Article II: Moral Exposition of the Precept

— Abstinence can be violated and observed in several refections by distinct acts, while the observance of fasting is indivisible on individual days. Wherefore, he who has taken illicit foods at dinner will nevertheless be held in the evening by the law of abstinence, while he can dine a third time without penalty who, on a fast day, has twice been fully refreshed.

— Grave matter, in the law of abstinence, is placed below 15 grams of flesh by many, even by St. Alph., l. 3, n. 1029, with astonishing severity. Certainly better, with some, we shall require about 60 grams, especially in the principal meal, for grave matter. As regards eggs and milk-products, we seem able to extend grave matter to 130 grams (suppose two eggs), which will still have to be attended to by fasters in the evening collation. From Gousset, an ordinary portion of broth (brodo) is not grave matter.

— You ask what is to be said if dinner, in good faith, has been furnished with illicit foods. If in light matter, an excusing cause seems to be present. If the whole dinner has by error been composed of forbidden foods, the inconvenience which must be sustained to observe the law is to be weighed. The error of a public host does not permit clients in a tavern to eat forbidden foods; but the difficulty of deferring the dinner of a numerous family, quarrels which are feared, etc., will rather often be able to furnish an excuse according to the mind of the Church, if there is no opportunity of seeking a dispensation.

— When the violation of fasting has been completed, one sin is committed on each day of the precept of fasting: such is the received opinion (cf. I, 137); and after a second full refection, fasting becomes impossible of observance on that day. But several partial injuries, light or grave, can be committed on the same day. For, account being taken of opinions, a grave injury of fasting seems able to be estimated at 130 grams. And although small refections coalesce (the contrary proposition 29 was proscribed by Alexander VII), nevertheless by the general rule, quantity is to be taken more strictly when the whole is taken at once than if it is taken divided into parts.

But the fast is not broken by the division of dinner on account of business arising, or by the use of a dish which, after you had risen from table, was set out beyond your expectation; or if something is taken because of weakness or another reasonable cause, as ministers and table readers among religious are accustomed to taste something beforehand (e.g., a morsel). For they intend one refection.

Nor is it broken by the taking of electuaries (i.e., pastilles, jujubes, candies), which are taken by way of medicine to aid the digestion of foods, or of a sweet with a draught "lest the drink harm," provided this is not done in fraud of the fast and therefore not frequently in the day.

Coffee, tea also mixed with a moderate amount of sugar, a drink made from water and the juices of oranges or lemons, even frozen, preserve the character of drink, provided they do not contain a great quantity of substance. But the drinking of milk, broth, and similar things is assimilated to food, from its ordinary destination.

The substance of the fast does not seem to be violated by exchanging the morsel with the evening collation. Hence for a just cause this will not even be venial. But one who could not fast except in the inverted order is not bound to use this means.

One who advertently or inadvertently has taken almost the little supper in the morning, of himself must either defer dinner or reduce the evening collation almost to the morsel. But he will be excused by grave inconvenience.

— Causes excusing from abstinence. Infirmity or weakness which demands flesh; to this can also be referred the vivid appetites of pregnant and nursing women, for whom, however, provision is better made by dispensation.

Poverty, lest the poor be deprived of a rare occasion of eating flesh.

The grave labors of certain workers. And with many one must sufficiently dissimulate. For they are accustomed to be more remiss in observing precepts, and, on account of the constant use of flesh, they experience a greater difficulty in abstinence.

Those making a journey, who cannot obtain licit foods for a suitable refection without great difficulty. Yet good will is more often lacking to these than convenience. But in certain regions the law of abstinence is relaxed in inns.

The moral impotence of a wife and son who would incur the grave indignation of the father of the family or would not obtain sufficient foods. But servants who are habitually impeded from observing the law must seek and choose another service, yet not with great inconvenience. Hence they are rather often excused, if they are permitted to observe the other precepts well.

Those who possess the faculty of eating flesh cannot of themselves transfer it to guests. Wherefore on forbidden days they must either omit invitations or set out licit foods. And an invitation must be declined, unless a proportionate inconvenience excuses. But one who, beyond expectation, is invited to a dinner consisting of illicit foods will often be excused, to avoid offenses, scandal being cut off. But those who spend several days with parents or friends careless of ecclesiastical law can and must easily ask for licit meals, or, if another cause is added, will obtain a dispensation.

