Tuesday, March 16, 2010

FYI

Picture is of the restoration of St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux falls in progress.
More pictures of the progress can be found at the St. Joseph Cathedral website.


This coming friday is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. Canon 1251 from the Code of Canon Law applies to this Solemnity:

"Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ."
I thought you might like to know.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Father, Glad to see that you are posting more these days. Sorry that this is not a complex theological question or comment, for I am but a simple man. Based on this post I need to know where I stand. I gave up barley flavored beverages for lent. May I have one or more this Friday in good conscience? Both Linda and I have read this and can read it both ways.

Or does this mean I can have a T-bone Friday but not a barley favored beverage?

Seriously, does this mean abstain from meat on Fridays all year, except if it is a solemnity?

Please post your comments by Friday!

We hope that you are well.

Tom P. and family

Father Christensen said...

Tom,

Ultimately it's up to you. There would certainly be nothing wrong with having a big old juicy steak or a barley pop on St. Joseph's day. Because it's a Solemnity it is not considered a day of lent or a penitental day at all. That being said, I would say that there would also not be anything wrong with choosing to give up meat and barley pop on that day. You don't have to feast and you don't have to fast. It's up to you.

Here at the Liturgical Institute we will be having Solemn Vespers followed by a feast (see Isaiah 25:6).

Does that answer your question? If not, let me know.

Claire Christina said...

Wow. That is a beautiful mural!

Father Christensen said...

Actually, it's not a mural, it's a bas-relief. When I was home at Christmas I actually climbed the scaffolding to see it up close and personal. It was amazing to see the work in progress.