Grace Thompson
The Catholic Church observes fasting and abstinence from meat at various times each year, with Lent being the most well-known period of fasting. During Lent, Catholics are encouraged to give something up, in addition to fasting and abstinence. While there is no upper age limit on abstinence, Latin-rite Catholics are required to observe the laws of abstinence from the age of 14, and the fasting requirement begins at age 18 and continues until the beginning of their 60th year. At that age, a person is automatically excused from fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday but may still participate if they choose to and their health permits.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age group required to observe abstinence laws | 14 and above |
| Age group required to observe fasting laws | 18 to 59 |
| Number of full meals allowed when fasting | 1 |
| Number of smaller meals allowed when fasting | 2 |
| Combined intake of smaller meals | Should not equal a full meal |
| Days to fast | Ash Wednesday and Good Friday |
| Days to abstain from meat | All Fridays during Lent |
| Days to abstain from meat in England | All Fridays of the year |
| Exemptions from fasting and abstinence | Physically or mentally ill, pregnant or nursing women |
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What You'll Learn
In the US, Catholics are exempt from fasting from their 60th year onwards
In the Catholic Church, fasting is a practice in self-discipline with a penitential focus. In the context of Lent, it refers to reducing food intake and limiting the number of meals eaten. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, fasting rules allow Catholics to eat only one full meal and two smaller meals that, combined, would not equal a normal meal.
Outside of Lent, the normal rules around fasting before receiving Communion apply (abstaining from food for an hour before Mass). There are no specific rules around liquids, so coffee, tea, and soda are fine. Similarly, there are no rules concerning alcohol, and a person's personal discretion is advised.
In the United States, Catholics are exempt from fasting from their 60th year onwards. According to canon 1252 of the Code of Canon Law, Latin-rite Catholics are required to observe the laws of abstinence from the age of 14. There is no upper age limit on abstinence, but those who need to eat meat for medical reasons may be exempt from this requirement. The fasting requirement begins at age 18 and continues until the beginning of their 60th year. At that age, a person is automatically excused from the requirement to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday but may still participate if they choose to and their health permits.
The Catholic tradition of "giving something up" for Lent is a pious tradition but is not regulated by church law. However, Catholics are generally required to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent, and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, they must fast and abstain from meat.
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Those with a medical condition may be exempt from fasting
In the Catholic Church, fasting is a practice in self-discipline with a penitential focus. In the context of Lent, it refers to reducing food intake and limiting the number of meals one has. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, fasting rules allow Catholics to eat only one full meal and two smaller meals that, combined, would not equal a single normal meal.
According to canon 1252 of the Code of Canon Law, all Latin-rite Catholics are required to observe the laws of abstinence starting at the age of 14. There is no upper age limit on abstinence, but those who need to eat meat for medical reasons may be exempt from the abstinence requirement. In the United States, the fasting requirement begins at age 18 and continues until the beginning of their 60th year (CIC, Canon 1252). At that age, a person is automatically excused from the requirement to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, but they may still participate in the fast if health permits.
In addition to the fasts mentioned above, Catholics must also observe the Eucharistic Fast, which in the Latin Church involves taking nothing but water or medicine into the body for one hour before receiving the Eucharist.
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Pregnant or nursing women are exempt
The Catholic Church observes the disciplines of fasting and abstinence (from meat) at various times each year. For Catholics, fasting is the reduction of one's intake of food, while abstinence refers to refraining from something that is good, and not inherently sinful, such as meat.
According to canon law, all Latin-rite Catholics are required to observe the laws of abstinence from the age of 14. The fasting requirement begins at the age of 18 and continues until the beginning of their 60th year. At that age, a person is automatically excused from the requirement to fast. However, those who are ill, pregnant, or nursing are exempt from the requirement to fast, even if they fall within the specified age range.
> "...They tell me that though you are pregnant, you fast, and rob your fruit of the nourishment which its mother requires in order to supply it. Do it no more, I beseech you; and humbling yourself under the advice of your doctors, nourish without scruple your body, in consideration of that which you bear: you will not lack mortifications for the heart, which is the only holocaust God desires from you."
Pregnant and nursing women are encouraged to consider alternative forms of penance during Lent, such as spiritual reading, giving up fast food or drive-thru coffee, or denying indulgent food cravings. It is important to prioritize consuming enough high-quality food to nourish both mother and child, as advised by nutritionists, health-care professionals, government health organizations, and lactation consultants.
In summary, the Catholic Church exempts pregnant and nursing women from the requirement to fast, and alternative forms of penance are encouraged to maintain the spiritual focus of the Lenten season.
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Exemptions also apply to the physically or mentally ill
In the Catholic Church, fasting is a practice in self-discipline with a penitential focus. In the context of Lent, it refers to reducing food intake and limiting the number of meals eaten. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, fasting rules allow Catholics to eat only one full meal and two smaller meals which, combined, would not equal a single normal meal.
According to canon 1252 of the Code of Canon Law, all Latin-rite Catholics are required to observe the laws of abstinence starting at the age of 14. There is no upper age limit on abstinence after which a person is automatically excused, but those who need to eat meat for a medical reason may be dispensed from the abstinence requirement. In the United States, the fasting requirement begins at age 18 and continues "until the beginning of their 60th year" (CIC, Canon 1252). At that age, a person is automatically excused from the requirement to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, but they may choose to participate in the fast if their health permits.
In addition to the above, pregnant or nursing women are also excluded from fasting.
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Exemptions applied to travellers and students in the past
In the past, the Catholic Church offered a variety of dispensations, indults, and customs to provide pastoral care to its followers regarding fasting and abstinence. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards. The fasting requirement begins at age 18 and ends at the "beginning of their 60th year", as per the Code of Canon Law.
In the past, those exempt from fasting included those under 21, the sick, nursing or pregnant women, the elderly, those who performed hard labour, those who could not fast due to weakness, and those who travelled long distances on foot. School teachers instructing for more than three hours a day were also exempt.
The Catholic Church's traditional norms of fasting and abstinence may seem strict to modern eyes. In the past, fasting was required on every day of Lent, the Ember Days, the vigils of many significant feast days, and all Fridays of the year in English-speaking countries. The Second Vatican Council relaxed these norms, removing most demands on the faithful.
The USCCB's complementary norm to Canon Law states that those exempt from fasting outside the age limits include the physically or mentally ill, such as those suffering from diabetes, as well as pregnant and nursing women. Common sense should prevail, and ill persons should not jeopardise their health by fasting.
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Frequently asked questions
For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59/60. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal and two smaller meals that do not equal a full meal.
Those who are exempt from fasting include the physically or mentally ill, including those with chronic illnesses, pregnant or nursing women, and those with physically demanding jobs, such as travellers and students.
Sundays during Lent are not prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.
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