Lenten Regulations

DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER
LENTEN REGULATIONS 2024

1. Law of Fast
A. All adults (18 and older) are bound by the law of fast up to the beginning of their 60th year.
B. On days of fast, those bound by the law are limited to a single full meal. This meal is meatless. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one's needs; however, together these two meals should not equal another full meal.
C. There are two prescribed days of fast: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

2. Law of Abstinence
A. Those who are 14 years of age and older are obliged to observe the law of abstinence.
B. On days of abstinence, those bound by the law abstain from meat.
C. On all Fridays of Lent, abstinence is prescribed. This, of course, includes Good Friday. Abstinence is also prescribed on Ash Wednesday.


3. Lenten Discipline
The Code of Canon Law very aptly summarizes the ecclesiastical discipline in Canon 1249: "All members of the Christian faithful in their own way are bound to do penance in virtue of divine law; in order that all my be joined in a common observance of penance, penitential days are prescribed in which the Christian faithful in a special way pray, exercise works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their responsibilities more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence..."