Lent: it ain’t what it used to be!

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Westmeath Examiner, February 17, 1934

Lent was a much more complicated affair in 1934 for those committing to observing it to the letter: it wasn’t merely a case of giving up sweets and alcohol as every day, bar Sundays and St Patrick’s Day, was actually a fast day.

Unusually, for the residents of Mullingar town, there was that year an exemption, due to disease.

Here, as printed in the Westmeath Examiner of February 17, 1934, was the full set of rules:

In accordance with Canon Law, and in virtue of Special Concessions granted by the Holy See to the Bishops of Ireland, the following are the arrangements for the coming Lent:

l-(a) The Wednesdays and Fridays of Lent and the Saturdays of Quarter Tenae, ie 24th February, are days of Abstinence. On these days Meat and the Products of Meat, such as Broth or Soup are forbidden to those who are over seven years of age; lard or dripping, when fried, may be used as a seasoning, or for cooking purposes;

(b) The seriously infirm and the destitute poor are excused from the Law of Abstinence.

ll- The weekdays of Lent, except St Patrick’s Day, are Fast Days. On these days one full meal only is allowed to those who have completed their 21st year and have not entered on their 60th year, unless they are excused for a grave cause:

(a) Those engaged in hard work; (b) The destitute poor; (c) The seriously infirm. -These, therefore are not bound to fast.

lll- There is no Fast or Abstinence on Sundays, or on St Patrick’s Day.

lV- The restriction forbidding Fish and Flesh at the same meal is abolished.

V- Those bound to Fast may take, in addition to the full meal, two collations, the quantity and quality of which are determined by custom. Butter is allowed by custom at the morning collation, except on Ash Wednesday, Spy Wednesday and Good Friday. Butter is not allowed at the evening meal. On all days dinner and evening meal may be interchanged.

Vl- Those not bound to fast, ie (1) Those under twenty-one years of age and those who have entered on their sixtieth year; (2) Those engaged in hard work; (3) The destitute poor; (4) The seriously infirm. -These can take at all their meals what is allowed at the principal meal. There is no restriction on the number of meals.

Vll- On Ash Wednesday, Spy Wednesday and Good Friday:

(1) Those not bound to Fast may take White Meats (i.e. eggs, butter, milk etc) at all their meals;

(2) Those bound to Fast may take them at dinner only: milk is allowed in Tea, Coffee etc.

Vlll- The Lent closes at twelve o’clock on Holy Saturday.

lX- If you wish for further relaxation of the Fast or Abstinence, you should apply to your Parish Priest or Administrator; or in the Tribunal of Penance to your Confessor, who is hereby empowered to grant them. Dispensations without a just and reasonable cause are of no avail.

X- We exhort you to commend to God the wants of this Diocese, that His never-failing bounty may supply them. In particular, we ask you to pray that God will bless the Building of the New Cathedral and bring the work to a successful issue.

Xl- On Passion Sunday, after the principal Mass, the Act of Consecration of Ireland to the Sacred Heart will be read.

Xll- The ceremony of Blessing the Oils on Holy Thursday, will take place in Navan, beginning at ten o’clock.

Xlll- The time for complying with the Precept of Paschal Communion begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Trinity Sunday, ie 27th May. The Church commands, under pain of grievous sin, all her children who have come to the use of reason, to receive worthily during that time.

It is desirable that all should receive the Paschal Communion in their own Parish; if they receive elsewhere, they should make it known to their Parish Priest; a Plenary Indulgence can be gained on the usual conditions by those who fulfil the Paschal Precept between Ash Wednesday and Low Sunday, i.e., Sunday after Easter.

Signed: THOMAS MULVANY, Bishop of Meath

DISPENSATION FOR MULLINGAR

When the above Regulations were read in Mullingar on last Sunday, it was announced that they have no application to the Parish of Mullingar, to which a full Dispensation until Passion Sunday had been granted owing to the prevalence of disease.