the Old Testament, in reparation for our own sin and the sins of the world.
 
Aquinas11 said:
The Church never actually changed those rules.
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Yes, the Church did. See Code if Canon Law, 1983, which completely abrogated the old code. The new code requires fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

It also requires abstention from meat on Fridays — with bishops conferences able to have their own particular norm approved regarding abstention from meat. Therefore it varies from place to place.
 
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Aquinas11 said:
what specific language are you referring to that abrogated those rules.
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From the Code of Canon Law:
Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

Can. 1253 The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast.
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Aquinas11 said:
what specific language are you referring to that abrogated those rules.
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Abrogation of former laws:

Can. 6 §1. When this Code takes force, the following are abrogated:

1/ the Code of Canon Law promulgated in 1917;

2/ other universal or particular laws contrary to the prescripts of this Code unless other provision is expressly made for particular laws;

3/ any universal or particular penal laws whatsoever issued by the Apostolic See unless they are contained in this Code;

4/ other universal disciplinary laws regarding matter which this Code completely reorders.

Current law on penance:

Days of Penance

Can. 1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.

Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

Can. 1253 The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast.
 
Can. 5 §1. Universal or particular customs presently in force which are contrary to the prescripts of these canons and are reprobated by the canons of this Code are absolutely suppressed and are not permitted to revive in the future. Other contrary customs are also considered suppressed unless the Code expressly provides otherwise or unless they are centenary or immemorial customs which can be tolerated if, in the judgment of the ordinary, they cannot be removed due to the circumstances of places and persons.
 
Aquinas11 said:
No, abrogation must be expressive , particularly for a practice that predates the 1917 Canon by centuries. It would have to explicitly state that fasting until 3pm is no longer required, etc.
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By what authority do you make this declaration? Certainly Canon 6 doesn’t agree with you, or was Pope St. JPII just wasting his breathe when he said things like “other universal disciplinary laws regarding matter which this Code completely reorders”?
 
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1ke said:
Can. 5 §1. Universal or particular customs presently in force which are contrary to the prescripts of these canons and are reprobated by the canons of this Code are absolutely suppressed and are not permitted to revive in the future. Other contrary customs are also considered suppressed unless the Code expressly provides otherwise or unless they are centenary or immemorial customs which can be tolerated if, in the judgment of the ordinary, they cannot be removed due to the circumstances of places and persons.
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The Church knows how to dot "i"s and cross “t’s” when she legislates.
 
mrsdizzyd said:
By what authority do you make this declaration? Certainly Canon 6 doesn’t agree with you, or was Pope St. JPII just wasting his breathe when he said things like “other universal disciplinary laws regarding matter which this Code completely reorders”?
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Not to mention that, at least with my FSSP calendar (if I’m remembering it right, I don’t have it in front of me right now), it doesn’t list that kind of stuff as being the current law: it is actually specifically marked as the old law, so if someone wanted to keep with those practices they could, but they are not required.
 
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