Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-03-02
RULES ISSUED
FOR LENTEN
SEASON
Archbishop Schwebach's Letter of
Instructions.

Lenten rules for the approaching
penitential season have been ISSUED
by the archbishop as follows:
1. 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 abstinence
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 Except
Sundays; the Ember days; the Wig
lis or Ewes of Pentecost, of the As
sumption 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 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,
flesh meat is allowed only at the prin-
cipal meal on week days, except all
Wednesdays and Fridays and also the
Saturday in Ember week March 49,,
and Holy Week (April 22). On fast
days in Lent, flesh meat and fish tin
Guiding oysters, crabs, frogs, turtles,
etc. are never allowed at the same
meal, a rule which applies even to
the Sundays in Lent and to all persons
however otherwise excused or dis
pensed from the law Of either absti-
nence or fast. But meals may always
be prepared with the drippings of
either rat or lard.
Should the feast of the Nativity
(Christmas) and the Circumcision
New Years., the feasts of the AS
sumption and the Immaculate Concep-
ton of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and
the feast of All Saints fall upon day
of abstinence of fast, a general dis
pensation from such abstinence or
fast has been granted, for such an
occurrence by a special order of the
Holy See issued on July 2, 1911. The
same holds good for parishes where
the feast of the patron saint (titular,
of the church is observed with solemn
ity and large concourse of people.
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 mfos-
sible 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 thc
men actually engaged in thrcshing as
we'll as the farmer families at whose
place threshing is going on.
4. Catholics having completed their
twenty-frst year of age, are bound to
fast. But the causes Of excuse just
mentioned in regard to abstinence, ap-
ply also to the law of fasting. Hence
the Church ordinarily exempts from
fasting the sick and those in feeble
health whether ny sickness or old
age); women nursing children; all
who are engaged in laborious and
exhausting Occupations. Persons in
doubt whether they are excused or
not, should consult their confessor or
pastor for advice or dispensation.
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 ana
abstinence days throughout the year,
with the exception of all Fridays, Ash
Wednesday, the Wednesday and Sat
urday 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
works of piety and charity in the spir-
it of Christian penance and sanetifi-
cation. Hence the pious custom Of
giving Lenten aims. Redeem thou
thy sins with aims, and thy iniqui-
ties with works of mercy" dan. iv.
pa. Also the custom of abstaining
from intoxicating drinks, of staying
away from theaters, dances, card par
ties and other profane amusements
etc.
Rgt. Rev. James Schwebach, D. D.
La Crosse, Wis, Feb. "a, 1916
n. B.-The collection for Indian and
Negro missions is to be taken up on