May I add a few things to the forwarded message below.
1. This is something I got from a homily a priest gave in one mass I attended (I think this is at UP - Father Arre if I remember correctly). This may not be applicable to us here in Manila and in other major metropolises though:
There is one small island somewhere north of Cebu where the main source of livelihood is fishing and the main meat they eat the whole year round is fish. For them, abstinence from meat would mean abstinence from fish. Apparently, they may choose to eat beef, pork, or chicken but of course, they can just eat vegetables instead. They can also just apply the principle of substitution - except maybe the giving of alms to the poor; perhaps they can give alms to the 'poorer' instead.
2. Now I am thinking, what about vegetarians? To them they can only apply the principle of substitution. Maybe unless eating meat is a big sacrifice to them. I doubt though that they would even consider eating meat.
3. "I forgot to abstain or fast on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, or on one of the Fridays of Lent - can I fast or abstain on another day I decide on instead, like perhaps the day after?" If it is not obvious, I believe the answer is no; it would not be the same thing. While fasting and abstinence on other days is a good thing though it is not "required," it is not considered as a substitution for fasting and abstinence on the required days.
4. We Catholic Filipinos should consider that the "law" has already been relaxed for us - no need to do it on ALL Fridays of the year and on ALL days of Lent (approximately 86 days per year). So all the more we should do our best to follow these guidelines on the prescribed days (approximately 7 days per year).
5. We also ought to think of this as an activity, as a sacrifice by all of us as one big Catholic community, here in the Philippines and in the whole world. When we do fasting and abstinence, we are signifying our commitment to this community and to our common beliefs (summarized in the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds).
6. Lastly, these are "minimum requirements" - we can do more; over and above these minimum requirements, like we do fasting and abstinence as a sacrifice for the success of some of our activities in SFC, in our personal lives, or for others. But these are not substitutes for fasting and abstinence on the required days. This is similar to attending mass on Sundays and other holy days of obligation - we should not miss them at all (except when physically incapable) but we can try attending mass even on other days even when there is no "occassion."
--- Forwarded Message ---
The Law on Fasting and Abstinence for Filipinos
Hello friends,
I finally made some research and sourcing as to how we Filipinos ought to observe the Church's mandate to fast and abstain from meat. Let's be reminded that should we fail to observe this precept through our negligence, we are therefore committing mortal sin. That I believe is a more than sufficient reason to know how we should fast and abstain, since I've noticed that some priests and lay faithful are confused on what is the actual or the minimum requirement needed to meet the law. I suggest the reader to carefully read everything, since every part modifies the others when taken as a whole.
A. Now here is the Church's universal law, meaning this applies to all Catholics of the Western or Roman rite (vis-à-vis the Eastern and Greek Catholic Churches in union with Rome which has a different and stricter set of fasting rules).
Rules on Fasting (from the 1983 Code of Canon Law)
Can. 1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.
Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.
Can. 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.
Can. 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.
Can. 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.
B. Now this is from my sourcing of info, courtesy of a colleague who is an expert on Church discipline and liturgy.
According to the booklet "Canon Law" (publ. by Life Today Publications in 2000) of Fr. Javier Gonzalez OP (Dean of Canon Law in UST), the CBCP has issued norms that modify the law of abstinence in the Philippines, in accordance with Canon 1253. According to Fr. Gonzalez (p. 35), abstinence is no longer required in the Philippines even on Fridays of Lent. Instead, abstinence may be substituted with reading the Bible, going to Mass, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, praying the Holy Rosary, visiting the sick and prisoners, giving alms to the poor, or teaching catechism. In short, abstinence and fasting are mandatory for Filipinos only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Of course, the principle of substitution must be observed. The problem is a lot of people (most, I would guess) don't abstain from meat on Friday, but don't bother to do any of the abovementioned charitable or pious practices in place of abstinence. It is a sin to not abstain from meat without substituting any of the prescribed practices.
Again, the basis for this is the CBCP's modification - thus binding Filipinos to fast and abstain, OR apply the principle of substitution, other than that would be considered sinful. Yes, we can fast and abstain the entire year if we want, if our conscience demands; but the bare minimum should be observed. Hence, individual or personal preferences concerning mortifications e.g. fasting and abstinence should be founded on the CBCP's decree and the Church's Canon law.
Have a Holy Lenten Season.
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