The San Francisco call., 1908-03-01
ISSUES LENTEN CIRCULAR
Archbishop RiOrdan's Instruc-
tions to Be Read From PulpitS

The Lenten season begins Wednes-
day and in accordance with the custom
Of previous years. Archbishop p. w
Riordan, recently returned from Rome,
has issued the following circular of
Lenten instructions, which will be
read today from the pulpit Of all the
Catholic churches Of the archdiocese at
the masses celebrated in the various
parishes:
Ash "wednesday the first day OF Lent this
year falls on the zth day Of March
J. All the days Of Lent except Sundays are
fast days Of obligation.
. All persons under q years or over 60 years
q age those who are engaged IN hard labor, the The
without injury 20 their health are exempt from
the Obligation Of fasting.
8. All bound 70 keep the fast shall make but
cne full meal q day. except on Sundays
4. The meal permitted on fast days should be
o A collation. is permitted in the evening
8. When the principal meal cannot convenient
Il be taken about noon the order may be in
Verted so that the collation. may be taken about
noon and the dinner IN the evening.
:. General usage has made il lawful 10 take
n the morning cup Of coffee, tea OF chocolate,
with small piece Of bread
s. Necessity and custom have authorized the
use Of lard instead Of butter in the preparation
ef all permitted foods.
g. BY dispensation the use OF flesh meats Is
permitted at all meals on Sundays and once q
day at the principal meals on Mondays, Tues
days, Thursdays and Saturdays. with the excep-
ton of Ember Saturday, the last Saturday in
Lent.
1O Persons exempt from the Obligation Of fast
ing may partske OF flesh meats at all meals on
days when the use Of meat is permitted at the
II. Flesh meat and nsh are not to be used at
the same meal during Lent even on Sundays.
y. The use OF butter, cheese, milk and eggs is
permitted every day IN Lent
13. By virtue Of an fndult granted by the holy
see March X. 1895, workingmen and tieir fsmi-
lies arc allowed the use OF flesh meat once a day
al the fast and abstinence days Throughout
the year, with the exception Of all Fridays. ASH
2 Wednesday. the Wednesday snd Saturday OF holy
week and the vigil OF Christmas Those who
are exempt from the obligation Of fasting are
permitted 70 use meat more than once q day on
al days except those before mentioned. namely,
Fridays, Ash Wednesday, the Wednesday and
Saturday OF hOlly week ana the vigil OF Christ
mas Those who avail themselves OF this indult
are not permitted to use flesh meat and fish al
the same neal and are earnestly exhorted 10
perform some other act of modification such as
abstinence from intoxicating liquors
Il. The paschal time extends from the first
Sunday Of Lent until Trinity Sunday, inclusive.
during which time all Catholics who have at
tained the proper age are bound TO receive holy
communion wOrthily.
gaining the graces Of the Lenten season, II is
hereby ordered that in addition to the usual Sun
oay devotions Lenten exercises be held on two
evenings OF each week IN all the churches Of the
archdiocese 10 which are attached resident pas
tons. Or one Of the evenings an instruction is 10
be given, on the other the stations Of the cross.
Permission Is hereby given for benediction Of
the blessed sacrament on both evenings. On
Good Fridsr the devotion Of the wav of the
cross shall be given twice IN al parish churches
once during the afternoon and then again IN the
eyening. The afternoon service is for the chill
cren, though grown people. especially the old
and those who cannot attend in the evening.
should not be excluded from It As the service
in the afternoon is for the children. il should
not begin before $3.50 p. N, thus giving them
time to reach the church after the closing Of
the schools. The exercises on Good Friday after
noon shall consist Of the stations of the cross,
with the singing in English Of verse OF the
''Stabat Mater between each station; a short
sermon on the passion and death OF our Lord,
and the reading Of the prayers to the i've
wounds. strongly recommend all who have
pastoral charge OF souls that wherever il is pos
sible the children be brought TO their respective
parish churches on every Friday afternoon dur
ing the Lenren season for the devotion Of the
way OF the cross and short sermon relating to
the passion Of our Lord Wherever this Is done
permission is given 70 have benediction Of the
blessed sacrament at the afternoon service, as
well as at the evening service, with the excep-
.1ion, Of course. of Good Friday.
10. The faithful are reminded that besides the
obligations Of fssting imposed by the church. the
season Of Lent should be Ia very special man
ner time for earnest prayer Of sorrow for sin,
Of aDstentiOn from amusements, which, not sin
ful in themselves. are permitted during other
portions OF the year, and Of generous aims giving
70 the poor
II To comply with the decree Of the third
plenarv council Of Baltimore. q c0llestiOn viii be
taken up on the first Sunday Of Lent at all the
masses ana at vespers for the missions among
the Indians and negroes.
PATRICK W. RIORDAN
Archbishop Of San Francisco.