CATHOLIC CHURCH GUIDELINES

FOR THE SEASON OF LENT
 

Are you seeking a list of Church Guidelines for Lent? These are a faith filled treasure for Catechists and their students, as well as anyone looking to know more about our Faith and why we believe/do what we believe/do. For a printer friendly version of this page, please click on the PDF document offered in the lower sidebar.

Many Forms of Penance in Christian Life

Catechism of the Catholic Church #1438: “The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice. These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works)."

Fridays Year Round & Season of Lent

Code of Canon Law #1250: “The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent."

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence (#13), November 1966

“In keeping with the letter and spirit of Pope Paul's Constitution Poenitemini, we preserved for our dioceses the tradition of abstinence from meat on each of the Fridays of Lent, confident that no Catholic Christian will lightly hold himself excused from this penitential practice."

Ash Wednesday, Good Friday

Code of Canon Law #1251: “Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday."

Establishment of Ages for Abstinence

Code of Canon Law #1252: “The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance."

Authority of Determination

Code of Canon Law #1253: "The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast."