celebration of Easter. The Ember Days are ordained that the faithful may thank God for the blessings they have received in each quarter of the year; that in each season they may be reminded to do penance; and also that they may obtain of God worthy priests, these being generally the days of their ordination. By the Vigils the faithful prepare themselves for the worthy celebration of great festivals. In many places, as in the United States, many Vigils formerly of obligation have been abolished, and one fast-day in each week of Advent-the Friday-has been substituted.

3. Is it sufficient to abstain from flesh-meat on these fast-days?

No; we are also commanded to take but one meal in the day, and that not before noon. However, a small collation at night is not forbidden.

The assertion that the fast is not broken by eating little at repeated times' has been condemned by the Church (Alexand. VII. Propos. 29).

4. Who is obliged to fast in this manner?

Every Christian who has completed the age of twenty-one, and is not excused by any just cause.

5. Who are excused from fasting?

The convalescent, those who are worn out with age, and those who either have to work hard, or would by fasting be prevented from properly discharging the duties of their calling.

6. When is it commanded to abstain from fleshmeat?

By the general laws of the Church we are commanded to abstain from flesh-meat, unless a dispensation be obtained, 1. On all Fridays and Saturdays (Christmas-day excepted); 2. On the Sundays of Lent; and 3. On all fasting-days.

Our holy Mother the Church has judged it expedient to mitigate the severity of this ancient and general law, in modern times, by dispensations which vary somewhat, according to the different conditions of life, in various countries. In virtue of those for the United States, 1. Saturday is not a day of abstinence unless it be also a fast-day; 2. Meat is allowed on all the Sundays of Lent, without restriction as to times; 3. On some other days each week in Lent, to be annually appointed for each

diocese by the Bishop, meat is also allowed at the dinner or principal meal. But when meat is so used by dispensation at the principal meal on a fast-day or on a Sunday in Lent, fish cannot be used at the same meal. Every one is bound to conform to the regulations and the practice approved of by the Bishop or ecclesiastical superior of his diocese.

7. Who are bound to abstain from flesh-meat?

All Christians who have attained the age of seven, unless a just cause, as illness, poverty, etc., excuse them from it.

8. What ought they to do who cannot well abstain from flesh-meat?

They must, through their Pastor, apply to the Bishop for a dispensation, and perform other good works instead.

9. Why does the Church command fasting?

Because fasting is acceptable to God and very whole

some to us.

10. Why do we say that fasting is acceptable to God?

1. Because God has often recommended fasting, and shown His favor and mercy to those who practised it ;* 2. Because Jesus Christ, the Apostles, and the Saints of all times have fasted; and 3. Because fasting humbles our pride3 and moderates our sensual desires.

1Be converted unto me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning' (Joel ii. 12). This kind [of devils] is not cast out but by prayer and fasting' (Matt. xvii. 20).-Examples: Deut. ix. 18, 19. Judith iv. 7-12. 2 Paral. XX. 3, etc. 2 Matt. iv. 2, Acts xiii. 3, and xiv. 22. Moses, Samuel, David, Daniel, Judith, Esther, the Machabees, the widow Anna, and others were wont to fast. I humbled my soul with fasting' (Ps. xxxiv. 13).

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11. How is fasting useful and wholesome to us? 1. By fasting we make satisfaction to God for the sins we have committed, and thus avert the punishment deserved (the Ninivites, Jonas iii.);

2. We bring our passions into subjection, and thus gain strength not to relapse into sin;

3. Prayer and the practice of virtue are rendered easier to us, and we obtain the more certainly the grace of God and eternal salvation.

