Sunday breaks in Lent

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It’s a bit late I know, but I’ve been hearing from friends that I can eat my treats I gave up on Sundays during lent! Here I’ve been denying myself and I could have had a bit of a snack on Sundays?? A friend of mine says that Sundays don’t count because they’re feast days and aren’t counted in the 40 days anyway, is this true? Is it “traditional”? How long has this been in practice and how come I never heard of it till now?!
 
Orate said:
It’s a bit late I know, but I’ve been hearing from friends that I can eat my treats I gave up on Sundays during lent! Here I’ve been denying myself and I could have had a bit of a snack on Sundays?? A friend of mine says that Sundays don’t count because they’re feast days and aren’t counted in the 40 days anyway, is this true? Is it “traditional”? How long has this been in practice and how come I never heard of it till now?!
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People’s answers to this will vary, but I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s and we never considered Sunday as a fast day during Lent. I can remember looking forward to Sunday because I could have candy or sweets.

However, much to my surprise, I discovered that some people did keep the Lenten fast on Sundays. I was taught, by the Sisters, that you did not fast on Sundays because Sunday is a Feast day.

This is not something new, it was around when I was a kid, when my mother was a kid–goes back pretty far, but I am not sure how far.
 
I do not fast on Sunday’s, but I do not partake of what I gave up for lent. So - if I give up meat for lent - I will not fast on Sunday - but I won’t eat meat on Sunday.

I’ve heard that you can eat whatever you give up on Sunday’s as well.
 
There seems to be a confusion of terminology here. Fasting refers to the canonically required practice (for most adults who are not seniors) whereby food is limited by consuming one full meal and two small snacks; this is required only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. *Abstinence *refers to abstaining from meat on Fridays, something which in the U.S. is canonically required only during Lent, with the same abstinence or some other act of penance or devotion required in its place the rest of the year. Neither of these relates to the common lenten devotion of “giving up” something for Lent, which is customary, but not required.

As you may see, there are several variations of practice concerning this devotion, and none is the “right” or even necessarily the “traditional” practice. Some people give up the item in question for the duration of Lent, Sundays included, while others maintain that all Sundays being feasts, it is not appropriate to continue the penance on that day of the week. Some make exceptions to their discipline on two important days, St. Joseph on 19 March and the Annunciation on 25 March, both of which are solemnities, the highest category of feast on the kalendar. There is no universal practice in this regard, which might help explain why you are unfamiliar with it. Practices vary greatly by country, diocese, parish, household and individual.

I personally do not partake on Sundays, not because I do not recognize Sunday as the weekly feast of the Lord, but because I tried it once many years ago and found that the Lenten discipline was severely weakened, IMHO. It was not nearly the same sacrifice to give up something when I had weekly relief; I did not feel challenged. In other words, there was always a day, just a few days away, in which I could partake. OTOH, I do break the discipline on the two days above, because they are unrelated to Lent, and the church does observe them with music, Gloria at Mass, white vestments, etc… These are only two days, which sometimes get postponed past Easter, anyway, as happened last year. Other feel differently, but I found that the joy of partaking at Easter is sweeter when I have not partaken every Sunday.
 
Orate said:
It’s a bit late I know, but I’ve been hearing from friends that I can eat my treats I gave up on Sundays during lent! Here I’ve been denying myself and I could have had a bit of a snack on Sundays?? A friend of mine says that Sundays don’t count because they’re feast days and aren’t counted in the 40 days anyway, is this true? Is it “traditional”? How long has this been in practice and how come I never heard of it till now?!
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There are 2 very similar threads already in Liturgy and Sacraments.

lenten sacrifice
Feast Days during Lent
 
Chatter163 said:
There seems to be a confusion of terminology here. Fasting refers to the canonically required practice (for most adults who are not seniors) whereby food is limited by consuming one full meal and two small snacks; this is required only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. *Abstinence *refers to abstaining from meat on Fridays, something which in the U.S. is canonically required only during Lent, with the same abstinence or some other act of penance or devotion required in its place the rest of the year. Neither of these relates to the common lenten devotion of “giving up” something for Lent, which is customary, but not required.
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It seems to me that Fasting and Abstinence were not very clearly distinguished by the Church until relatively recently. I know I have read in older books of the Church requiring one to fast from meat. Of course, the modern terminology would be to abstain from meat.

