The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-01
LENT AND ITS FASTS
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND'S LETTER
is READ IN ALL THE CATH
OLIC CHURCHES.
RULES FOR THE FAITHFUL
FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF THE
SEASON OF sELF-DENIAL AND
PRAYER.
VIII Have Special Services During
the Season Beginning Wednes-
day of This Week.

Catholic and Episcopal churches yes
terday the members and attendants
were reminded Of the forty days Of
fasting and prayer which begins then.
In the Episcopal churches special
services will be held during the period
beginning with Ash Wednesday. IN
each Of the Catholic churches a letter
was read, which was prepared by
Archbishop Ireland and gives the rules
and regulations to be observed by the
faithful during Lent. In all Of the
Catholic churches there will be even
ing services Sunday, Monday, Thurs
day and Friday of each week. The let
ter of the archbishop read yesterday
was as follows:
In this year Of grace 1897. Ash Wednesday
March, ~ u
All the faithful, unless legitimatelv excused
or dispensed, are bound in conscience, under
the penalty of grievous sin to observe the
Lenten regulations.
THE LENTEN FAST.
All days of Lent, the Sundays excepted,
are days Of fast.
The precept of fasting restricts the use of
food to one meal towards the middle of the
day, and a collation. in the evening not ex-
ceedlng the fourth part of an ordinary meal
custom, however, authorizing the taking in
the morning of a cup Of coffee, tea or choco-
late, with a small piece Of bread.
Theologians allow for the collation. solid
food to the amount CT eight ounces The
solid food taken in the morning should not
exceed two ounces.
When the meal or principal repast can
not be taken without serious inconvenience
towards the middle Of the day, the order of
repasts may be reversed, the meal being
taken In the evening and the collation. at
an earlier hour
THE LENTEN ABSTINENCE
The use of flesh meat is allowed at all
meals on Sundays and at the principal meal
on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Satur-
days, except Saturday of Ember week
March 1S), and Saturday Of Holy week april
The use Of flesh meat is forbidden on
Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturday of Ember
week and Saturday Of Holy week; and on.
otner days, outside Of Sundays, it is for
oldden at all repasts, except the one meal or
principal repast
The use Of lard, however, is permitted at
al times IN the preparation Of food.
Both fish and meat cannot be taken at
the same meal, even on Sundays.
Persons legtimately excused or dispensed
from the precept Of fasting may use flesh
meat at all meals on whatever days there
Is general permission to use it at the prin-
cipal repast.
EXEMPTIONS FRO MTHE PRECEPTS OF
FAST AND ABSTINENCE.
From the precept Of fasting are excused:
Those under the age Of twenty-one years or
over the age Of sixty: the infirm and the
conYalescent; women bearing or nursing
children; those engaged in hard labor or
other duties exhaustive of physical strength;
those who from poverty are unable to pro-
cure Tor the principal repast a suficency OF
nutritive food.
From the precept Of aBstainIng from flesh
meat are excused: The young under the
age of seven years; the sick; those who are
SO situated as not to be able to procure for
themselves abstinence food.
SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS FOR WORKING
PEOPLE"
In virtue Of the authority conceded to
bishops in the United States by a recent
pontihcal indut,. permission is granted to
working people" to use meat on all days of
Lent, with the exception Of Fridays, Ash
Wednesday, Wednesday and Saturday of
Holy week
This disDensation from abstinence extends
to all three repasts in the day.
The usual prohibition remains against US
ing flesh meat and fish at the same meal.
Where the wage Garner, in virtue Of the
indult, uses meat, all the members of the
household may likewise use 1t. The church
does not wish to impose upon the household
the inconvenience of double cooking But
in cases of this kind, those members Of the
household who may be bound by the pre-
cept of fasting, are allowed the use Of meat
only at their principal repast.
The sovereign pontiff exhorts all who may
make use of the privileges of the indult to be
still mindful Of their duty to practice self
denial, and he counsels that instead of the
abstinence from meat some other sacrifice Of
bodily confort-for instance abstinence
from Intoxicating drink-be practiced.
DAYS OF FAST AND ABSTINENCE OUT
SIDE THE LENTEN SEASON.
Other days of fast and abstinence occurring
during the year are the ember days and the
Vlglls Of certain festivals. The ember days
are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. June
8 II and II; Wednesday, Friday and Satur-
day, Sept. Is, II and 18; Wednesday, Friday
and Saturday, Dec: Is, II and IS. The vigils
vic Of pnfo OF II11n < hot
Of the Assumption Aug. IA; that Of All
Saints, Oct. 81, and that Of Christmas, Dec
All Fridays are, of course, days of absti-
hence. The abstinence which formerly was
obligatory on Saturdays has been dispensed
with by apostolic favor to the faithful Of
The pontiical indult of which we have
spoken, eXempts working people" from the
abstinence on vigils and ember days, except
when such vigils and ember days fall on
Friday.
Pastors Ct parishes will make to their focks
In the usual terms due announcements Of ap-
preaching ember days and vigils-adding to
those announcements statement Of the priv
ileges given by the indult to working peo-
GENERAL REMARKS.
When a doubt exists as to whether ones
conditions or circumstances allow exemptions
from the precepts of fasting and abstaining
counsel should be asked from confessors or
pastors, who are the authoritative interpret
ers Of the law. and are even empowered in
special cases, for good and sufficient reasons
indicated or suggested in Catholic theology,
TO commute the precepts of fasting and abb
staining to other pen!tentIaI works.
In enioining upon the faithful the precepts
Of fast and abstinence, the holy church Is
mindful of the evangelical law Of self-deinal
Of which the Savior and His apostles were
both by example and by words most eminent
teachers. Without self-denial there is no
there is no natural morality. The man who
has not acquired by habit the power CT self
restraint will not be victorious over sin amid
the storms and temptation Of life which all
men are compelled to encounter.
The observance Of the fasts and abstinences
prescribed by the church Is taken as a public
and fearless profession of Catholic faith He
who, without sufficient and obvious reasons
eats meat or takes his usual meals when
abstinence or fast Is enjoined, becomes an
occasion of scandal, and is not accepted as
q practical Catholic.
Let Catholics, therefore, have the courage
Of self-denial for the sake OF Christ and Of
their own souls, and be on their guard lest by
their acts scandal be given, and the fair name
of their religion be dishonored.
During Lent pastors will held special ex-
erctses Of devotion in their several churches
at appointed times. Instructions of a prac-
teal character upon the Christian duties the
nature Of the sacraments, and the preparation
for their reception, should be given on those
occasions.
The devotion OF the Way Of the Cross will
be observed. If at all possible in all churches
and chapels on the Friday evenings through
out Lent.
HOSEA DOWN TO DATE.