The Irish standard., 1909-02-27
OBSERVANCE OF LENT
Regulations Substantially the Same i
in Other Years, '

DO
Lent, occurred this year on Feb. q
Tho Lenten regulations are substan
TALLY the same as in former years. Pc
ligious exercises will be held In ali til
Catholic churches as announced fror
the pulpits last Sunday. and ever
practical Catholic is expected to at
tend them if at all possible for !.ir
OF her to do so. Instead Of attemptir,I
to give any Instructions to Catholic
on the proper observance of the hol
season Of Lent, which lasts for.
days. we shall copy the following All
ticle on the subject from our esteeme,
contemporary, The Monitor Of Newark
n. T., which says: .8
We Catholics shall be careful hov
We keep Lent. Careful for our owl
sakes. first Of all, since we are no
hypocrites; but careful also for tn
sake Of others who need our rood OK.
ample.
The Lent Of tho society folk. who's
doings will be duly chronicled In tln
papers, is not Lent, any moro thai
"Parsifar' Is religion.
A good Catholic said to us recently
There's no longer any Lent" IIs re-
ferred to the notifications made b,
the Church in recent years, suitinR he,
discipline regarding the fast, abstinonct
and kind Of food to climate. are an;
tho labor some perform; even extend.
ing her indulgence to the fan1iliev o,
those who have to toll. M
All. but very many are still bount
by the Lenten regulations Regarding
tho kind and quantity Of food; many
who dislike fish and eggs. and who e.,
headaches from fasting ana abstain
ing. Let all conscientious Catholic,
who have any doubts about their cx-
emption from the law. apply to thei,
confessors, and not take 1t upon them
selves to exempt themselves.
We know very many hard working
Catholics who live up to these regl-
lations very strictly. refusing to be ex-
empted or dispensed.
Lent means many things beside.-
fasting ana abstaining. Lent is
time Of almssiving: time to rsr,em-
Der the poor. Lent Is time to morti-
fy the senses, as we'll as the appetitee:
q time to deny ourselves unnscessa-v
pleasures and aMusements: a time
to withdraw as far a. possible FROM
the public. The best Catholics never
attend the theatre during Lent. Their
names are never seen among trosa
who attend balls and DANCES during
Lent. Innocent rscreations and amuse-
ments Of a private character. say at
home or at the home Of q friend: these
are a virtual necessity. But public
affairs We deem quite contrary to ths
spirit Of the holy season. t4
Lsnt is q time Of prayer; a tirne to
increase ana fortify our faith. In this
respect the Lent 10 a strict and prime
necessity to every Catholic: most need
full in these days of spiritual slough ana
unrest. Hate and prejudice may be
dying out OF the world, but more subtle
and potent enemies to our faith have
taken their places.
Reason, unregenerated, blinded by
conceit and self admiration a god un-
to itself, is at work, most bitter and
unrelenting. The penny press 10 d,ipg
its deadly work, reaching even the poor
and the illiterate.
Catholics must be on the look -out;
alert and resourceful; stanch and un-,
wavering. Lent. with It's devotional
exercises. it's special sermons, its great
feasts eliminating in Holy Week and
the glories OF Easter, is the period
every soul needs; to retire within it,
self. to think. to mediate. to pray; to-
initiate Christ: to tone up the spiritual
life Of the soul: to make it vigorous,
active and strong.
Catholics wifi be urged by their
priests to keep Lent strictly in this
regard at least, however leniently the
laws Of fast and abstinence may ap-8
ply to many Of them.
They will be urged to come to the
devotional exercises and sermons; and
to live strictly UP to the spirit Of self
denial in their recreations and pleas
ures.
Lent lis still Lent to the sincere
Catholic. 8f
The giddy, thoughtlsss throng Hill ]
continue during these weeks to pur-8
sue the phantom pleasure; thew I'LL
as usual, eat, drink. and be merry.
The sincere Catholic will retire from
the crowd, will set up Christ i, his
heart, will curb his appetites and learn
to deny himself. Ss5s
McGowan & Mahoney, fre insurance.