It is only natural that people would occasionally use the terms interchangeably. The Church did for many centuries.

Giving something up for Lent is definitely different from the fasting and abstinence required by the Church. But, I wouldn’t agree with you that they are unrelated. I believe that they are very closely related to one another. One is required and the other is voluntary but the difference ends there.

James
 
James0235 said:
It seems to me that Fasting and Abstinence were not very clearly distinguished by the Church until relatively recently. I know I have read in older books of the Church requiring one to fast from meat. Of course, the modern terminology would be to abstain from meat.

It is only natural that people would occasionally use the terms interchangeably. The Church did for many centuries.

Giving something up for Lent is definitely different from the fasting and abstinence required by the Church. But, I wouldn’t agree with you that they are unrelated. I believe that they are very closely related to one another. One is required and the other is voluntary but the difference ends there.

James
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I don’t know what time frame you are using. My Baltimore Catechisms from 60 years ago quite clearly differentiate between fast and abstinence.
 
If you “gave something up” for Lent, it’s just a personal practice. There are no rules or anything as it’s not even required.
 
I’ve often heard the argument that Sundays aren’t technically part of Lent. It seems to have some merit when you find that Lent only adds up to 40 days if you leave out the Sundays.

But I figure if I’m not sining Alleluia on Sundays, then its Lent. And if I said I’d give it up for Lent I ought to do so for the 40 plus days it actually lasts. Giving something up for 6 days is no real biggee after all… 😉
 
Sunday is not part of Lent. But if I am giving up something, I find it easier to completely give it up then to start all over again every Monday.

Lent also ends on Holy Thurs.
 
I heard a priest once say that it’s your Lenten sacrifice and you can put whatever restrictions you want on it.

If you want to give up alcohol except on certain days, that’s fine. If you want to give up chocolate except on Sundays, you can.
 
Sunday is not part of Lent.
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I am amazed every year when I read or hear the above. The Church numbers these Sundays as the first, second, third etc. Sunday OF LENT. Hummmm…

Maybe that’s easier than numbering them as “The first Sunday before/after the first week of Lent”. Since the whole thing starts on a Wednesday, that further complicates the matter, I suppose, but the Church solves it by simply calling that first Sunday after Ash Wednesday, the FIRST Sunday of Lent.

I grew up in the 50’s. Adults fasted: one full meal etc. Children over 7 abstained, no meat - and in my family that was no meat (other than on Friday) except at the full meal which was always the evening meal. All Lenten sacrifices lasted until Easter morning. Period. This was no different from all the kids I went to school with.
 
Like several posters already mentioned, it’s really an issue of personal discipline. I mean, you aren’t required to give anything up at all for Lent (except for days of fast/abstinence). I, personally, do a sort of “Lent Lite” on Sundays. I won’t go pig out on all the candy I can find 😉 but I am usually less stringent. After all, Sundays are a day of celebration! That’s the day we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection! Plus the obvious argument- Sundays aren’t included in the 40 day count.

But don’t feel bad if you do/don’t follow this practice. I think this is one of those areas where it’s not defined by the Church.
 
kujayhawk said:
I am amazed every year when I read or hear the above. The Church numbers these Sundays as the first, second, third etc. Sunday OF LENT. Hummmm…

Maybe that’s easier than numbering them as “The first Sunday before/after the first week of Lent”. Since the whole thing starts on a Wednesday, that further complicates the matter, I suppose, but the Church solves it by simply calling that first Sunday after Ash Wednesday, the FIRST Sunday of Lent.

I grew up in the 50’s. Adults fasted: one full meal etc. Children over 7 abstained, no meat - and in my family that was no meat (other than on Friday) except at the full meal which was always the evening meal. All Lenten sacrifices lasted until Easter morning. Period. This was no different from all the kids I went to school with.
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As far as I know the fast and abstinence [no meat] were never mandated for Sunday.
 
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