Norms for the United States, established by the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops in November 1966 and
reiterated in November 1973, may be summarized as follows:
Abstinence
Everyone older than 14 years of age is bound to observe the
law of abstinence. Abstinence is to be observed on all
Fridays within the season of Lent and on Ash Wednesday.
Fasting
On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, everyone over 18 and up to
the beginning of their 60th year also is bound to observe the
law of fast. On these two days only one full meatless meal is
allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain
strength, may be taken according to each one’s needs, but
together they should not equal another full meal.
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, therefore, are the only days
of both fast and abstinence.
It should be noted also that “the Fridays of the year outside
of Lent remain days of penance, but each individual may
substitute for the traditional abstinence from meat some
other practice of voluntary self-denial or personal penance;
this may be a physical mortification or temperance or acts of
religion, charity or Christian witness.”
With regard to the seriousness of the matter, the teaching of
Pope Paul VI may be simply paraphrased: The obligation to do
penance is a serious one; the obligation to observe, as a
whole or “substantially,” the penitential days specified by
the church also is serious. No one should be scrupulous in
this regard; failure to observe individual days of penance is
not considered serious; rather it is the failure to observe
any penitential days at all or a substantial number of days
that must be considered serious. People should seek to do
more rather than less; fast and abstinence on the days
prescribed and works of religion and charity on the Fridays
outside Lent should be considered a minimal response to the
Lord’s call to penance and conversion of life.
The Eucharistic fast
Regular meals and solid food or liquid may be taken up to one
hour before receiving holy Communion. Water may be taken at
any time; it never breaks the fast. These regulations apply
at all times, whether holy Communion is received at Mass in
the morning, afternoon or evening, or at midnight. The
elderly and those who are suffering from some illness, as
well as those who care for them, may receive the Eucharist
even if within the preceding hour they have consumed
something.
