posted 02-12-2004 09:04 PM                       

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Lenten Fast and Abstinence Regulations
Abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent (for those 14 and older) is required by Church law. Also, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are fast days: those be-tween the ages of 18 and 59 should eat less, meaning, take no solid food between meals and only one full meal that day. Serious reasons such as one's health can excuse a person from these rules.
Pastors and parents are encouraged by the law of the Church to see to it that minors who are not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are educated in an authentic sense of penance. Following the implementation of the revised Code of Canon Law on November 27th, 1983, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States determined that the rules of fast and abstinence which have existed for the least several years in this country be maintained; namely, that the faithful must observe suitable penitential practices on all Fridays throughout the year. These penitential practices need not include abstaining from meat. However, as indicated above, the faithful must not eat meat on all the Fridays of Lent as well as on Ash Wednesday. They must also observe faithfully the fast regulations as they have been stated above in accord with the universal law of the church. (Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canons 1250-1252.)

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FAST AND ABSTINENCE

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence. As a sign of our penance, we preserve for the Diocese of Albany the custom of abstinence from meat on the Fridays of Lent. Abstinence binds all Catholics who are 14 years of age and older. Fast binds all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Fasting refers to the quantity of food eaten. Traditionally, fasting calls for only one full meal per day. By retaining these traditions for our Diocese we do not intend that they be interpreted as laws binding under pain of sin, but as customs from which we will not hold ourselves lightly excused. They are expressions of our desire to be converted in our hearts, to be reconciled with each other, and to love our neighbor.

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posted 02-13-2004 07:45 AM                       

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...in some areas of Germany people sometimes ate beaver on those Fridays

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Not very religious, were they?