Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-21
LENTEN REGULATIONS.
What a Good Catholic May and Nay No
Do During the Long Season of Fasting.

The regulations for the lenten season
in the Catholic churches of the Spring
field diocese which begins next Wed
nesday, were read in all the local
churches Sunday, and they differ but
very little from those of recent years.
They are as follows:
l. All the days of lent except Sun
days, are fast days of obligation.
9 BY permission of the holy see, the
use of flesh meat is allowed, once day
orly, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays in lent, except the Sat
urdays in Ember week and Holy week
The use of meat on Sundays is not linn
tied as to the number of times.
8. Lard and fat of any kind as well
as butter, may be used in preparing food
on any day in lent. This dispensation
is extended also to the days of fast and
abstinence throughout the year.
4, A collation. not exceeding the fourth
part of an ordinary meal, is allowed in
the evening" at which eggs, fish, butter,
cheese and milk may be used.
5. In the morning a small piece of
bread is allowed with a cup of coffee,
tea, chocolate or some similar drink.
6. When the principal meat cannot be
taken at noon, the order may be in
verted, and the collation. be taken in the
morning and the dinner in the evening.
Z. The use of flesh and fish at the
same meal is not allowed, even on Sun
day.
s. Those who are excused from fast
ing are not restricted as to the number
of times they wish to eat meat, on the
days on which meat is allowed.
g. BY virtue of an indult. working
people and their families are released
from any~obligation of abstaining from
the use of flesh meat at any time except
on Fridays of the year, Ash Wednesday,
the Wednesday and Saturday of Holy
week and the vigil of Christmas. Those
who are bound to the obligation of fast
ing, and permitted on certain days of
lent to use flesh meat at one meal only,
are, during lent, even under the above
indult, not allowed the use of flesh meat
oftener than once during the day.
10. The following persons are exempt
ed from the obligation Of fasting: All
under q years of age and those of ad-
vanced age, the sick, those who cannot
fast without grave injury to their
health women in pregnancy or nursing
infants, and all of those whose duties
are of laborious. or exhausting ma
! ture.
BY order of the Rt Rev. Bishop,
| E. S. Fitzgerald.
| n. Bit is the desire Of the right rev.
erend bishop that during the season OF
/ lent, the reverend clergy would inculcate
on the hearts of their hearers the i'm
portance and necessity Of entering into
the spirit of the church at this time;
and exhort them to mediate frequently
on the life and sufferings of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. Devotions
should be held in the churches once, at
least, during the week, at which an in
struction can be given; or the way of
the cross or some other pious devotion
performed.
Permission is granted to have benedic-
tion Of the blessed sacrament once in
the week besides Sundays, during the
holy season of lent.
In the local churches, the benediction
of the blessed sacrament will be given
every Wednesday evening, a short in
struction on articles of the Catholic
faith being given on the same evening.
The service of the way of the cross will
be held every Friday evening at 7.30.
At St. Johns Church a mission, under
the direction of the Redemptorists, will
begin next Sunday at the 1880 mass,
and will last for three weeks.