Guidelines for Lent
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
Fasting: for those who are 18 to 59 years old, are permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal.
Abstinence: Catholics, from 14 years onwards, are to abstain from eating meat. Please note, chicken is meat.
Christian tradition can name at least seven reasons for fasting:
- From the beginning, God commanded some fasting, and sin entered into the world because Adam and Eve broke the fast.
- For the Christian, fasting is ultimately about fasting from sin.
- Fasting reveals our dependence on God and not the resources of this world.
- Fasting is an ancient way of preparing for the Eucharist—the truest of foods.
- Fasting is preparation for baptism (and all the sacraments)—for the reception of grace.
- Fasting is a means of saving resources to give to the poor.
- Fasting is a means of self-discipline, chastity, and the restraining of the appetites.
Source: Rev. Daniel Merz, USCCB