Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-02-28
LEN | OBSERVANCE
PERIOD BEGINS ON WEDNESDAY,
MARCH 8 AND CONTINUES
TILL SUNDAY, APRIL %.
Bishop Henry cosgrave Issues ReguIa-
tions For Observance BY Catholics
Of Period Between Ash Wednesday
and Easter Sunday.

Ash Wednesday, the first day of
Lent, falls on March 8, and Easter
Sunday consequently, will be cele-
brated on April rs. During this time
Catholics throughout this diocese will
comply with the regulations received
by the clergy from Rt. Rev. Henry
Cosgrave, bishop of Davenport.
Regulations for the observance of
the period of Lent are as follows:
1. Ash Wednesday falls on the 9th
OF March.
2. All the days Of Lent are fasting,
except the Sundays.
8. All persons who have completed
their twenty-frst year, unless legiti-
mately dispensed, are obliged to keep
the fast. Custom allows cup of
coffee. tea or chocolate, with small
piece Of bread to be taken in the
morning. In the evening collation.
not exceeding the fourth part of an
ordinary meal Is allowed.
4. BY dispensation, the use Of flesh
meat is allowed at the principal meal
on Mondays. Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays, except the Saturday
In Mmber week and the Saturday In
Holy week.
s. The use Of fish and fesh-meat Is
not allowed at the same meal during
Lent.
6. All under twenty-one years of
age, those who are engaged in hard
work, the sick and convalescent, and
persons who cannot fast without SER
ious injury to health, are exempt
from the fast Persons excused from
fasting on account Of tender age, hard
labor, and sickness, are not restricted
to- the use Of fiesh-meat at only one
meal on the days on which 1t is al
lowed. Those who entertain any rea-
sonsble doubt about their obligations
to fast or abstain ought to apply to
their pastors for advice or DISPENSE
t1on.
Z. The time for fulfilling the Pas
chal duty is extended in this diocese
from the first Sunday in Lent to Trim.
fly Sunday.
In virtue Of special faculties given
In letter of the sacred congregation
Of propaganda to the ordinaries Of the
United States on March Is, 1895,
hereby grant to all laborers in this di
geese permission to eat meat at one
meal on days of abstinence.
From this permission, however, are
excluded all Fridays in the year., Ash
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday OF
Holy Week and the Vigil of Christmas
1t should also be remarked that or
those days on which the use of meat is
thus allowed, fish and flesh cannot be
eaten at the same meal.
This permission to eat meat on Ger
tain days of abstinence extends not
only to the laborers themselves, but
also to their family, so that every
member of their family participates in
the privilege Of the indult.
Those who make use of this dispen
sation are earnestly exhorted to per
form some other work of penance on
those days. such as abstaining from
the use OF intoxicating drink or some
other act of modification.
Pastors will please read and explain
the above regulations to the faithful
before the beginning Of Lent. This
holy season should be faithfully OBJ
served by Catholics, and in order tc
promote the spirit of penance and
prayer peculiar to the time. they
should be invited whenever it is prac
ticable to attend in church the extra
devotional services which are earn
estly recommended to be held at least
twice a week, and which might consist
on Wednesdays of the recitation of q
part OF the rosary, practical instruc
ton and the benediction of the blessed
sacrament; on Fridays, the appro
pirate exercise would be the stations
OF the cross. Henry Cosgrove,
Bishop of Davenport.
February %, 1905.