| Two questions came in recently from
the same person. I will attempt to answer them the best way I
can.
1. Please explain again the restriction on
eating/drinking before receiving communion.
The answer to this is spelled out in Canon
Law (919). This canon states that persons who are to receive
the Most Holy Eucharist are to abstain from any food and drink
for at least one hour before holy communion, except for water
and medicines. Furthermore, those who are elderly, sick or infirm
can receive communion even if they have eaten something within
the preceding hour.
2. Please define “meat” in regard
to Friday fasting. I had thought this meant all meat products,
but I seem to have heard Father Hanley (Blessed Sacrament Church)
say this was just “particular meat.” So things like
broth and bullion were not to be regarded as meat. Thank you.
Again we go to Canon Law for an answer to
this. Canon 1251 pertaining to Abstinence and Fast states the
following: Abstaining from eating meat or some other food according
to the Conference of Bishops is to be observed on every Friday
of the year unless a listed feats, such as Christmas, New Years
or any Holy Day of Obligation falls on that particular Friday.
Fast and Abstinence are to be observed always on Ash Wednesday
and Good Friday.
Note that sauce made from animal fats may
be eaten. In November, 1966, responding to Pope Paul IV’s
call for a universal guideline, the United States Bishops established
the following: Catholics in the United States should abstain
from meat on Ash Wednesdays and Fridays of Lent, and should
fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting on all weekdays
of Lent is recommended. Finally abstinence from flesh meat on
all Fridays of the year is especially recommended to individuals
and to the Catholic Community as a whole.
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