Even in our times, the Church continues to prescribe occasions of fasting and abstinence: on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and on Fridays throughout the year, abstinence from meat or other foods should be observed, in accordance with the prescriptions of each Episcopal Conference.
Newsdesk (17/02/2026 17:32, Gaudium Press) The Church teaches us that ‘the divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way.’ Thus, ‘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’ (Code of Canon Law, can. 1249).
It should be remembered that ‘The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.’ (can. 1250). It is very beneficial for spiritual life, especially during Lent, to offer small sacrifices to God, such as: praying more, reducing the time spent on social media, not buying frivolous things, giving up eating or drinking something particularly enjoyable, and being more attentive in dealing with family members.
The law is clear: ‘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.’ (can. 1251). And tradition has always understood that this applies to meat or meat broth. Thus, a vegetarian already materially complies with canon law. However, for the sake of spiritual progress, it would be commendable to offer on Fridays the sacrifice of not eating some other tasty food, or of eating something beneficial to one’s health but whose taste one does not enjoy.
On the other hand, the episcopal conference of each country has the authority to replace this obligation, in whole or in part, with other forms of penance (cf. can. 1253). Many episcopal conferences allow the faithful to commute abstinence from meat on Fridays throughout the year, except during Lent. Abstinence may be replaced, for example, by another practice of penance, charity or piety, particularly by participation in the Sacred Liturgy.
It is important to remember that on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, in addition to abstinence, fasting must also be observed. The faithful aged fourteen and above are required to abstain; those aged eighteen to fifty-nine are required to fast. Of course, those who are unable to do so due to health problems are exempt.
Fasting can be done in several ways. One of them consists of eating something very light for breakfast and dinner, and having a full meal at lunch.
Source: Heralds of the Gospel Magazine
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