Church strongly encourages fasting
By Bishop Joseph N. Latino
Last week I offered a reflection on the Lenten Season. In my zeal to promote the church’s teaching on fasting and abstinence I inadvertently combined two ideas into one sentence. In my reflection I stated that Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent were and still are days of fast and abstinence.
What I should have said was Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fast and abstinence from meat and that each Friday in Lent was as you know a day of abstinence from meat.
The church strongly encourages fasting on every day of the season of Lent because of its penitential nature. The church also still encourages abstinence from meat on every Friday throughout the year, but it is only obligatory on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays during Lent.
In any case, Canon 1252 in the Code of Canon Law states fasting is required for those 18 years of age until age 59. Abstinence applies to those who are 14 years of age and above.
As bishop, I encourage all Catholics in the Diocese of Jackson to fast and abstain more than just the obligatory days during this season of Lent and offer up their penance for the unborn. This simple sacrifice will bring us closer to the suffering and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ and those unborn children in danger of abortion.
Let us make this Lenten season an intense 40 days of prayer, fasting and abstinence for pro-life.
I apologize for any confusion my original statement may have caused. My prayer is that we will experience a season of Lent that brings about reconciliation, growth, and a greater awareness of the dignity of human life among all of us.
