Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 3/11/2011

Question
I am Roman-Catholic & attend mass weekly,but I have a curiosity that needs settling.What is the Church's position on eating meat on Holy Saturday. I've heard vague answers before,but would appreciate more clarification on this matter.Thank you sincerely Christopher Morales.

Answer
Hi, Chris:
Thanks for the question.
Below are my copy/pastes from some items I found on the internet:

CHAPTER II.

Days of Penance

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.

The following is from the Answer Bag at: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/4544

The Catholic Church requires her members to fast on Good Friday (see exceptions below), and encourages her members to continue this Paschal Fast until the Easter Vigil, but she does not require this prolongation by law. Catholics are also required to keep the Eucharistic Fast every time they receive Holy Communion, including during the Paschal Triduum.

When is the Easter Triduum?
"The Easter Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper [on Holy Thursday], reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, and closes with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday." (General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar (1969), n. 19)

Are Catholics required to fast during the Easter Triduum?
The universal Church law for Latin-rite Catholics states: "Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday." (Canon 1251)

What does fasting mean, as regards this obligation?
This is not spelled out in universal law, and it can be further determined by the bishops of a country. The usual interpretation of fasting in the United States is that only one full meal is allowed on days of fast.
Two other meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken
according to one's need, but together they should not equal
another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted, but
liquids are allowed. The obligation does not apply to those whose
health or ability to work would be affected seriously.

Who is required to observe the fast?
"The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority [this occurs on one's 18th birthday, cf. Can. 97], until the beginning of their sixtieth year [this occurs during one's 59th birthday]." (Canon 1252)

So others are completely off the hook?
No. "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 penane." (Canon 1252)

What about the rest of the Triduum?
"Let the Paschal fast be kept sacred. Let it be celebrated everywhere on Good Friday and, where possible, prolonged throughout Holy Saturday, as a way of coming to the joys of the Sunday of the Resurrection with uplifted and welcoming hearts." (Ceremonial of Bishops, n. 295; see Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 110)

"Vigils and Ember Days, as most now know, no longer oblige to fast and abstinence. However, the liturgical renewal and the deeper appreciation of the joy of the holy days of the Christian year will, we hope, result in a renewed appreciation as to why our forefathers spoke of "a fast before a feast." We impose no fast before any feastday, but we suggest that the devout will find greater Christian joy in the feasts of the liturgical calendar if they freely bind themselves, for their own motives and in their own spirit of piety, to prepare for each Church festival by a day of particular self-denial, penitential prayer, and fasting." (U.S. bishops, On Penance and Abstinence)

Of course, the Eucharistic Fast is also to be observed during the Paschal Triduum as at other times of the year (although due to the length of these services, it would be difficult to break this fast):
"Whoever is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before Holy Communion from all food and drink, with the sole exception of water and medicine.... The elderly and those who are suffering from some illness, as well as those who care for them, may receive the Most Holy Eucharist even if within the preceding hour they have consumed something." (Canon 919.1 and 919.2)

U.S. bishops, On Penance and Abstinence (1966):
http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=5303

Penitential Practices for Today's Catholics (summary by a U.S. bishops' committee):
http://www.usccb.org/dpp/penitential.htm

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Read more: Are Catholics required to fast during the Easter Triduum? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/4544#ixzz1GPXCA7tO


I hope this will be helpful.  God bless you!

Fr. Timothy Johnson