Tag Archives: penance

QUAERITUR: Clarity about Pius XII’s cool Thanksgiving Friday indult

I’ve been getting a lot of questions by email from people in these USA who want to know about the indult that Pius XII gave to Americans to eat meat on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Rorate looked at that HERE, … Read More

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10 Comments

QUAERITUR: Does the obligation to do penance on Fridays bind us under pain of sin?

From a reader: I advised a friend that Catholics are either to abstain from meat on Fridays or to substitute another form of prayer, good work, or abstinence; and that she should confess if she failed to do this. In … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices, Year of Faith | Tagged , , , , ,
26 Comments

OLDIE POLL: Should the US Bishops implement “meatless Fridays” during the whole year?

As the U.S. bishops prepare to meet in their autumn assembly, I represent this poll (originally HERE): The bishops of England and Wales did this. You can vote even if you are not registered here. Please give your reasons in … Read More

Posted in Linking Back, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, The future and our choices, Year of Faith | Tagged , , , ,
64 Comments

“And he shall make all, both little and great, rich and poor, freemen and bondmen, to have a character in their right hand, or on their foreheads.”

Under the entry about our obligation to attend Holy Mass, someone posted this comment (I removed it to here): I’ve always had a fantasy where I make wallet sized Catholic obligation cards.  These would have check boxes or punch boxes … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Four Last Things, GO TO CONFESSION, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices, Wherein Fr. Z Rants, Year of Faith | Tagged , , , , , , ,
43 Comments

QUAERITUR: I scraped a car and didn’t leave a note. I went to confession, but I am still anxious.

From a reader: Dear Father, 12 mo ago I accidently scraped a car parked but did not leave a note in the church parking lot because I was scared. I have confessed this 3 times but fear God wants more … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, GO TO CONFESSION, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , , ,
14 Comments

QUAERITUR: Form of absolution was just “I absolve you of your sins.”

From a reader: I went to confession at a neighboring parish that had recently received a 70-something priest who I know to be a bit free-wheeling as far as anything liturgical or doctrinal. This made me nervous going, but I … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged , , , , , , ,
9 Comments

QUAERITUR: Is a penance assigned in confession a canonical obligation?

From a reader: Dear Fr Z, I’ve been reading back some of your old entries on penance and the efficacy of sacramental absolution, and they have helped clarify many things, so thank you for that! I do, however, have a … Read More

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10 Comments

QUAERITUR: I don’t know if the priest gave me a penance during confession. Are my sins forgiven?

From a reader: Father, I went to Confession this weekend and the confessor was a man with a very thick [FOREIGN] accent. On top of that, while pronouncing the absolution he seemed… a little out of it (that sounds like … Read More

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12 Comments

WDTPRS: 2nd Sunday of Lent – our new spiritual view

Here is the Collect of the 2nd Sunday of Lent, a new composition for the Novus Ordo based on a precedent in the Liber Mozarabicus Sacramentorum.: Deus, qui nobis dilectum Filium tuum audire praecepisti, verbo tuo interius nos pascere digneris, … Read More

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8 Comments

QUAERITUR: Are Sundays part of Lent?

From a reader: Someone told me that it is wrong to do penance on Sundays during Lent. Are Sundays part of Lent? The “forty days” seem to be the week days only. Also, we hear that every Sunday is like … Read More

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46 Comments

Lent begins in one week! Have you made your plan.

Updated: Lent begins in a week, 22 February this year. It is time to make your plans for Lent. You should start thinking about one or more mortifications (and consider something other than chocolate) as well as some corporal and/or spiritual … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, GO TO CONFESSION, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , ,
63 Comments

QUAERITUR: Didn’t finish penance from confession before Communion.

From a reader: Yesterday before mass I went to confession and by the time I was in the confessional, the bells of the consecration were ringing. My pennance was 12 Our Fathers and 12 Hail Mary’s. (I had confessed some mortal sins, and … Read More

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4 Comments

16 September – England and Wales – Return to meatless Fridays

The Bishops have decided to re-establish the practice that this penance should be fulfilled simply by abstaining from meat and by uniting this to prayer On 16 September in England and Wales, Catholics are asked by the Catholic bishops to … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Just Too Cool, Linking Back, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices | Tagged , , , ,
25 Comments

QUAERITUR: Am I forgiven if I don’t do a penance assigned in confession? Fr. Z rants.

From a reader: Good morning Father, when I went to Reconciliation this past weekend I received a two part penance– the first part was immediately carried out and the second part I was to perform later at home. [grrrrr] As … Read More

Posted in "But Father! But Father!", "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged , , , , , ,
42 Comments

WDTPRS KUDOS to the Bishops of England and Wales: meatless Fridays re-established

If perhaps the Conference of England and Wales won’t be enthusiastic about Universae Ecclesiae I read this with pleasure from the site of Peter Jennings: Fish on Friday re-established by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales By Peter … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, Clerical Sexual Abuse, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices | Tagged , , , , , ,
55 Comments

Cradle Catholic – 30 years old – first confession

From a reader: Due to your blog you singlehandedly managed to get me to my first confession ever (just before this lent, actually); my first, while I’m 30 years old and a cradle catholic. Obviously, that was quite a bit … Read More

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23 Comments

Friday Lenten Penance on 25 March – Annunciation

Those who are bound by the law are to do penance on Fridays of Lent. However, tomorrow, Friday is 25 March, the Solemnity (in the post-Conciliar calendar) of the Annunciation. Please attend to can. 1251. Can.  1251 Abstinence from meat, … Read More

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46 Comments

WDTPRS Friday of the 1st Week of Lent (2002MR)

In the ancient Gelasian Sacramentary today’s Collect was used on the Friday after Quinquagesima. I assume it was dragged into Lent because of the themes present in the vocabulary. However, the redactors of the Novus Ordo made a substitution. They … Read More

Posted in LENT, WDTPRS | Tagged , ,
14 Comments

QUAERITUR: Feast days during Lent, or “plenus uenter facile de ieiuniis disputat”

From a reader: This year, the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary falls on a Friday.  In the Extraordinary Form, it’s a first class feast.  Meat would normally, therefore, be allowed (despite the Friday). However, in the universal calendar (ordinary … Read More

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18 Comments

QUAERITUR: I haven’t been to confession for 10 years! I don’t know what to do!

From a reader: I haven’t been to Confession in 10 years, and I’ve only gone three times back when I was still in grade school. It’s possible I wasn’t catechized in the sacrament properly because I don’t recall requiring the … Read More

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