Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-08
RULES FOR LENT.
Archbishop Messmer Hands Down
Regulations for Penitential Period.

l. All Fridays and fast-days dur
ing the year are days Of abstinence
from flesh meat. On Saturdays,
which by law are also days of alb
stinence, flesh meat is allowed by
Apostolic indult at all meals, unless
they happen to be fast-days.
2. The following are fast-days of
obligation: All days Of Lent lex
cept Sundays;) the Ember- days, the
Vigils or Ewes of Pentecost, of the
Assumption B. V. NJ, of all saints,
and of Christmas; lastly the Fridays
of Advent.
On fast-days only one full meal a
day is allowed to persons obliged to
fast. But indult and custom allow
coffee, tea, chocolate, with piece
of bread in the morning, and the
use Of eggs, butter, milk, etc., in
the evening. For sufficient reason,
the collation. Qunch) may be taken
at noon and the dinner or principal
meal in the evening.
During Lent, by Apostolic indult,
fiesh-meat is allowed only at the
principal meal on week days, ex-
cept all Wednesdays and Fridays
and also the Saturdays in Ember
week March 49, and Holy Week
april 49, On fast-days, flesh meat
and fish Including oysters, crabs,
frog, turtles, etc. are never allowed
at the same meal, rule which ap-
Plies even to the Sundays in Lent
and to all persons however other
wise excused or dispensed from the
law of either abstinence or fast.
But meals may always be prepared
with the drippings of either fat or
lard.
Persons excused from fast may
use flesh meat more than once on
the days when it is allowed at all,
whether in Lent or outside of that
season.
8. Catholics having attained the
sufficient use of reason are bound by
the law of abstinence. But when
it is either physically or morally im-
possible to observe the law, or when
it would entail serious difficulties,
they are excused from it.
In virtue of the Apostolic faculties
granted us by the Holy See we here
by delegate pastors to dispense, in
each single case, from abstinence
the men actually engaged in thresh-
ing as well as the farmer families
at whose place threshing is going
on.
4. Catholics having completed
their twenty first year Of age, are
bound to fast. But the causes of
excuse just mentioned in regard to
abstinence, apply also to the law of
fasting. Hence the Church ordinari-
ly exempts from fasting the sick
and those in feeble health whether
by sickness or old ageD women
nursing children; all who are en-
gagged in laborious and exhaustive
occupations. Persons in doubt
whether they are excused or not,
should consult their confessor or
pastor for advice or dispensatlon.
In virtue of an Apostolic indult
we permit workingmen and their
families the use of flesh meat at the
principal common meal on all fast
days and abstinence days through
out the year, with the exception of
all Fridays, Ash Wednsy., the We'd
nesday and Saturday of Holy Week
and the Eve of Christmas.
5. Persons excused or dispensed
from the law of fast or abstinence
ought to perform some other good
work Of piety and charity in the
spirit of Christian penance and
sanctifcation. Hence the pious Gus
tom of giving Lenton Aims. RE
deem thou thy sins with aims, and
thy iniquities with work of mercy"
Dan. iv, "a. Also the custom of alb
from intoxicating drinks,
of staying away from theaters,
dance, card parties, and other pro-
fame amusements, etc.
S. G. MEssMER, Archb.
Milwaukee, Wis, Feb. 81, 1905.
N. B.-1. The collection for
Indian and Negro mission is to be
taken up on the first Sunday of
Lent.
2. A box or basket may be CEN
placed In the church,
where the faithful can leave their
Lenten Aims or their contribution
for the Holy Land Con Good Friday.
John Alexander Dowie, through
his agent, John Booker, is contract