St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-17
EAT NO FLESH MEATS.
Wednesday the Lenten Fast
Will Commence Through
out ChriStendom.
Apostles and First Christians
Observed Lent With an
Extreme Rigor.
Lenten Regulations for the
Several Dioceses of st.
Paul.
Plain Words to Employer and
Employe by a Temper
anee Crusader.

Lent, with all its SOlemnity, beglpS
next Wednesday, this day being known
in the church as Ash Wednesday, and
will continue for period of forty days.
This holy season, according to Catholic
belief, is time of preparation for the
worthy celebration of Easter. In order
to awaken a spirit of repentance in the
hearts of her children, the church bids
them to look upon Jesus as He
withdraws into the desert to fast.
The example of Christ, who went into
the wilderness and tasted forty days.
teaches what is the spirit of the church
in the observance of Lent. This is the
first circumstance which at the begin
ming of Lent attracts The attention, and
inspires certain reverence for the holy
season and d desire to spend it properly.
The apostles and first Christians OBJ
served Lent with an extreme vigor,
especially as to fasting. The historians
and holy fathers of that time,
Saints Theophilus, Clement. Jer-
ONE and Augustine testify that
the Christians of the first
century tasted the entire day and par
took Of little food in the evening. In
the time of st. Bernard, who lived in
the eleventh century, Christians Of
every station in life tasted every day
during Lent until late in the afternoon,
and abstained entirely from meat.
Even in our own time Lent is observed
very strictly by many devout people.
The following are the Lenteu regula-
tons for the several dioceses of the
ecclesiastical province of st. Paul:
All days in Lent, Sunday excepted, are days
of fast
All the faithful, unless legitimately dis
pensed. are bound to observe the fast OF
Lent.
The law of fasting restricts the taking of
food to one full meal toward the middle OF
the day, and III the evening 10 COLLATION. not
exceeding the fourth part of an ordinary
meal, and excludes both from the full meal
and the collation. the use of of flesh meat,
eggs and white meats, milk, butter, cheese,
etc.)
By apostolic dispensation the following spe-
cial privileges are granted TO the faithful in
the United States:
L. a he use of fiesh-meat is permitted at
the principal meal on Mondays, Tuesdays.
Thursdays and Saturdays, with the excep-
ton of Saturday Of Timber week (March y,
and Holy Saturday april 81. Fish aud
meat however, are not to be used at the
same meal.
2. The use of eggs and white meats (milk.
butter, cheese, etc., is permitted on all days
OF lent, whether at the principal meal or at
the COLLATION..
g. A cup of coffee, tea, chocolate, or other
similar drinks, with a mOrsel of bread or q
cracker. may be taken in the morning.
4. When the principal meal cannot with
out difficulty be had toward the middle of the
day, the order of the repasts may be changed
the COLLATION. taken in the morning, and The
dinner or full meal IN the evening.
-. The use of lard or dripping is per-
!, United in preparing food.
l. q. Persons iegidmately dispensed from
the law OF fasting may use flesh meat at all
meals on whatever days there is general per-
mission for its Use al The principal meal
2 The precept OF fasting is binding under
pain of grievious sin.
The following classes OF pc rsonS are dis
pensed from obligation of fasting: Persons
under the age of twenty-one years; those
who have attained to the age OF sixty; the
lnfirm those who are engaged in hard labor,
or eXhauStlng duties; women who are III the
state of pregnancy, or are nursing children.
Those who excuse themselves or seek eXemp-
ton from this obligation should satisfy their
consclenceS that their indlsposItlon to faSt-
ing is owing to real inability, and not to q
spirit of selfIndulgence. In all cases of
doubt they should advise with their pastor,
aud all who are exempt should endeayor TO
supply as tar as they can tor The non-observ-
ance of the fast by other penitential reStric
tons and should in common with others de-
vote themselves TO prayer and recollection,
and acts of sorrow and compunction for sin,
agreeably with the spirit OF the church IN
this holy season
The precept of abstinence from flesh meat
is binding Ola all, children under the age of
seven years and the SICK excepted.
By special ap 1stoiic indult the use of flesh
meat is again allowed on Saturdays through
out the year, except when fast day falls on
q Saturday.
Pastors will hold special exercises of devo-
ton in their several churches at appointed
times during Lent. Instructions of prac-
oh thriSII a
nature of the SacramentS, and the prepare
ton for their due reception, should be given
on those occasions.
The devotion of the Way of the Cross will
be observed in all churches and chapels,
when il is possible to do SO, on the Friday
evenings throughout Lent.