Key Of Heaven/Feasts and Fasts
Feasts and Fasts.
Holy Days on which there is a strict Obligation to hear Mass, and refrain from servile Work.
All Sundays in the year. — The Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord, 1st of January. — The Ascension of our Lord. — Assumption of B. V. M., 15th of August.— Feast of All Saints, 1st of November. — The Immaculate Conception of B. V. M., 8th of December. — Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, 25th of December.
Fasting Days.
Fridays in Advent. — Every day in Lent, Sundays excepted. —The Ember days, which occur four times in the year, viz.: the Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays— 1. Immediately after the first Sunday in Lent; 2. In Whitsun week; 3. Immediately after the 14th of September; 4. Immediately after the third Sunday of Advent. — The. Vigils of Whitsunday, of the Assumption, of All Saints, and of Christmas.
N. B. When a fasting day falls upon a Sunday, it is kept on the Saturday preceding that Sunday. To fast, consists in abstaining from flesh meat, and eating but one full meal in the day and that not before twelve o'clock. A collation, or about the one-fourth of a meal, is allowed in the evening. All who have completed their twenty-first year are obliged to observe the fasts of the Church, unless exempted for some legitimate cause.
Days of Abstinence.
All Fridays, throughout the year, are days of abstinence. When Christmas falls on a Friday, abstinence is not of precept.
N. B. A day of abstinence is that on which we are not allowed to eat flesh meat. All who have attained the age of reason, are obliged to observe the abstinence commanded by the Church.
In virtue of an Indult to the United States, dated March 15th, 1895, our Bishops are authorized, for ten years, to permit, on abstinence or fasting days, the use of flesh meat to workmen — and their families — whose circumstances would make it difficult for them to observe the law of the Church. — Workmen who might be otherwise bound to fast, are allowed, on fasting days, to take meat only once a day. — The above dispensation does not extend to the following days: any Friday in the year, Ash-Wednesday, all the days of Holy Week, and the eve of Christmas.
Movable Feasts.
| Year of our Lord. |
Ash Wednesday. |
Easter Sunday. |
Ascension Day. |
Whit- Sunday. |
Corpus Christi. |
First Sunday in Advent. |
| 1912 | Feb. 21 | Apr. 7 | May 16 | May 26 | June 6 | Dec. 1 |
| 1913 | Feb. 5 | Mar. 23 | May 1 | May 11 | JuneMay 22 | Nov. 30 |
| 1914 | Feb. 25 | Apr. 12 | May 21 | May 31 | June 11 | Nov. 29 |
| 1915 | Feb. 17 | Apr. 4 | May 13 | May 23 | June 3 | Nov. 28 |
| 1916 | Mar. 8 | Apr. 23 | MayJune 1 | June 11 | June 22 | Dec. 3 |
| 1917 | Feb. 21 | Apr. 8 | May 17 | May 27 | June 7 | Dec. 2 |
| 1918 | Feb. 13 | Mar. 31 | May 9 | May 19 | JuneMay 30 | Dec. 1 |
| 1919 | Mar. 5 | Apr. 20 | May 29 | MayJune 8 | June 19 | Nov. 30 |
| 1920 | Feb. 18 | Apr. 4 | May 13 | May 23 | June 3 | Nov. 28 |
| 1921 | Feb. 9 | Mar. 27 | May 5 | May 15 | JuneMay 26 | Nov. 27 |
| 1922 | Mar. 1 | Apr. 16 | May 25 | MayJune 4 | June 15 | Dec. 3 |
| 1923 | Feb. 14 | Apr. 1 | May 10 | May 20 | JuneMay 31 | Dec. 2 |
| 1924 | Mar. 5 | Apr. 20 | May 29 | MayJune 8 | June 19 | Nov. 30 |
| 1925 | Feb. 25 | Apr. 12 | May 21 | May 31 | June 11 | Nov. 29 |
| 1926 | Feb. 17 | Apr. 4 | May 13 | May 23 | June 3 | Nov. 28 |