tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post6552656788388053802..comments2024-03-18T20:38:40.751+00:00Comments on Fr Hunwicke's Mutual Enrichment: The Eucharistic FastFr John Hunwickehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17766211573399409633noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-83823071255849709032017-09-17T23:37:04.923+01:002017-09-17T23:37:04.923+01:00Of course water. But what about tea? That'd be...Of course water. But what about tea? That'd be inhuman.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-79718928900695310662017-09-17T15:36:15.360+01:002017-09-17T15:36:15.360+01:00One of the things people forget about the long fas...One of the things people forget about the long fast is that it provides cover for sinners; ... therefore someone who doesn't receive is not immediately assumed to be a mortal sinner. This greatly reduces the pressure to "be like everyone else and go up to receive/get a blessing" that you sometimes see.<br /><br />Dead-on! Same to Anita, who had the same thought. This line of Dad29https://www.blogger.com/profile/08554276286736923821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-50721149484328557512017-09-17T13:42:41.060+01:002017-09-17T13:42:41.060+01:00In short, because we love the Lord, we should fast...In short, because we love the Lord, we should fast from midnight for a morning communion, or for three hours for a later Mass, with sensible allowances made for individual circumstances. <br />One way we can grow closer to our Orthodox brethren is to toughen up our ascetical practices. Another way would be to read the little booklet on fasting by Sr Mary David Totah of St Cecilia's Abbey at Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01824005176362146901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-19749913274013099592017-09-17T13:10:29.309+01:002017-09-17T13:10:29.309+01:00Time, perhaps, to remind younger readers of an ane...Time, perhaps, to remind younger readers of an anecdote about the late, lamented Lord Halifax (1830-1934).<br /><br />Allegedly, weekend house-guests at Hickleton Hall, the family seat in Yorkshire, were asked on Saturday evening by the butler, "Holy Communion or breakfast in the morning, Sir?".John F H Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01032884551581324489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-37350047551146305812017-09-17T11:56:19.387+01:002017-09-17T11:56:19.387+01:00As a child in rural australia I made my 1st Commun...As a child in rural australia I made my 1st Communion when the midnight fasting rule was in force. Some of the old men in the parish at the time told us "little people" they could remember the days of pioneer priest and scientist Fr Julian Tennison Woods riding cross country through scrub on horseback 50 miles or more between masses on Sunday, (they related that their fathers made mcgodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05416881338550767824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-89168125475746228452017-09-17T05:58:32.194+01:002017-09-17T05:58:32.194+01:00In answer to Sue: the traditional midnight fast wa...In answer to Sue: the traditional midnight fast was first mitigated in 1953 when Pope Pius XII allowed a 3 hour fast for Communion at evening Masses. The traditional rule still otherwise held but water and medicine were now officially allowed. Also the sick, and others such as those engaged in "enervating labour", those who had to travel to Mass, etc, could get permission to take a Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12177827661591645391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-45682750520711764332017-09-17T00:32:45.809+01:002017-09-17T00:32:45.809+01:00Not mentioned in the Orthodox guidelines reference...Not mentioned in the Orthodox guidelines referenced above is the requirement that married couples fast from sexual activity the night before they receive communion.<br />Rdr. James MorganAuriel Ragmonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08395216240172741261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-75635394413183760782017-09-16T21:34:11.270+01:002017-09-16T21:34:11.270+01:00Orthodox (aka 'eastern schismatics') Eucha...Orthodox (aka 'eastern schismatics') Eucharistic fasting varies in length and intensity, but at the very least it involves not eating from midnight / going to bed until the reception of the Holy Gifts. Non-communicants are encouraged to fast as well. The exceptions involve those who are under the age of seven (or so), pregnant, nursing, or on medications that require something in the Священник селаhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08182325210748920363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-3673944040352811712017-09-16T18:29:13.319+01:002017-09-16T18:29:13.319+01:00If we brought back at least the three-hour fast, t...If we brought back at least the three-hour fast, that would make it a lot easier for people who should not receive Communion to abstain without worrying about arousing speculation amongst their neighbors in the pews as to why they are abstaining. (Not that we should be paying undue attention to whether others are receiving Communion, but people are people and original sin is original sin.)<br />Anita Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11305092097247290243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-5589063953338058432017-09-16T17:11:53.641+01:002017-09-16T17:11:53.641+01:00I can write that in the Parish of St Nicholas of T...I can write that in the Parish of St Nicholas of Tolemtine in Bristol the majority of us fasted from midnight. I can confirm that the Christian Brother Jasper Chrysostom Ring often told us of his brothers who used to stay up late to have their ham and eggs when a daily fast and abstinence was finished. This was in the 1950'sAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-13428331609348544792017-09-16T16:30:12.955+01:002017-09-16T16:30:12.955+01:00Reading older Catholic texts, it's clear that ...Reading older Catholic texts, it's clear that fasting from midnight also included abstaining from water. Did this change with the introduction of 3-hour fast, the 1-hour fast, or was it an earlier liberalisation?