Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-11
BISHOP ISSUES
LENTEN RULES
Priests of Harrisburg Diocese
Read Regulations to
Congregations

The following Lenten rules for the
guidance of Catholics in the Harris
burg Diocese have been issued by
Bishop McDevitt:
1. Every day in Lent except Sun
day, is fast day, on which only one
full meal is allowed. A relaxation of
this law permits, in the morning, a
cup of tea, coffee, or chocolate and
two ounces of bread. and, in the
evening, a partial meal not exceed
ing eight ounces.
2. The full meal on a fast day is
taken usually at midday. For a suf-
1icient reason, it may be taken in the
evening, and the partial meal at
noon.
8. BY special dispensation, flesh
meat is allowed to everybody at all
the meals on Sundays and at the
principal meal on Mondays, Tues
days, Thursdays and Saturdays, eX-
cept Ember Saturday Ga February
and the forenoon of Holy Saturday.
4. Meat is forbidden on all We'd
nesdays, Fridays, Ember Saturday
(23 February and the forenoon of
Holy Saturday.
5. Eggs, butter, cheese and milk
are allowed every day.
6. The use of lard and drippings
is permitted in preparing foods.
Z. On the day when meat is al
lowed, fish, oysters and other sea
food may be taken with the meat.
s. The following persons are ex-
empted from the Lenten fast:
a. Those who are under twenty
one years of age.
b. Those who are over fifty-nine
years of age.
C. Those who are engaged in hard
labor or duties which exhaust their
physical strength.
d. Those who are sickly or are
convalescing after a serious illness.
e. Those who are bearing or
nursing infants.
Q. All those persons just mention
ed may take three meals day and
may eat meat as often as they wish
on all days of Lent, except Wednes-
days, Fridays, Ember Saturday (23
February and the forenoon of Holy
Saturday.
10. Workingmen and their fam
lilies have a further dispensation by
which they may eat meat on any
day of Lent, except Fridays, Ash
Wednesday, and the forenoon of
Holy Saturday.
those members of the family who are
bound to fast may eat meat only
once a day on the days it is allowed
The other members of the family
who are exempt from the fast may
eat meat as often as they wish on
the days it is allowed.
While the Church emphasizes bod
lily penance during the season of
Lent, she wisely relaXes, when ad-
visable, the severity of the fast and
abstinence. The relaxation, however,
does not relieve anyone from the
modification of the spirit, without
which there can be no salvation. The
self-denial which everybody must
practice calls for the control of the
senses, the restraint of the appetites,
and a daily struggle against vicious
inclinations. 1t implies, furtherm ore,
an earnest effort to carry out what
is asked of Almighty God in the
prayer, Ito overcome sensuality by
modification, avarice by almsgiving,
anger by meekness, and tepidity by
devotion.
In addition to the practice of this
necessary penance, the faithful are
urged to observe the following rec
concentrations:
l. To attend the Lenten devo-
tions.
2. To hear Mass every day.
3. TO recite the Rosary every
night, as a family devotion.
4. To keep from amusements that
ill become u season of penance.
5. To go frequently to Confess
sion and Communion.
6. To give aims, especially on
behalf of the orphans and the dio-
cese.
The blessing of a Lent passed ac-
cording to Gods will are greater
fervor in prayer; greater purity of
life; greater fidelity in the observ-
ance of Gods laws; greater conf
dence in turning to God, in deep hu-
mility and in full recognition of His
overruling Providence, to invoke His
benediction upon ourselves as well as
upon all mankind, especially in these
momentous days when the thought
and energies of the nation are en-
gagged in the great world conflict.
lmparting to you and your people
an affeCtionate blessing, l am.
Sincerely in Christ,
PHILIP McDEVITT,
Bishop.