Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1912-02-24
THE LENTEN. SEASON.
Lenten Regulations for the Diocese Of
Lead--Special Exemption for
Working People.
THE LENTEN FAST.

L
All the days of Lent-the Sundays ex
cepted-are days of fast. The precepts
of fasting restricts the use of food to on,
meal toward the middle Of the day, and
collation. in the evening not exceeding
the fourth part of an ordinary meal
Custom, however, authorizing the taking
in the morning of cup of coffee, tea,
or chocolate, with a small piece Of
bread.
THE LENTEN ABSTINENCE.
The use of flesh meats Is allowed al
all meals on Sundays, and at the prin.
cipal meal on Mondays, Tuesdays. and
Saturdays, except the Saturday of EN-
ber Week-March I'd, and the Saturday
of Holy Week--April 9th.
The use Of flesh meat is forbidden on
the Wednesdays and Fridays during
Lent.
Both fish and flesh meat cannot be
taken at the same meal, on Sundays.
Exemptions from the Precepts of Fast
and Abstinence.-From the Precepts OF
Fasting are excused: Those under the
age of 81, or over the age of go, the in
firm and the convalescent. Labor or
other duties exhaustive of physical
strength; those who from poverty are
unable to procure for the principal re.
past a sufficiency of nutritive food
women bearing or nursing children.
From the Precept of Abstinence from
flesh meat are excused: The young
under the age of 8, the sick; those who
are so situated as not to be able to pro-
cure for themselves abstinence food.
SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS FOR WORKING PEOPLE.
In virtue of the authority conceded to
the American Bishops by recent Pom
tificial Indult, permission is granted to
"working people" to use meat on all
days of Lent, with the exception of Fri
days, Ash Wednesday, the Wednesday
and Saturday of Holy Week.
Where the wage-earner, in virtue OF
the Indult, uses meat, all the members
of the household may likewise use it.
The church does not wish to impose
upon the household the inconvenience
of double cooking. But in cases of this
kind, those members of the household
who may be bound by the precept oi
fasting, are allowed the use of meat only
at their principal repast.
The Sovereign Pontiff exhorts all who
may use this privilege, to be still mind.
ful of their duty to practice self-denial,
and he counsels that instead of the alb.
stinence from meat some other sacrifice
as abstinence from Intoxicating drinks
in memory Of the Divine Thirst on the
Cross.
GENERAL REMARKS.
In this Pastoral Letter of the Bishop
of Lead, addressed to all the members,
he adds: "In enjoining upon the faith.
full the precepts of the fast and abstin
ence, Holy Church is mindful of the
evangelical law of self-denial, of which
the Saviour and his Apostles, were by
example and by word, most eminent
teachers. Without self-denial there is ne
Christianity. Indeed, without self
denial there is no natural morality. Tn,
man who has not acquired by habit tn,
power of self-restraint will not b,
victorious over sin amid the storms ant
temptations of life which all are com
PEELED to encounter. The observance o.
the fasts and abstinences prescribed b,
the Church is taken as a public an,
fearless profession Of Catholic faith. H.
who, without sufficient or obvious rea
sons eats meat or takes his usual meal
when abstinence or fast is enjoined, be
comes an occasion of scandal, and is no
accepted as a practical Catholic. LIE
Catholics, therefore, have the courage G
selfdenial for the sake of Christ an
their own souls, and be on their guar
lest by their acts scandal be given, an
the fair name of their religion be dis
honored."
At the commencement of the Lentel
Season now, all Christians could wit
profit mediate upon these words of tn
Prophet, Joel, second chapter, verse
1919: "Be converted to Me with a
your heart, in fasting and in weeping
and in mourning. And rend you
hearts and not your garments, and tur
to the Lord your God /! for he is graci OF
and merciful, patient and rich in mere!
and ready to repent of the evil. VIII
knoweth but He will return, and forgiy
and leave blessing behind Him, sacr
fee and libation to the Lord your God
--------------Spare, o Lord, spare Th
people and give not Thy inheritance
reproach, that the heathens should ru
over them; etc.
Rev. JAS. A. MOONEY,
Custer City, So. Oak.