February 17, 2010 is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Season of Lent.
ABSTINENCE: All Catholics who have reached their 14th birthday are bound to abstain totally
from meat on the following days: Ash Wednesday, all Fridays of 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 February 21 (First Sunday in Lent) and May 30 (Trinity
Sunday).
THE FOLLOWING SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED:
• RECONCILIATION: Catholics are bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious
sins at least once a year (Canon 989).
• 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.
AN INVITATION: In the name of peace, and in union with the Bishops of our country, the
faithful of this Diocese are invited to add voluntary fasting to the practice of penance during the
Fridays of the year. Together with works of charity and service toward our neighbors, this practice
would become a sign of our commitment to conversion, reconciliation and peace. (The Challenge of
Peace, Art. 298).
DIOCESE OF BUFFALO
THE CHANCERY
795 MAIN STREET
BUFFALO, NEW YORK 14203-1250
(716) 847-5500 FAX: (716) 847-5557