Lenten Regulations

March 1, 2017 is Ash Wednesday, which marks the
beginning of the Lenten Season.

Abstinence: All Catholics who have reached their 14th
birthday are bound to abstain totally from meat on the
following days: Ash Wednesday, all Fridays during Lent
and Good Friday.

Fasting: All Catholics between their 18th and 59th
birthdays are also bound to observe the Law of Fast on the
following days: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. This
practice involves limiting oneself to a single full meal and
avoiding food between meals. Light sustenance may be
taken on two other occasions in the course of the day.

EASTER DUTY: After they have been initiated into the
Most Holy Eucharist, all the faithful are bound by the
obligation of receiving Communion at least once a year.
This precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season,
unless for a good reason it is fulfilled at another time during
the year. This obligation may be fulfilled between March 5
(First Sunday of Lent) and June 11 (Trinity Sunday).

Please note the following:

• Reconciliation: Catholics should be reminded that all
  other Fridays of the year remain as days of penance, in
  prayerful remembrance of the Passion of Jesus Christ.

• Other Fridays of the Year: Catholics should be
  reminded that all other Fridays of the year remain as
  days of penance, in prayerful remembrance of the
  Passion of Jesus Christ.

• Obligation: The obligation which we have as members
  of the Church to do penance is a serious one.
  Furthermore, the obligation to observe, as a whole or
  "substantially", the penitential days specified by the
  Church is a serious one.

• While no one should hold himself or herself lightly
  excused, one should not become unduly scrupulous.
  Failure to observe individual days of penance is less
  serious than the failure to observe any penitential days
  at all or a substantial number of such days.