Days of Abstinence: No meat on Ash Wednesday or on any of the Fridays during Lent. This applies to all Catholics 14 and older.

Days of Fasting: Eat only one full meal on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday for Catholics between 18 and 59. Two smaller meals are permitted, but the small meals should not equal a second full meal. Drinking coffee, tea and  water between meals is allowed. Snacks between meals are not allowed.

Those that are excused from fast and abstinence outside the age limits include the physically or mentally ill including individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Also excluded are pregnant or nursing women. In all cases, common sense should prevail, and ill persons should not further jeopardize their health by fasting.

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