— Causes excusing from fasting. Labor excuses workmen and artisans who must exercise grave labors. And because they seem to have a proper title in custom itself, even the stronger are excused. Nor, if they rest on one or another day, do they then seem to be bound by the law.

They are presumed, in doubt, exempt who undertake laborious works of piety or charity: such as preachers who preach almost daily for about an hour; professors who teach the higher sciences for an hour, provided they prepare the lessons by study and labor; teachers of lower schools who daily teach for 4 or 5 hours; those who serve the sick with great labors.

By physical or moral impotence or excessive difficulty, the sick, the weak, convalescents, pregnant women, nursing women, and all who from fasting suffer notable pain of the head or stomach, are excused; the poor who feed on bread alone with legumes; and those who from experience or probable reason have drawn the persuasion of grave harm.

Labor or inconvenience joined with other accidental causes excuses many who of themselves are bound. Thus tailors, barbers, painters, scribes are excused, if they cannot combine the suitable exercise of their art with fasting; those who, in undertaking a journey, in frequently preparing sermons, in arduous studies, in hearing many penitents or clients, would experience notable inconvenience from fasting. Serious indignation of the husband will excuse the wife.

— You ask whether on days of fasting you can undertake extraordinary labor by which you become unable to observe the law.

Provided the labor has true utility, and you have a just cause for not deferring it to another day, for example extraordinary profit or even loss of time, this seems licit according to the benign mind of the Church. The reason of delight from a journey, hunting, etc., does not suffice, unless sometimes, rarely, and not in fraud of the law, an equitable interpretation of the precept suggests an exception. Thus it does not seem that someone must be compelled through all of Lent to abstain from the honorable recreation of a long journey or of hunting. And there are works of charity, such as the service of the sick, so pleasing to the Church, that after taking counsel you can undertake them on days of fasting, as if commuting the precept into these works (cf. I, n. 221, 5).

— From fasting and abstinence a lesser cause can excuse through dispensation. To whom dispensation belongs we have already said, n. 876 and 861.

But from a particular cause of a great concourse of people or of public health, Ordinaries can dispense a whole diocese or some place in the diocese from fasting and abstinence (c. 1245, §2). That exorbitant faculty can be extended neither to other things to be dispensed, for example festive rest, nor to other causes. A particular cause, for example of an extraordinary feast or fair, can recur even annually.

Observe also that a dispensation from fasting of itself is not valid for abstinence; nor does a dispensation from abstinence dispense from fasting.

Finally, a Superior to whom the reason does not seem sufficient for dispensing could complete the reason by enjoining other pious works: prayers, alms.

N.B. Prayers or alms which are not rarely imposed on those who use the faculties of a general Indult oblige only under light obligation; and the prayers are a burden attached to the day. And because of the more benign laws of abstinence, the use of the Indult has become less daily.

— Use of the Confessor. 1. Today it is preferable not to incline to the stricter side in estimating those things which are licit for fasters, both because the mind of the Church is to be supposed benign toward the few who observe, and so that these may grow in number.

2. The excusing causes themselves, especially when there is question of fasting, because of weaker health and persuasions of impotence, are to be taken more benignly than formerly. The Holy See demonstrates this by the very example of its dispensations. Nor without hope of success is the good faith of those to be disturbed who, on account of lighter causes, especially with a physician consenting, think themselves immune from the law of abstinence.

3. Yet the received customs of persons or places must be considered diligently. For according as the law is fully vigorous or, on the contrary, rather commonly neglected, it is relaxed imprudently or urged incautiously. Great prudence is needed especially with those who would easily desert the sacraments. It is already notable that by seeking a dispensation they wish to profess obedience. Wherefore they are to be exhorted that they at least be willing to do this.

4. Often what is lacking to one cause is supplied by another: for example poverty joined with labor or with a certain weakness.

5. Again one must avoid facility which removes the sinew of discipline and gradually, through indiscreet dispensations, suppresses the law. Concerning fasting itself, let us clearly indicate those things which can be taken with the law intact, and let us strive to obtain, if not total, at least partial observation. But especially let us foster the spirit of mortification, and today greatly move Christians to lead a life less alien from the character of the time which has been dedicated by holy Mother Church to Christian piety and immolation and the commemoration of Christ suffering or to obtaining peculiar graces.

