Church of the Holy Family at 11824 South Saginaw, Grand Blanc, MI 48439 US - Lent Schedule

WAY OF THE CROSS
Fridays at 7:00 p.m.
February 19th – March 26th

INDIVIDUAL RECONCILIATION
Saturdays  11:00 a.m. to Noon

RECONCILIATION SERVICES
Tuesday, March 23rd  – 7:00 p.m. Holy Redeemer
Wednesday, March 24th – 7:00 p.m. St. John, Fenton
Thursday,  March 25th – 7:00 p.m. Holy Family

FAST AND ABSTINENCE 
by Paul Turner
During Lent, Catholics in the United States abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and on all the Fridays of the season. They fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. They are encouraged to continue the fast on Holy Saturday as well, in union with those preparing for baptism. On a fast day, people eat only one full meal; they may also eat two partial meals and should not snack.

The laws of fast and abstinence may vary; however, they accomplish the same goals.

• They help us imitate the example of Jesus, who fasted 40 days to prepare for his ministry.
• They help us display our common repentance. More than declaring our personal desire for conversion of heart, they strengthen our community by expressing our corporate sorrow for social sin.
• They teach us a detachment from passions and turn our hearts more toward God and less toward food.
• They make us more disciplined and more charitable.

The purpose of fast and abstinence, then, is not to punish us but to make us more loving, more prayerful, more detached from whatever may keep us from God.

Fasting is more effective when sustained by other practices such as prayer, charity, and almsgiving. Lenten liturgical prayers presume that the community is supporting its prayer with fasting and its fasting with prayer.

Everyone age 14 and older is bound by the law of abstinence. Younger children are to be educated in its significance. Other Catholics are expected to avoid meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent. However, fasting binds those from 18 to 59 years old. Catholics younger and older than that need not fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Nonetheless, fasting is a praiseworthy penitential practice, even when it is not required.

Throughout the year Catholics fast from food and drink one hour before sharing communion.

Copyright© 1999 Resource Publications, Inc., 160 E. Virginia St. #290, San Jose, CA 95112, (408) 286-8505. Paul Turner, pastor of St. Munchin Church in Cameron, Mo., holds a doctorate in sacramental theology from Sant’ Anselmo University in Rome. His e-mail address is PaulTu@aol.com.