The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-02-06
OBSERVANCE OF Lent.
Letter of Instructions Issued by
Bishop Davis.

The following instructions regard
ing the observances of Lent has been
given out to the priesthood, of the do
cese of Davenport, which includes all
'of eastern Iowa by the Rt. Rev. James
Davis, Bishop of Davenport The
epistle explains in detail the obserS-
ance of the penitential session:
Bishop House, 1927 Brady St,
Davenport, Ia, January 49,
l. Ash Wednesday falls on the 9Th
day of February.
e. According to the common law OF
the church, all the days of Lent are
fast days, except the Sundays.
3. All persons who have completed
their twenty-first year, unless legiti-
mately dispensed, are obliged to keep
the fast E-s
| A. The one full meal permitted on
fast days is not to be taken tin about
noon.
5. Custom allows cup of coffee,
tea or chocolate with a small piece
of bread, without butter, to be taken
: in the morning.
6. In the evening collation., not ex-
,ceeding the fourth part of an ordinary
meal is allowed.
| z. The use of flesh meat and fish
is not allowed at the same meal dur.
ing Lent, not even ON Sundays.
The following persons are exempt
from the obligations of fasting:
Persons under twenIy-one years of
tage, persons having reached the age
of sixty years. those who are engaged
lin hard work; the sick and GONZALES
cent; those who, through weakness,
cannot fast without serious injury to
lhealth;a mendicants who cannot count
on regular meal. All thus excused
from fasting are not restricted to the
use of flesh meat at only one meal on
the days on which it is allowed. Those
who entertain any reasonable doubt
about their obligations to fast or alb
stain ought to apply to their pastors
for advice or dispensation.
The following dispensations are
granted:
1. The use of flesh meat Is permit
tied during Lent at all meals on Sun
days and once a day at the principal
meal on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thurs
days and Saturdays, with the except
ions of the Sundays in Ember week
and Holy week.
2. The use of butter, cheese, milk
and eggs is permitted every day in
Lent; the use of lard is also allowed
in the preparation of permitted food
3. Those for whom the hour of noon
may be an inconvenient time for the
full meal or dinner, may invert the or
der to take their collation. in tht
morning and their dinner or full mea
in the evening.
4. The time in which the faithful
must comply with their Easter dut,
extends in this diocese from the frs
Sunday in Lent to Holy Trinity Sun
' day, both days included.
In virtue of special faculties givel
in a letter of the Sacred Congrega
ton of the Propaganda to the Ordin
aries of the United states in the 15tl
of March, 1895, and renewed in 1906
permission to eat meat at one meal OF
days of abstinence is granted to al
Ilaborers.
From this permission, however, ar
excluded all Fridays in the year, Ash
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday o
Holy week and the Vigil of Christmas
1t should also be remarked that OIL
those days on which the use of mea
is thus allowed, fish and flesh canno
be~eatan at the same meal.
This permission to eat meat on Ger
tain days of abstinence extends no
only to the laborers themselves, bu
also to their families, so that ever.
member of their families participate
in the privileges of the indult.