(Updated March 28, 2012 in preparation for Holy Week 2012. This is going to be the last revision of this article. I've added the actual 1985 papally-approved CBCP decision that laid down the laws of fasting and abstinence currently applicable in the Philippines.)



Those who have no time to read through this article, and who simply want to know what the law of the Church in the Philippines is regarding fasting and abstinence can scroll down to the section near the end of this post, entitled "IN SUMMARY".













Lent is coming! I think it is important that we be reminded, on the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, about the fasting and abstinence regulations currently in force the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.





In this article, I will simply present the current legislation for the Roman Catholic Church. This is not the time or place to debate the wisdom, or the historicity, or the fidelity to Catholic Tradition, of the current norms. I have my own opinions regarding these matters, but these are for a much later post or article elsewhere.

This article will focus on the obligations laid down by the Church regarding fasting and abstinence. At the very outset I would like to warn against two exaggerations so common to Filipino Catholics. The first exaggeration can be described as, "it is pharisaical to go beyond what the Church requires." Therefore, anyone who fasts or practices penance to an extent greater than what the Church herself requires, is immediately condemned as "pharisaical" or as "self-righteous". The second exaggeration can be summed up as: "it is not good to state what the law says, because that would be too legalistic; we should encourage people to do their best, and not bother with even discussing the minimum that is necessary." Both exaggerations have the same root error of not making a distinction between that which is required by the law of the Church and the spiritual ideal proposed by the Church. The law of the Roman Catholic Church lays down the minimum that she requires of her children, but does not prevent anyone from doing more than what the law requires.



I am aware that there are some people (including some priests) who react negatively to any and all mention of the laws of fasting and abstinence. "This is legalistic! This is nonsensical! What is important is to love God!" This is not the time for me to debate with them; suffice it to recall that infidelity in small things only leads to infidelity in bigger things. If we can't even fast and abstain for a few days, then how can we be expected to put in the effort necessary to avoiding sin and exercising virtue? These reactions also make me wonder: what exactly is it that scares these people about the already very lenient laws of the Church on fasting and abstinence?



This article will be divided into two sections:





I. Current law for penance, fasting and abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church today

II. Current law for penance, fasting and abstinence for Roman Catholics in the Philippines

In a subsequent article I will write about the following:

-- The laws for penance, fasting and abstinence in the areas of the world with the largest expatriate Filipino populations -- The laws for fasting and abstinence in the Philippines prior to February 23, 1966 (when the current legislation of the Roman Catholic Church took effect) -- Some brief reflections on the state of fasting and abstinence in the Philippines



One last reminder: the laws of fasting and abstinence are for those who are healthy enough to observe these. Sick people or people who have might have health problems from observing the laws of fasting and abstinence should seek advice from a priest. They should at least do some other act of piety or penance if they really cannot fast or abstain.





I. Current law for penance, fasting and abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church today





Paenitemini (Feb. 17, 1966) which came into force on February 23, 1966, and the Canons on the "Days of Penance" in the Code of Canon Law of 1983 (Canons 1249-1253.) The legislation in these two documents can be summarized as follows: The laws of fasting and abstinence for the universal Church are regulated by two documents: the Apostolic Constitution(Feb. 17, 1966) which came into force on February 23, 1966, and the Canons on the "Days of Penance" in the Code of Canon Law of 1983 () The legislation in these two documents can be summarized as follows:





a) All Fridays of the year are days of penance.





The season of Lent is a time of penance. (The General Directory for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar [Feb. 14, 1969] defines Lent as the period from Ash Wednesday until the evening Mass of Holy Thursday exclusive.) b)(The[Feb. 14, 1969] defines Lent as the period from Ash Wednesday until the evening Mass of Holy Thursday exclusive.)

Although neither Paenitemini nor the Code of Canon Law specify any penance for the rest of Lent aside from Ash Wednesday and Lenten Fridays, the Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1438 states that all Fridays of the year and all of Lent "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)." In short, the faithful are obligated to do penance on all Fridays and during Lent, but it is left to them what kind of penance to do except on the few days when fasting and / or abstinence from meat are still required. Nevertheless, the Church exhorts ( without commanding ) the faithful to be generous with their penances. In the words of Pope Paul VI in Paenitemini:"it is strongly desired that bishops and all pastors of souls, in addition to the more frequent use of the sacrament of penance, promote with zeal, particularly during the Lenten season, extraordinary practices of penitence aimed at expiation and impetration."

Sacrosanctum Concilium (Dec. 4, 1963) decidedly encourages (but does not command) the practice of fasting on Holy Saturday as well (see Sac. Conc. # 110). The 1988 Circular Letter of the Congregation for Divine Worship "Concerning the the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts" (Protocol 120/88) repeats Sacrosanctum Concilium's encouragement of the Holy Saturday fast. The Easter fast is sacred on the first two days of the Triduum, in which according to ancient tradition the Church fasts "because the Spouse has been taken away". Good Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence; it is also recommended that holy Saturday be so observed, so that the Church, with uplifted and welcoming heart, be ready to celebrate the joys of the Sunday of the Resurrection. (This can be found in # 39 of the aforementioned circular letter). It is worth noting that, although neither Paenitemini nor the 1983 Code of Canon Law mention it, the Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy(Dec. 4, 1963) decidedly encourages (but does not command) the practice of fasting on Holy Saturday as well (see Sac. Conc. # 110). The 1988 Circular Letter of the Congregation for Divine Worshiprepeats's encouragement of the Holy Saturday fast.(This can be found in # 39 of the aforementioned circular letter).

(It seems evident that the obligation to do penance for Lent is for the season of Lent as a whole, and not necessarily for each and every day of Lent.)





c) Abstinence from meat is required on all Fridays that are not solemnities. (Paenitemini exempted from Friday abstinence only the Fridays that were holy days of obligation. The 1983 Code of Canon Law extended this exemption to all solemnities, including those that are not holy days of obligation).





d) Fasting is obligatory on only two days of the year: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Abstinence from meat is also required on these two days.





The episcopal conferences may decide, for the faithful in their respective territories, to substitute (in whole or in part) other forms of penance (such as works of charity or piety) in place of fasting and abstinence. (Armed with this authorization, numerous episcopal conferences or the local bishops have de facto abolished obligatory abstinence from meat on non-Lenten Fridays in almost all -- if not all -- countries. Abstinence from meat on Lenten Fridays has been "optionalized' as well in a significant portion of the Church, including the world's three largest Catholic countries, namely, Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines. In these countries, abstinence is obligatory only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday; on other Fridays of Lent it can be replaced by any of a wide array of pious or charitable acts. See this for Brazil and this for Mexico. In Brazil, even on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday other acts of piety, charity and penance -- such as attendance at the sacred liturgy in those days -- can substitute for abstinence. The law in the Philippines is explained further below in this post.) e)