<br /><br />Sue Simshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05976537787708670241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-83824230391478085592017-09-16T16:22:11.977+01:002017-09-16T16:22:11.977+01:00One of the things people forget about the long fas...One of the things people forget about the long fast is that it provides cover for sinners; if you should fast from the night before, many will not be able to receive, having broken the fast; and therefore someone who doesn't receive is not immediately assumed to be a mortal sinner. This greatly reduces the pressure to "be like everyone else and go up to receive/get a blessing" that bombcarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07958208687903429992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-30509493113658732232017-09-16T15:42:27.120+01:002017-09-16T15:42:27.120+01:00Since I post under a pseudonym, I'll disclose ...Since I post under a pseudonym, I'll disclose that I follow the practice of your Syrian orthodox friend, for very similar reasons of piety and practical necessity. I understand there are those for whom this would be a hardship or medically impossible, but honestly in my case and at the end of middle age or a little past, it's no more than an inconvenience. Fasting is a mental disciplineRomulushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17734318488290892002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-76796802324152906522017-09-16T14:48:31.794+01:002017-09-16T14:48:31.794+01:00When I converted aeons ago, I was taken under wing...When I converted aeons ago, I was taken under wing by an elderly Irish woman, and after Mass (at her house for breakfast) she would ceremoniously take me to her sink, pour a glass of water, and say: "Here, dear. come and break your fast."<br /><br />I have been quite scrupulous about water ever since (meaning, feeling guilty on those occasions when I have some during the night).gskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17498244324906079070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-30667253246086801652017-09-16T14:13:43.904+01:002017-09-16T14:13:43.904+01:00There is an account, in the autobiography of the l...There is an account, in the autobiography of the late John Card. Heenan, of his ministry in London during the Blitz. Priest, ARP wardens and police worked all night among the bombs, fires and rubble. Once, towards morning, when the Luftwaffe had finally departed, a bunch of weary, begrimed ARP and cops invited Fr Heenan into a still standing public house for a revivifying belt of whisky. He Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-24129715859151915112017-09-16T14:09:43.259+01:002017-09-16T14:09:43.259+01:00I made the journey from Eastern Orthodoxy into the...I made the journey from Eastern Orthodoxy into the Catholic faith, so the topic of fasting stirs up painful memories. As a Roman Catholic, I try to keep the three hour fast. I believe it is beneficial to be physically hungry (or at least not sated) when preparing to receive the Body of Christ. Those curious about Orthodox practice should know that eastern practices are not monolithic: national Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09389331905259998139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-50103122069930416062017-09-16T14:04:40.607+01:002017-09-16T14:04:40.607+01:00ABS has received an email from Professor Herman Nu...ABS has received an email from Professor Herman NuDix of Continuity College in Rome; <i> Look, I may agree that Martin Luther was unjustly excommunicated by the bad old church but even I have enough spiritual strength to keep the fast from Midnight until after Mass.<br /><br />After Mass, I like to have some pasta and vino... O, and I still refrain from meat on Friday because old Catholic habits Mick Jagger Gathers No Mosquehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12879499915093940176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-34439787768738732512017-09-16T12:55:09.618+01:002017-09-16T12:55:09.618+01:00Muslims do it. Jews do it. Eastern Christians do i...Muslims do it. Jews do it. Eastern Christians do it. Our Lord did it. We all did it till wicked Henry came along.<br /><br />Now, not only do we not do it, but we have forgotten that we ever did it, and if reminded we really don't think we need to bother with it.<br /><br />We still have prayer, we still have good works, but the third route to sanctity has mysteriously disappeared. This must Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01824005176362146901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-43764474425838934682017-09-16T10:56:03.827+01:002017-09-16T10:56:03.827+01:00Do the Eastern schismatics also abstain from water...Do the Eastern schismatics also abstain from water?Toma Blizanachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08450554857253388840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-84378626590153434072017-09-16T10:51:59.298+01:002017-09-16T10:51:59.298+01:00A few years ago, when assisting at Sunday morning ...A few years ago, when assisting at Sunday morning mass at my parish church, I observed that it took about half an hour from the beginning of mass to communion. One would never think of eating during that time. Walking from my home, one had to leave about a quarter of an hour before mass. One would never normally think of eating while walking to church (although the grandmother of another child Simon Platthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16196039882299400327noreply@blogger.com