Case 2. Difficulties About Fasting

Titius, a missionary priest in England, in order that he may be able, in accordance with the First Council of Westminster, diligently to explain the laws of fasting at the beginning of Lent to the people committed to him, goes through a certain recent author and, from the reading of him, proposes for solution certain difficulties that have arisen. He asks in particular:

1. Is milk allowed whenever food or drink is taken?

2. What kinds of food and how much are allowed at the collation?

3. Many could fast by interchanging the little breakfast and the collation. Are they bound to this if they are unable to fast otherwise?

4. How often in the day may those dispensed from fasting eat meat when meat is permitted by indult?

5. Does Titius have the power to dispense from fasting, and whence does he have it?

1. Is milk allowed on fast days whenever the faster eats or drinks?

No; lacticinia, i.e., milk, butter, and cheese are by the common law forbidden at least during Lent whenever flesh meat is forbidden.¹ In some places lacticinia are also forbidden on other fasting days outside Lent. In England milk and butter are allowed by custom at the full meal outside Lent, and at least by indult in Lent at the full meal. By concession of the Holy See² milk, butter, and cheese are allowed by way of condiment at collation, also on all fasting-days except Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

1 Proposition 32, condemned by Alexander VII.

2 Sacred Office, March 18, 1880.

2. How much food and of what sort is allowed at collation?

About eight ounces of lighter food, excluding always flesh meat and eggs, are allowed at collation. In some places eggs also are allowed. According to an instruction issued by the archbishop and bishops of England in 1883, when fish is taken at collation, the quantity of it should not exceed two or three ounces.

3. Many could fast by taking the collation in the morning and two ounces of food in the evening. Are those who can not otherwise fast bound to adopt this method?

No; it is indeed allowed to fast in that way for some good reason, but as it is not the usual way of fasting in England, there is no obligation to adopt it.

4. How often may those who are dispensed from fasting eat meat on days when meat is allowed at the principal meal to fasters by indult?

That depends on the extent of the dispensation, but unless there is an express limitation, it is generally understood that they may eat meat as often as they please.

5. Have missionary priests in England the power of dispensing from fasting, and whence do they obtain it?

They seem to obtain the power of dispensing those who are committed to their charge from custom, the source whence parish priests obtain it. The existence of the power seems to be implied in the First Council of Westminster, decree XXIII, no. 3.