Venite Prandete

  LENTEN FASTING Dom Prosper Gueranger tells us that, “For several centuries, abstinence from flesh-meat included likewise the prohibition of all animal food, with the single exception of fish, which, on account of its cold nature, as also for several mystical reasons, founded on the Sacred Scriptures, was always permitted to be taken by those who fasted. Every sort of milk-meat was forbidden.” (1) The particular fasting period we are undergoing at this time is a preparatory one which, we pray, will assist us in overcoming our weaknesses and which we can direct towards a higher purpose, a fast which was inherited from the Jewish practices, devolving from the Apostles: “The Apostles, therefore, legislated for our weakness, by instituting, at the very commencement of the Christian Church, that the solemnity of Easter should be preceded by a universal fast; and it was only natural that they should have made this period of penance to consist of forty days, seeing that our Divine Master...

  MONASTERY BEER; THE DRINKING OF BEER AS A LENTEN PRACTICE Many people voluntarily give up alcohol over the Lenten fasting period of forty days, or otherwise abstain from taking wine from Monday through to Friday. Exceptions to the Lenten fast can be made for major feast days – a religious practice which is observed tenaciously by some who (suddenly and coincidentally) become extremely observant of all feast days and show an intense desire to celebrate them. Catholics, of course, are not obliged to give up solid food for the Lenten fast, unlike the strict orders of monks in medieval days. However, they are obliged to fast for the Lenten period, meaning: eating one small meal, together with one or two smaller meals, the whole of which, taken together, amounts to one small meal. There may be no eating between meals. However, beer wine, coffee and tea may be taken, (unless, of course, that is the thing you have resolved to give up for Lent). It is obligatory to completely fast on the...