— The precept of paying tithes is no longer among the common laws of the Church. The Code, c. 1082, merely confirms particular rights in this matter: "As regards the payment of tithes and first-fruits, particular statutes and laudable customs are to be observed in each region."

— Canonical exposition. I. Today the precepts of abstinence and fasting are distinct; nor does a dispensation from abstinence dispense from fasting, or conversely.

II. The law of abstinence forbids the use of flesh and of broth from flesh; it excludes no condiments. A condiment is whatever, liquid or not liquid, is used so that food may be made savory.

What flesh is must be defined by common estimation and use. Terrestrial animals, which are accustomed to live a long time outside water or are filled with warm blood, setting aside a more benign custom, are judged prohibited. As regards amphibians, in probable doubt one must answer for liberty.

III. The substantial law of fasting permits one meal through the day; but something of food is granted to be taken in the morning and evening, provided the approved custom of places concerning quantity and quality is observed. As regards quantity, they agree sufficiently that in the morning two ounces (60-63 grams) can be taken. In the evening, everywhere eight ounces, i.e., 250 grams, are permitted, and even more in certain regions. And indeed it is licit for each one to take that by which he may fast without grave inconvenience. Quality in the morning and evening, outside days of abstinence, must be attended to only by those who are held by the law of fasting. The exchange of dinner with the evening refection is expressly permitted. Nor would the inversion of the morning morsel and the evening collation be grave. Today drink does not break the fast, unless it is commonly taken as food.

IV. Days under the precept. 1. The law of abstinence alone is in force on individual Fridays.

2. The law of abstinence and fasting is in force on Ash Wednesday, Fridays and Saturday of Lent; on the Ember days; on the vigils of Pentecost, of the Assumption of the B. V. M., of All Saints, and of the Nativity of the Lord. It is easily obtained that Wednesday be observed for Saturday as regards abstinence in Lent.

3. The law of fasting alone is in force on all remaining days of Lent, except Sundays.

Excepting a feast in Lent, every law of abstinence and fasting ceases on Sundays and feasts of precept, where those feasts truly remain of precept; and on Holy Saturday from noon; nor are vigils anticipated.

V. Subject of the law. All seven-year-olds who habitually possess the use of reason are held by the law of abstinence; the law of fasting holds all from the completed twenty-first year to the beginning of the sixtieth.

VI. The faculty of dispensing belongs to the same persons who can dispense from the sanctification of feasts and in the same manner. But nothing is changed concerning indults, vows, constitutions, and rules of physical or moral persons; however, the manner of fulfilling them, unless something else is expressly established, can be taken from the Code.

Moral exposition. - I. Abstinence can be violated and observed in several refections by distinct acts, while the observance of fasting is indivisible on individual days, so that of himself he who by one will has determined not to fast would commit one sin. Yet even when the substance of the fast is preserved, or when a second full refection has not yet been taken, one can sin gravely, as if you take illicitly up to 130 grams of food. But abstinence from flesh seems to be violated gravely by a quantity of 50 grams.

II. Excusing causes. 1. From abstinence. Infirmity, poverty, grave labors of certain workers, excessive difficulty of obtaining licit foods on a journey, moral impotence of a wife and of children who would incur the father's indignation or would not obtain sufficient foods.

2. From fasting. a) Workmen and artisans, even the stronger, are excused by custom itself; b) those are presumed exempt in doubt who fulfill laborious works of charity or piety, such as preachers and professors who preach for an hour almost daily or hand down the higher disciplines, provided they prepare the lessons; teachers of lower schools who instruct youths for 4 or 5 hours; c) those are excused who, on account of infirmity or weakness, from experience or probable reason have drawn the persuasion of grave harm; d) for a lighter cause dispensation excuses.

But from a particular cause of a great concourse of people or of health, Ordinaries can dispense a whole diocese or some place from fasting and abstinence. And by enjoining some pious work, the one dispensing could as it were complete the cause for dispensing.

Prayers attached to an indult of general dispensation oblige only under light obligation.

III. Action of the confessor. That more may fast, today it is preferable not to incline toward stricter parts in estimating what is licit for one fasting. The excusing causes themselves are not today to be taken rigorously. Yet attention must be paid to the customs of persons and places, lest we keep anyone away from the sacraments, or foster relaxation. Let us strive to obtain at least partial observation; and let us inculcate this, that Christians through the sacred Lenten time may lead a life less alien from the character of the sacred time.

N.B. Concerning tithes only particular rights are to be observed.