The Irish standard., 1917-10-13
CERTAIN CANYONS OF NEW
CHURCH COBB NOW
OPERATIVE.
PaschaI Communion, Marriages Holy
Days-Days Of Fasting and Abstin-
ence, Are the Principal Subjects
Affected by change-Remain-
der of Code Becomes Opera
tive at Pentecost Of Next
Year.

The last number OF the "Acta Ap0S-
tolicae Sedis," the official publication
of the Vatican. contains some inter-
esting information about the new
Canon Law of the Church. The Holy
Father, acceding to the. wishes Of
many Bishops, has permitted certain
Canons of the new Code to become
operative at once These are Canons
859, So; 110S,'S3; 1247, s; 1850, 1851,
1852, 1858, 1854. ~
Canon $50 deals with Paschal Com
munion. The time for fulfilling the
Easter Duty, according to the new is
from Palm Sunday to Low Sunday.
But If circumstances render it advis-
able, the ordinary In each diocese may
extend the time from the Fourth Sun.
day in Lent to Trinity Sunday.
Canon 1108 refers to closed times
for marriages. Up to the present the
solemnization of marriages has been
forbidden from Ash Wednesday to
Low Sunday, inclusive, and from the
First Sunday Of Advent until Epi-
rhany. Under the new code the time
is from Ash Wednesday until Easter
Sunday and from the First Sunday of
Advent until Christmas Day. During
these times the imparting Of the Nup-
tial Blessing is forbidden; but for suf-
ficient reasons the ordinary may per-
nit even during closed time the CIV
ing Of the Nuptial Blessing with a
warning to avoid pomp in the celebra-
ton. -
Canon 1247 determines the number
of holy days to be observed in the
year. The Feasts of the Epiphany, st.
Joseph, Corpus Christi and IS. Peter
and Paul are mentioned; but since
these have not been observed in this
country hitherto. there will be no
change here unless the Bishops petit
ton the Holy See for it.
Canons 1850 to 1854 deal with the
laws Of fast and abstinence. Fast
days are those on which only one
full meal can be taken, but little,
according to custom, is permitted to
be taken morning and evening. Those
over the age Of seven years are bound
by the law of abstinence, and those
between twenty-one and sixty by the
law Of fasting.
Days of fast and abstinnce are Ash
Wednesday, the Fridays and Satur-
days of Lent, Ember Days and the
Vigils Of Pentecost, Assumption, All
Saints and Christmas.
Days Of abstinence only are all Fri
days of the year.
The week days Of Lent, excepting
Ash Wednesday, the Fridays and Sat-
urdays, are fast days only, not days
Of abstinence as hitherto. On Holy
Saturday, the fast and abstinence
ceases at noon. Fish and flesh are no
longer forbidden at the same meal
during Lent.
Fats may be used in the preparation
of food. The black fast is abolished.
so that eggs, milk, butter and cheese
are permitted at all times. When q
fast day or a day of abstinence falls
on Sunday or HOLIDAY Of obliga-
ton, the fast and abstinence ceases.
nor is it to be anticipated. Thus II
Christmas should fall on Monday.
the fast and abstinence would not
need to be kept on Saturday.
These are the principal point Of
the new Code that interest American
Catholics at the present time for the
reason that these provisions 80 into
effect at once. The rest Of the Code
becomes operative at Pentecost OF next
wear