The Rules of Fast and Abstinence

For those who refuse to follow the post Vatican II legislations of the New Church, here are the laws of Fast and Abstinence as they were practiced in Canada at the death of Pope Pius XII.

The only logical conclusion to the apostasy of the Vatican in our day and age is that the authorities of Vatican II do not represent Our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only can we, but we must disregard their decisions as not coming from God’s Church.

Therefore, the same applies to the laws of Fast and Abstinence as applies to the New Mass, New Sacraments, New Code of Canon Law.

We reproduce here a Pastoral Letter of the Bishop of Québec in 1952, which gives the laws that were still in practice in 1958 and we encourage everyone to follow them when possible. These guidelines were also implemented in other dioceses across Canada.

To all, we wish a Holy Lenten Season!

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Faithful to the teaching of Our Lord Jesus Christ who said to his disciples: “If you do not do penance, you will all perish” (Luke, XIII, 5), our Mother the Holy Church imposes on us the law of fasting and abstinence. She thus wants to encourage us to offer just reparation for our sins and to walk generously following our Savior who suffered and died for us.

Abstinence

All the faithful who have completed seven years and have the use of reason are bound by the law of abstinence (canons 12 and 1254 par. 1). 

The law of abstinence prohibits eating meat and meat juice, as well as the blood, fat and marrow of animals that are born and live on the earth. It does not prohibit eggs or dairy products (milk, cream, butter, cheese, or oleomargarine), nor condiments and seasonings even if they come from animal fat (canon 1250).

By virtue of the faculties granted by the Holy See to all bishops, the law of abstinence has been modified as follows:

Ash Wednesday and all Fridays are days of complete abstinence, that is to say that you will have to abstain from meat all day.

Ember Wednesday and Ember Saturday are days of partial abstinence, that is to say that it is allowed to eat fat at only one meal.

On Holy Saturday, you have to abstain from meat until midday.

Fast

All the faithful, from the age of 21 to the age of 59, are bound by the law of fasting (canon 1254 par. 2).

All days of Lent (except Sundays) are days of obligatory fasting (can. 1253, par. 3). Quadragesimal fasting ends on Holy Saturday at noon (canon 1252, par. 4).

The law of fasting prescribes eating only one full meal per day (canon 1251, par. 1)

Authorized custom allows one to eat two lean meals; the amount of food from these two meals together should not equal the amount of food from the main meal.

On fasting days, meat is permitted at the main meal, except on Fridays and Ash Wednesday.

You cannot eat between meals, but liquids, including milk and fruit juice, are permitted.

If one cannot follow the law of fasting or abstinence without harming one's health, or without making oneself incapable of carrying out one's ordinary activities, one finds oneself thereby exempted. In case of doubt, you will consult your priest or confessor in due time.

We urgently exhort the faithful during the holy season of Lent to attend mass daily, to receive communion frequently, to take part more often in public exercises of piety, to recite the rosary as a family, to give generously to works of charity, to visit and help the sick, the elderly and the poor, to abstain from alcoholic beverages and worldly amusements and to pray with redoubled fervor, particularly for the intentions of the Sovereign. Pontiff.

Other guidelines

1- Almsgiving being the necessary complement to penance, it must supplement, during Lent, the old rigors, now abolished: it is imposed especially on those who are exempt from fasting.

2- To make it easier for the faithful to fulfill this duty, Lenten alms will be collected in envelopes at the end of Lent; they will be given to the Archbishop.

3- There will be in each parish, on the day and at the time designated by the priest, public exercises of piety including, once a week, that of the Way of the Cross.

4- The faithful can satisfy the precept of Easter Communion from Ash Wednesday until Quasimodo Sunday (Indult granted to the Archdiocese of Quebec for five years, July 18, 1949), the first communicants up to the Trinity.”

February 11, 1952. + Maurice Roy, Archbishop of Quebec.