Mater Dei Catholic Parish

A parish of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, served by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter

Fasting and Abstinence – Current and Traditional Practices

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Fasting during Lent

Fasting and Abstinence During Lent – Current Practice

Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. In addition, all Catholics 14 years old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent.

Fasting as explained by the U.S. bishops means partaking of only one full meal. Some food (not equaling another full meal) is permitted at breakfast and around midday or in the evening—depending on when a person chooses to eat the main or full meal. Abstinence forbids the use of meat, but not of eggs, milk products or condiments made of animal fat. Abstinence does not include meat juices and liquid foods made from meat. Thus, such foods as chicken broth, consomme, soups cooked or flavored with meat, meat gravies or sauces, as well as seasonings or condiments made from animal fat are not forbidden. (So it is permissible to use margarine and lard.)

Source: Catholic Diocese of Dallas Office of Worship

Current practice vs. 1962 Discipline

As a help in understanding the Church’s discipline of fast and abstinence, the following summary of the requirements, both current and those in force in 1962, has been excerpted from the 2016 Liturgical Ordo published by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.

 

Current Practice

Discipline of 1962
Days of Abstinence
  • Begins on 14th birthday
  • Ash Wednesday & Fridays of Lent
  • Obliges abstention from flesh meat
  • Applies on one’s 7th Birthday
  • Complete Abstinence:
    all Fridays of the year, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigil of Christmas
  • Partial Abstinence
    (meat & soup or gravy made from meat permitted once a day at principal meal):
    all the days of Lent, the Ember Days of Wednesday and Saturday, and the Vigils of Pentecost & the Assumption
  • Abstinence from meat is dispensed on Holy Days of Obligation
Days of Penance
  • Applies to all the Faithful
  • Lent and Fridays outside of Lent
  • The obligation to do penance is lifted on Fridays which are also celebrated as a solemnity.
  • Applies on one’s 7th Birthday
  • Complete Abstinence:
    all Fridays of the year, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigil of Christmas
  • Partial Abstinence
    (meat & soup or gravy made from meat permitted once a day at principal meal):
    all the days of Lent, the Ember Days of Wednesday and Saturday, and the Vigils of Pentecost & the Assumption
  • Abstinence from meat is dispensed on Holy Days of Obligation
Days of Fast
  • Applies to everyone aged 18 to 59, inclusive
  • One full meal permitted and two other meals which, when combined, are less than a full meal
  • Ash Wednesday and Good Friday

 
  • Applies for those aged 21 to 59, inclusive
  • Days of Lent from Ash Wednesday, inclusive, Ember Days and Vigils of Christmas, Pentecost and the Assumption
  • One full meal permitted and two other meals may be taken which, when combined, are less than a full meal
Law of Eucharistic Fast
  • Under the new Code of Canon Law, the Fast for Holy Communion is one hour before the reception of the Holy Eucharist. Those who are able to maintain the previous discipline of the three-hour fast are still encouraged to do so.

 
  • The complete fast from all food and drink (except water or medicine) for three hours before the reception of Holy Communion. Those who are able to maintain the midnight fast, which was the previous discipline, are still encouraged to do so.

Traditional Blessing of Wine on the Feast of St. John – Tuesday, December 27th

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Blessing of Wine on the Feast of St. John

Our priests will be doing the traditional blessing of wine for the feast of St. John the Evangelist on December 27. If you would like to have wine blessed on this feast day, drop off boxed wine or bottle(s) of wine in a box, marked with your family last name. See bulletin for the drop-off room and specific dates of drop-off and pick-up.

Wine is blessed on this day because according to legend, St. John was served poisoned wine, but survived because he blessed the wine before he put it to his lips; the poison rose from the chalice in the shape of a serpent. In his happy memory, Catholics bring wine to church, which the priest blesses, turning it into a sacramental called the “Love of St. John.” Catholics use this sacramental wine for special occasions throughout the year and to give to the sick.

The wine is also a symbol of the great love of Christ that filled St. John’s heart with loyalty, courage and enthusiasm for his Master. He alone of all the apostles was not afraid to stay close to Jesus during the Passion and Crucifixion and he was the only Apostle not martyred.
At least some of the wine blessed on the feast should be enjoyed on the day of the feast itself. When it is drunk on his Feast Day, we drink it before dinner as a toast to St. John. The Father of the house lifts his glass toward Mother and says, “I drink you the love of St. John.” The Mother replies “I thank you for the Love of St. John” and then turns to the oldest child, lifts her glass, and says, “I drink you the love of St. John…” –and on it goes down the line until each has been toasted.
The wine may be drunk as is, out of the bottle, or may be prepared as in this recipe:
St. John’s Love (serves 8)
1 quart red wine
3 whole cloves
1/16 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 two-inch cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
Pour the wine into a large saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients. Boil for 5 minutes (this pretty much evaporates all of the alcohol). Serve hot.
Here’s an English translation of the ritual for blessing the wine, translated from the 1962 Rituale Romanum:

BLESSING OF WINE on the Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist

At the end of the principal Mass on the feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, after the last Gospel, the priest, retaining all vestments except the maniple, blesses wine brought by the people. This is done in memory and in honor of St. John, who drank without any ill effects the poisoned wine offered to him by his enemies.

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

All: Who made heaven and earth.

P: The Lord be with you.

All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.

If it please you, Lord God, bless + and consecrate + this vessel of wine (or any other beverage) by the power of your right hand; and grant that, through the merits of St. John, apostle and evangelist, all your faithful who drink of it may find it a help and a protection. As the blessed John drank the poisoned potion without any ill effects, so may all who today drink the blessed wine in his honor be delivered from poisoning and similar harmful things. And as they offer themselves body and soul to you, may they obtain pardon of all their sins; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Lord, bless + this creature drink, so that it may be a health- giving medicine to all who use it; and grant by your grace that all who taste of it may enjoy bodily and spiritual health in calling on your holy name; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit, come on this wine (or any other beverage) and remain always.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water. If the blessing is given privately outside of Mass, the priest is vested in surplice and stole and performs the ceremony as given above.

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Christmas Mass Times at Mater Dei

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We welcome all to join us this Christmas at Mater Dei!

Christmas at Mater Dei

Christmas Schedule at Mater Dei Latin Mass Parish

Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord or Christmas Eve
Saturday, December 24

8:00 a.m. – Low Mass

Feast of the Nativity of the Lord
Sunday, December 25

Midnight Mass
11:00 PM – Christmas Carol program
12:00 AM – Sung Mass
Cookie/Apple Cider Reception after Midnight Mass

Christmas Day Masses
7:30 AM – Low Mass
9:00 AM – Solemn Mass
11:30 AM – Low Mass
1:00 PM – Low Mass

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