Lent

 

Lent is the penitential season of the Church’s year. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Lent has six Sundays. The sixth is called Passion or Palm Sunday and marks the beginning of Holy Week.

The Easter Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. It commemorates the Lord’s passion and death on Good Friday, reaches its high point at the Easter Vigil and ends with evening Prayer on Easter Sunday. Then the joyful Easter Season of 50 days begins.

Traditionally the Lenten season is a time of penance throughout the Catholic Church. Lent is a season in which prayer, the reception of the sacraments, charity and almsgiving are emphasized. Fast and abstinence are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. All the Fridays of lent are days of abstinence from meat.

 

Lenten Regulations

 

Weekdays of Lent: There is no obligation to fast. However, voluntary acts of self-denial are recommended.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday: These are days of Fast and Abstinence from meat. There is a limit of one full meal on these days for all between the ages of 18 and 59 inclusive.

Days of Abstinence:(All Fridays in Lent) All who have reached their 14th year are bound to abstain totally from meat.

Easter Duty Obligation: After they have received their First Holy Communion, Catholics are bound by the obligation of receiving Holy Communion at least once a year. This precept should be fulfilled during the Easter Season. Catholics are also bound to confess serious (mortal) sins at least once a year, but this is not limited to the Lenten/Easter Season.