Common Practice of Penance in the Archdiocese of Bombay
To: The Parish Priests and Priests-in-charge
Religious Men and Women
Archdiocese of Bombay
Dear Fathers/Brothers/Sisters
Canon 1249 states, “All Christ’s faithful are obliged by divine law, each in his own way, to do penance. However, so that all may be joined together in a certain common practice of penance, days of penance are prescribed. On these days, the faithful are in a special manner to devote themselves to prayer, to engage in works of piety and charity and to deny themselves by fulfilling their obligations more faithfully and specially by observing fast and abstinence”.
The days for the common practice of penance are Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and every other Friday in the year. Besides, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting.
The Code of Canon Law has left it to the Episcopal Conference to determine, in place of abstinence, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety. Before the possibility of alternate forms of penance was introduced, abstinence from meat was the common practice for all our Catholic faithful. I would encourage our people to introduce this practice in our families once again. In addition, it would be spiritually beneficial if we chose one or more of the options given below:
A. Forms of Prayer
- Making the Way of the Cross.
- A Visit to the Blessed Sacrament with a Meditation on the Lord’s Passion.
- Praying the Liturgy of the Hours or prayerfully reading the Scriptures.
- Family Prayer: including the Rosary, Scripture Reading and Reflection.
B. Acts of Penance
- Missing a meal: breakfast, lunch or supper.
- Taking strictly vegetarian meals, avoiding even fish and eggs.
- Abstaining from alcohol and/or smoking, for those who use these.
- Avoiding films/television and other forms of recreation.
C. Works of Charity
- Giving 10% of one’s daily earnings in charity.
- Offering a meal to a poor family.
- Offering voluntary service for some social/charitable work.
- Donating blood.
Fasting:
a) The days prescribed for fasting are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Some feel inspired to fast every Friday in Lent, and this is a good spiritual practice.
b) The law of fasting binds those who have completed their 18th year till the beginning of the 60th year.
c) Those who are fasting are to take only one full meal per day. A light breakfast may be taken in the morning and a light supper in the evening. But one can always reverse the order of the meals e.g. take the full meal in the evening instead of the afternoon.
d) Those who cannot keep the law of fasting without considerable difficulty of health, work, etc. are excused from the observance of the law. Our faithful are however urged not to excuse themselves too easily from this obligation, as it is but fitting that on the two prescribed days of fasting, we unite ourselves in a special manner with the Passion and Death of Our Lord by a more intense form of penance.
Dispensations:
In case of difficulty regarding the fulfilment of the obligation of common penance and fasting or a doubt regarding the existence of factors excusing from these obligations, a dispensation may be obtained from the Parish Priest or Confessor.
A dispensation from the law of common penance and fasting is hereby granted to members of the Armed Forces and Security Personnel in the Archdiocese and to travellers by land, sea or air.
Lenten Alms:
The Lenten Alms collected this year have been earmarked for St Pius X College, Goregaon: Diocesan Seminary of Bombay.
Easter Duties:
Easter Duties would require that the Christian faithful who have made their First Communion, receive Holy Communion at least once a year during the Paschal time, unless for a good reason the precept is fulfilled at another time during the year (Can. 920). The faithful are reminded that those who have reached the age of discretion are bound to confess their grave sins at least once a year (Can. 989).
In the Archdiocese of Bombay, the Easter Duties can be fulfilled this year between Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2012 and Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 2012.
Wishing you a grace-filled Lenten season and with kind regards,
Yours sincerely in Christ,
+Oswald Cardinal Gracias
Archbishop of Bombay
From the Examiner
To: The Parish Priests and Priests-in-charge
Religious Men and Women
Archdiocese of Bombay
Dear Fathers/Brothers/Sisters
Canon 1249 states, “All Christ’s faithful are obliged by divine law, each in his own way, to do penance. However, so that all may be joined together in a certain common practice of penance, days of penance are prescribed. On these days, the faithful are in a special manner to devote themselves to prayer, to engage in works of piety and charity and to deny themselves by fulfilling their obligations more faithfully and specially by observing fast and abstinence”.
The days for the common practice of penance are Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and every other Friday in the year. Besides, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting.
The Code of Canon Law has left it to the Episcopal Conference to determine, in place of abstinence, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety. Before the possibility of alternate forms of penance was introduced, abstinence from meat was the common practice for all our Catholic faithful. I would encourage our people to introduce this practice in our families once again. In addition, it would be spiritually beneficial if we chose one or more of the options given below:
A. Forms of Prayer
- Making the Way of the Cross.
- A Visit to the Blessed Sacrament with a Meditation on the Lord’s Passion.
- Praying the Liturgy of the Hours or prayerfully reading the Scriptures.
- Family Prayer: including the Rosary, Scripture Reading and Reflection.
B. Acts of Penance
- Missing a meal: breakfast, lunch or supper.
- Taking strictly vegetarian meals, avoiding even fish and eggs.
- Abstaining from alcohol and/or smoking, for those who use these.
- Avoiding films/television and other forms of recreation.
C. Works of Charity
- Giving 10% of one’s daily earnings in charity.
- Offering a meal to a poor family.
- Offering voluntary service for some social/charitable work.
- Donating blood.
Fasting:
a) The days prescribed for fasting are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Some feel inspired to fast every Friday in Lent, and this is a good spiritual practice.
b) The law of fasting binds those who have completed their 18th year till the beginning of the 60th year.
c) Those who are fasting are to take only one full meal per day. A light breakfast may be taken in the morning and a light supper in the evening. But one can always reverse the order of the meals e.g. take the full meal in the evening instead of the afternoon.
d) Those who cannot keep the law of fasting without considerable difficulty of health, work, etc. are excused from the observance of the law. Our faithful are however urged not to excuse themselves too easily from this obligation, as it is but fitting that on the two prescribed days of fasting, we unite ourselves in a special manner with the Passion and Death of Our Lord by a more intense form of penance.
Dispensations:
In case of difficulty regarding the fulfilment of the obligation of common penance and fasting or a doubt regarding the existence of factors excusing from these obligations, a dispensation may be obtained from the Parish Priest or Confessor.
A dispensation from the law of common penance and fasting is hereby granted to members of the Armed Forces and Security Personnel in the Archdiocese and to travellers by land, sea or air.
Lenten Alms:
The Lenten Alms collected this year have been earmarked for St Pius X College, Goregaon: Diocesan Seminary of Bombay.
Easter Duties:
Easter Duties would require that the Christian faithful who have made their First Communion, receive Holy Communion at least once a year during the Paschal time, unless for a good reason the precept is fulfilled at another time during the year (Can. 920). The faithful are reminded that those who have reached the age of discretion are bound to confess their grave sins at least once a year (Can. 989).
In the Archdiocese of Bombay, the Easter Duties can be fulfilled this year between Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2012 and Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 2012.
Wishing you a grace-filled Lenten season and with kind regards,
Yours sincerely in Christ,
+Oswald Cardinal Gracias
Archbishop of Bombay
From the Examiner
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