What days to fast/abstain?

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jgaw1234

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Hi forum.

I work nights and wanted to poll opinions on what day you would choose to fast. Assuming the normal break is about 1am, would you fast on Thursday night which is actually Friday morning or Friday night which is actually Saturday morning?

I wish I knew how to put it in poll format. I’m looking forward to your responses.
 
I think it makes more sense to do it 1am Friday, since it is actually Friday AND liturgically Friday, since the day starts at sundown 👍
 
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I too work nights and I fast and abstain according to the clock, midnight to midnight of the day in question – It’s the only way that makes sense and does not cause scandal*. (I brought leftover anchovy pizza 🐟 🍕 which I enjoyed this morning on my lunch break)

Canon Law says:
Can. 200 Unless the law expressly provides otherwise, time is to be computed according to the norm of the following canons.

Can. 201 §1. Continuous time is understood as that which undergoes no interruption.

Can. 202 §1. In law, a day is understood as a period consisting of 24 continuous hours and begins at midnight unless other provision is expressly made
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*
Outside of night-shift work, I routinely follow my own perceived time – eg 0100 does not “feel like” tomorrow, and I treat it like today. Tomorrow doesn’t happen until I go to bed and wake up again
If I am UNusually awake all night (think college all-nighters), “tomorrow” seems to arrive somewhere between 0400 and dawn.

NB I treat both ends of the day the same. If I am up until 0100 Saturday morning, it still feels like Friday and I maintain abstinence.

All of this is precisely NOT playing Canon Law according to Hoyle, and I do not recommend nor encourage others to follow me, only that it feels right to me. And the consequences are between me, my confessor, and God.
 
The day is midnight to midnight. Fast on Good Friday from midnight to midnight. Abstain from meat on Fridays, from midnight to midnight.

It’s not that complicated.
 
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That’s what I’ve been doing, I just feel a little guilty packing a ham sandwich on Friday nights and then eating it that close to midnight.
I guess in my mind, it’s still Friday until the sun comes up but at the same time, I work a very physical job and can’t fast for 36 hours so I thought I’d ask around.
 
jgaw1234 said:
That’s what I’ve been doing, I just feel a little guilty packing a ham sandwich on Friday nights and then eating it that close to midnight.
I guess in my mind, it’s still Friday until the sun comes up but at the same time, I work a very physical job and can’t fast for 36 hours so I thought I’d ask around.
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Are you perhaps confusing fasting and abstinence? We are not bound to fast every Friday.
 
Titivillus said:
I too work nights and I fast and abstain according to the clock, midnight to midnight of the day in question – It’s the only way that makes sense and does not cause scandal
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And here I am again, 0005 Saturday, eating my baloney sammich 🥪
 
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