FASTING BEFORE MASS
LENTEN PRACTICE OF FASTING AND ABSTINENCE
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting and abstinence. Fridays during Lent are days of abstinence from meat.
When fasting, a Catholic eats only one full meal for the day. Or two smaller meals are permitted as necessary, but these taken together should not equal more than one full meal. Fasting obliges all Catholics from the ages 18 to 59 (unless your health requires you to abstain from fasting).
When abstaining, a Catholic avoids eating meat throughout the day. Abstinence obliges all Catholics age 14 and over.
(If you have a serious medical condition, please consult your physician before starting a fast or abstaining from meat.)