12. Is it not superstitious to abstain from certain. kinds of food?

It is superstitious, if we abstain from certain food as if it were bad and unclean in itself, as some heretics asserted but it is not so by any means if we do it in the spirit of obedience and penance, as the Catholic Church prescribes.2

1St. Paul combated this heresy (1 Tim. iv. 1-4); and also the Catholic Church has at all times combated and condemned it. 2 God Himself forbade certain meats to the Jews (Levit. xi. 2, etc.), and the Apostles to the first Christians (Acts xv. 29). St. John the Baptist ate nothing but locusts and wild honey (Mark i. 6). Eleazar and the seven Machabean brothers, with their mother, chose to suffer the most painful death, rather than transgress the law of God by eating swine's flesh (2 Mach. vi. and vii.)

13. But does not our Saviour clearly say: 'Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man '? Yes; but the disobedience which proceeds from the heart defiles him (Matt. xv. 11, 18), as it is proved by the fall of our first parents.

Let, however, no one believe that the breaking of the fast is only then a grievous sin when it proceeds from a contempt of the Commandment or from a deliberate resistance to the Church. This opinion is erroneous, and has been expressly condemned by the Church (Alexand. VII. Propos. 23). Nay. there is a culpable disobedience when one knowingly and deliberately does what the Church has forbidden, even though it be neither attended with obstinacy nor contempt of the Command. ment, but is done either through gluttony or through a weak complaisance to others.

14. Should we, on fasting-days, content ourselves with abstaining from food?

No; we should, according to the intention of the Church, spend these days in the spirit of penance, and

sanctify them by prayer and good works (Isaias lviii. 6, 7).

Application. Respect the Commandment of fasting and abstinence as a Commandment which God Himself has given you through His Church, and consider it an honor to observe it strictly.

The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Commandments of the Church.

1. What are we commanded by the Third and Fourth Commandments of the Church?

By the Third and Fourth Commandments we are commanded, 1. To confess our sins faithfully at least once a year; and 2. To receive the Holy Communion worthily at Easter or thereabouts.

2. To whom must the confession be made?

To any Priest authorized by the Bishop to hear confessions.

In former times the faithful were commanded by the Church to confess their sins once a year to their own Parish Priest, or to ask leave of him if they wished to confess to another Priest. Hence comes this form of the Commandment, which is still in use in some dioceses: Thou shalt confess thy sins once a year to thy Parish Priest, or, with his permission, to another.'

3. Where are we to receive Easter Communion ? Conformably to a precept of the Church, we are to receive it in the parish church, if not excused by an impossibility, or by a general or particular permission to do otherwise.

4. At what age are we obliged to go to Confession and Communion?

As soon as we come to the use of reason, and are sufficiently instructed to receive the Holy Sacraments with fruit; which must be left to the decision of our Pastor.

5. Why has the Church commanded that the Blessed Sacrament should be received in Easter-time?

1. Because Jesus Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist within this time; and 2. Because within this time He died, and rose again from the dead, and, therefore, we also should die to sin and lead a new life.

6. Ought we to think it sufficient to receive Holy Communion once in a year?

No; it is the intention and most earnest desire of our holy Church that we should very often partake of this invaluable grace.

Example of the first Christians (Acts ii.)

7. Why, then, does the Church not command us to communicate oftener?

1. Because the love of God and the care for our souls should alone be sufficient motives to induce us to do so; and 2. Because the Church wishes to prescribe, under pain of excommunication, only what she deems absolutely necessary.

Application. Make it a rule to go to Confession and Communion at least once a month.

8. What are we commanded to do by the Fifth Commandment of the Church?

We are commanded to contribute cheerfully, according to our means, to the support of our Pastors and of our churches and religious institutions, and of Religion generally.

9. Are we bound in conscience and in justice to contribute to the support of our Pastors?

Yes; and by a Divine precept also. St. Paul says: So the Lord ordained, that they who preach the Gospel should live by the Gospel' (1 Cor. ix. 13, 14).

Under the Old Law God commanded the people of Israel to give tithes and offerings for the support of the priesthood and the maintenance of worship. In the Church, from the begin ning, this was a sacred duty. For as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the price of the things they sold, and laid it down before the feet of the Apostles, and