Record of the Week: Lenten Regulations, 1928

In honour of the beginning of Lent, our Record of the Week is a list of Lenten Regulations issued by Archbishop McNeil in 1928.

During Lent, Catholics prepare for Easter through penance, fasting, prayer and almsgiving. These traditions can be traced back to as early as the fourth century, however how they are practiced has undoubtedly changed to reflect local needs and contemporary issues.

The regulations below specify exactly who must fast, when fasting is to be observed, and what must be abstained from, in the boundaries of the Archdiocese of Toronto.


MN AH17.08a

Archbishop McNeil Fonds

 It is interesting to compare these to the Regulations Bishop de Charbonnel issued in 1855. Reading the two side by side, there appears to be a shift in the scope of the regulations. For example, Rule 10a of the Archbishop McNeil regulations suggests some new ways the pious can observe Lent:

"Avoiding all public amusements, such as theatres, moving picture shows, dances, etc." 

You can learn more about how we observe Lent and the Easter season today through the Archdiocese of Toronto's website.

Record of the Week: Regulations for Lent, 1855

Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. Catholics are called to do penance – fasting, prayer, and alms-giving - as they prepare for the death and resurrection of Christ at Easter.

Our Record of the Week focuses on fasting and abstinence. In the Latin Rite, fasting is the limitation of food and drink to one main meal and two smaller meals a day, with no solid foods in between. Abstinence refers to not eating certain kinds of food or drink, typically meat.

Although the general guidelines for fasting and abstaining remain consistent, specific rules have changed over time to reflect socioeconomic circumstances and local tradition. For example, these Lenten regulations were issued in 1855 by the second Bishop of Toronto, Armand François Marie de Charbonnel P.S.S. 

Rule No. 5 states:

"An approved custom has introduced a small collation in the morning consisting of a cup of tea, coffee or chocolate, with about an ounce of bread."

Rule No. 7 also advises:

"Catholic boarding house keepers will remember that they are obligated in conscience to present to their Catholic boarders such food as Catholics are permitted to use at these meals and on those days when they are bound to observe the law of abstinence."

Although "the use of flesh meat" is restricted to certain days, rule No. 4 allows that "Lard may be used in preparing fasting food."

Current regulations for Lent allow one to substitute works of charity for fasting.

Worth repeating is Bishop de Charbonnel's final sentiment:

"Let this holy time be for all days of retirement and prayer, days of penance and alms-giving, days of grace, fervour and salvation."

These lenten Regulations are noted in a letterbook, which served as a duplicate record of the bishops' outgoing communications in the days before photocopying!
This entry is dated February 21st, 1855.
LB 02.407