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Lent prepares the Christian faithful for the celebration of the great mysteries of our faith: the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. During this season, the Church invites its faithful to do practices of charity, almsgiving and penance.  Abstinence and fasting are among the penitential acts that the Church recommends. Below is a summary of penitential practices that the Catholic Church demands from its faithful during Lent. Practice of Abstinence and Fasting during Lent On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday for 14 years old up : Abstinence from eating meat and its derivatives for 18-59 years old : Fasting (eating only 1 full meal during the day) * abstinence and fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are not substitutable On Fridays (inlcuding Fridays of Lent) for 14 years old up : Abstinence from eating meat and its derivatives In the Philippines, abstinence is substitutable by any of the following : exercise of piety (e.g. reading the B...

The seasons of Christmas and Holy Week are good occasions for availing of the sacrament of confession. This video is a step by step guide on how to go through the process. See also my related blog entry on Peace and Joy in a Box : Why you should no longer neglect, delay or fear confession . Notes on this video 1. I first saw the Spanish-subtitled version of this video on Patrick Madrid's blog . 2. I don't know what the video means by indicating ¨Conscience¨ as one of the things you'll need for confession. Perhaps it refers to ¨sorrow for sins¨ which is the most important part of confession, but then I think this was covered by the other items ¨Desire to seek forgiveness¨ and the ¨Will to be better.¨ 3.Below is the text of the Act of contrition. You don't have to memorize it. You may bring a copy when you go to confession. Act of Contrition O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss ...

Funny how we find it heroic and admirable when one disciplines his body in order to be a good athlete or a good soldier and yet we find it absurd when we’re told that we have to discipline our body in order to be a good Christian.   Funny how we find it right and just that a person pay for his offenses and yet we find it crazy when we’re told we have to atone for our offenses against God. Funny how we find it romantic and poetic when a human lover suffers with and for the sake of his Beloved and yet we find it stupid when we’re told that we have to suffer with Christ. [1] Suffering is present in all three cases mentioned above; but suffering is not what is sought, but dominion , atonement , union .   Dominion over our passions, atonement for our sins and union with Christ: these are some reasons why the Church prescribes sacrifice and self-denial, most especially during the seasons of Lent and Advent.  --- NOTES Death of Turin Turambar from aryundomiel....

Download a PDF copy of this article   I.Introduction All men desire peace and happiness, but many do not realize that true peace and happiness could come in a box- in a confessional box that is. Many Catholics neglect, delay or fear going to confession for various reasons. In this article, I will try to answer common objections on why one needs to go to confession and why one needs to go soon. I neither presume that I have covered all possible questions and objections about going to confession, nor that I have answered completely the questions I have posed. I am convinced that, more than rational arguments, what are needed for conversion are the grace of God and the person’s humility, faith and trust. Nevertheless, I still dare to tackle these questions in the slightest hope that even just one reader decide to avail of this great sacrament and enjoy the presence of God at the center of his soul. II.Objections to Confession Going to confession for the first time, o...