The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-03-04
LETTER OF THE MOST REVEREND ARCHBISHOP

| The Sovereign Pontiff eXhorts all
who. may make use of the privileges
| of the Indult to be still mindful OF
their duty to practice self-denial, and
| he counsels that instead of the absti.
nence from meat some other sacrifice
| of bodily comfort be practiced, the
| Sovereign Pontiff himself suggesting
as such sacrifice abstinence from in
| toXicating drinks.
Days of Fast and Abstinence Outside
the Lenten Season.
Other days of fast and abstinence
occurring during the year are the
Ember days and the Vigils of certain
festivals. The Ember days are: Wed
nesday, Friday and Saturday, March
15th 18th and 18th; Wednesday, Fri
day and Saturday, June 14th, 18th and
18th; Wednesday, Friday and Satur-
day, September 20th, 22nd and 23rd;
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, De-
cember goth, 22nd and 23rd. The Wig
lis are: The Vigil of Pentecost, June
10th; that of the Assumption, August
14th that of All Saints, October 31st;
and that of Christmas, December oath.
All Fridays are, of course, days OF
abstinence. The abstinence which
formerly was obligatory on Saturdays
has been dispensed with by Apostolic
favor to the faithful of the United
States.
The Pontifical Indult, of which we
have spoken, exempts working peo-
pie" from the abstinence on Vigils
and Ember days, except when such
Vigils and Ember days fall on Friday.
Pastors will make to their flocks, in
the usual terms, due announcements
of approaching Ember days and Wig
lis, adding to such announcements
statement of the privileges given by
the Indult to working people"
General Remarks.
When a doubt exists as to whether
ones condition or circumstances al
low exemption from the precepts of
fasting and abstinence, counsel should
be asked from confessors or pastors,
who are the authoritative interpreters
Of the law, and who even are empoW-
cred in special cases, for good and
sufficient reasons, indicated or sug,
,5esta,l i4f Catholic theology. to com
mute the precepts of fasting and alb
stinence to other penitential works.
In enjoining upon the faithful the
precepts of fast and abstinence, Holy
Church is mindful of the evangelical
law of self-denial, of which the Saw
Jour and His Apostles were, by exam
pie and by word, most eminent teach
ers. Without self-denial there is no
Christianity. Indeed, without self-de-
NAL there is no natural morality. The
man who has not acquired by habit
the power of self-restraint will not be
victorious over sin amid the storms
and temptations of life which all are
compelled to encounter.
The observance of the fast and abb
stinences prescribed by the Church is
taken as a public and fearless profes-
sion of Catholic faith. He who, with
out sufficient or obvious reasons, eats
meat or takes his usual meals when
abstinence or fast is enjoined, be-
comes an occasion of scandal, and is
not accepted as practical Catholic.
Let Catholics, therefore, have the
courage of self-denial for the sake of
Christ and of their own souls, and be
on their guard lest by their acts scan
dal be given, and the fair name of
their religion be dishonored.
During Lent pastors will hold spe-
cial exercises of devotion in their sew
eral churches at appointed times. In
structions of a practical character
upon the Christian duties, the nature
of the sacraments and the preparation
for their reception, should be given on
those occasions.
The devotion of the Way of the
Cross will be observed, if at all possi-
BILE, in all churches and chapels on the
Friday evenings throughout Lent.
\ JOHN IRELAND,
Archbishop of st. Paul.
Whatever collection is taken up in
churches on Good Friday is, as usual
according to letter of the Holy Faith.
er, to be applied in aid of the mission
of Palestine.
st. Paul, March 1, 1916.