New-York tribune., 1901-02-10

not hard laborers are regarded as freaks. IL is
difficult 10 imagine the case of New-York
Roman Catholic whose efficiency a wage
Garner would not suffer materially by even the
modified fast prescribed by his Church for six
days out of every seven in Lent.
The Holy See leaves to the bishops in charge
of dioceses C'ordnaries'D a large discretion as
to both the application Of the rule of fasting in
lent and the modification of the fast itself.
Some years ago. during the great prevalence of
Il strip epidemic permission was granted to all
ordinaries to suspend the Lenten fast alto
atther Or TO curtail it. each might see fit and
ia this city the discretion used to its fun
extent so that in that Lent no New-York Cath
Ulic obliged TO fast But even in normal
years it is the ordinary who lays down the
rules for each diocese. These rules vary only
slightly from one diocese To another. THE
Lenten Indult' as it is called, which will be
rad to the congregation in every Catholic
church next sunday usually provides that every
person bound 10y the law of the Church to fast
may eat meat at the meal permitted on
Mondays. Tuesdays and Thursdays. on the
other. week days no meat must be eaten. On all
seek days the fast is held to be kept if not more
than two ounces OF solid food. without butter. at
the morning and four ounces at the noon or
evening collation. be taken There gen
orally clear directions as the quantity of
milk allowed i'm coffee tea at these ''colla-
tions." Sunday. by the universal law OF the
Church, never be a fast day in of
lent.
\ curious and interesting memorial Of the
Gdde Ages still prevails in Spain and Portugal
n one variation of this annual "Lenten Indult."
The "Bulla cruZada,' or Crusaders Bull.
ssued many centuries ago 10 all the Christians
Of Spain then and for long after engaged in the
NV IIt-
pelied from Western Europe Its object was to
provide for the maintenance Of physical viGOr
among races whom the Church regarded
Crusaders 10y natural Inheritance and national
circumstance. and even though the last of the
Moorish kingdoms vanished from the Peninsula
raore than five centuries ago the "Cruzada'
viii be published in every Spanish or Portu-
guese ,.-.4,4 nest SUNDAY. and a copy of il.
cOuched in medieval language with bearing
any existing conditions. will be- given To
every who may bc willing to give in return
money lin proportion Ia his means relieving
him from the Lentcn obligation OF fasting
Another curious ana parallel fact is the pos
session in families oc an hereditary DIS
Tensation =. z. from the general otNi.;ation To
abstain from meat on Fridays thr,'zgh.u AT the
year. such dislensatinus have mostly been
granted To SOM, ancestor lu confederation for
distinguished services 10 Huly Church. aud il rs
noteworthy that few Of H.. descendants avail
themselves OF the rriAil,se. il is generally pr
served rather as a memorial of ancestral great
ness that pretrXt fCr -hir.ling thc common
q litigation az the faithful Another equally notl-
b!e feature in he ItoIau Catholic ohseTyauc, ia
Lent is tho obstinate persistence with which
many Irish Catholics adhere TO the general obli-
cation. well To that Of Friday abstinence.
when thcy clearly belong L" one ur other "f IN"
excepted classes. CASES are not infrcIucnt in
which the combined efforts Of doctor and priest
are unequal To the task OF making Irish pa
tient meat Friday take a full meal
twice any weekday ia Lent.