Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-02-25
LENTEN REGULATIONS.
CARDINAL GIBB MS ISSUES HIS AN
NUAL CIRCULAR.

1t Contains Instructions to the Faithful
for the Penitcntial Season, which
Begins in the Episcopal and
Roman Catholic Churches
Wednesday Next.
The season Of Lent will begin this
year ON next Wednesday, and will con-
tinue for 40 days. ending on Easter sun
day. In the Roman Catholic and Prot
estant Episcopal churches il will be OBJ
served, as in previous years, by fasting
and prayer.
In the Catholic churches the usual
Lenten-nlght services, consisting of a
sermon on one evening each week and
the way OF the Cross on every Friday
evening, will mark the penitential sea-
son. In the Episcopal churches the OBJ
servance will be controlled by the low
or high church tendencies of each con-
gregation- In many of the high church
congregations the season will be observ-
ed with as much rigor as among Catho-
lies.
Cardinal Gibbons, in accordance with
the custom among Catholic prelates, has
issued the following circular containing
the regulations for Lent:
Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.
falls on the 9th day of February.
l. All the faithful who have complet-
ed their 2lst year, unless exempt by dis
pensation or some other legitimate cause
are bound to observe the fast of Lent.
2. They are to make one meal only
day, except on Sundays.
3. The meal permitted on fast DAYS is
not to be taken till about noon.
4. A small refreshment, commonly
called collation., is permitted in the
evening.
5. The following persons are exempt
from the obligation of fasting: Persons
under q years of age, the sick, nursing
women. those who are oblige to do hard
labor, and those who, through weakness
cannot fast, without great prejudice to
their health.
6. The faithful are reminded that,
besides the obligation of fasting imposed
by the church, this holy season of lent
should be, in au especial manner, time
OF earnest prayer, of sorrow for sin, of
seclusion from the world and its amuse-
ments, and of generous almsgiving.
III.
BY virtue of an indult to the United
States, dated August 8, 1887, the follow
ing special dispensations are granted /:
/. The use of flesh meat is permitted
at all meals on Sundays, and once a day
on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays, with the exception of the
second and last Saturdays of Lent. But
flesh meat and fish are not to be used at
the same meal during Lent, even on
Sundays.
2. The use of butter, cheese, milk and
eggs is also permitted every day in Lent.
3. 1t is allowed to take in the morn
ing some warm liquid, as tea, coffee, or
thin chocolate. made with water, and
with this liquid a mouthful of bread.
4. Those of whom the hour of noon
may be an inconvenient time for din
ner, may invert the order and take their
collation. i'll the morning, and their din
her in the evening.
5. The use of hogs lard, OF dIippings,
instead of butter, is authorized in pre-
pairing permitted food.
6. People exempt from the obligations
of fasting are free to take meat more
than once on those days when its use is
granted by dispensation.
III.
The Paschal time extends from the
first Sunday of Lent till Trinity Sun
day, during which all persons who have
attended the proper age are bound to re-
ceive worthily the Holy Communion.
The Holy season of Lent is very pro-
per time also for children to make their
first confession, which they ought to do
generally about the ago of years.
Parents should see to this.
The first Lenten service will be held
at st. Mary's Catholic church on We'd
nesdry morning where the usual cere-
mony of blessing the ashes will be OBJ
served. This familiar ceremony con-
sists of amounting the forehead of each
member of the congregation present
with ashes produced by the burning of
the blessed palm left over from the Palm
Sunday of each preceding year, the priest
repeating in Latin as he does so the
words, Remember, man, thou are but