St. Francis of Assisi Parish

Even now, says the LORD,

return to Me

with your whole heart,

with fasting, and weeping,

and mourning;

Rend your hearts,

not your garments,

and return to the LORD, your God.

                                             Joel 2:12-18

Lenten Regulations

1. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of abstinence from meat as well as days of fast, when only one full meal is allowed. On days of fast, two other meatless meals may be taken according to one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal.
2. The other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.
3. The obligation to abstain from meat begins at fourteen (14) years of age.
4. The obligation to fast begins at eighteen (18) years of age and ends at fifty-nine (59) years of age.
5. Although the faithful may excuse themselves for a just cause from these laws of fast and abstinence, there is an obligation to substitute another penance and no Catholic should lightly excuse himself/herself from this obligation in the Lenten season.