Rev. Fr. Arulnathan Joseph represented Rev. Fr. Michael Dass of St. Anthony to Nirvana to conduct the prayers on All Souls Day.
Cherish the journey and continue the journey they left. To the days we will meet again. Remembering the loved ones, what more the love of God for His children.
True love stories never have endings but they have beginnings... date are yet to be confirmed...
Learning about Catholic is complicated when you're from the Buddhist family since young. There will be question, where How do I fast? What can be eaten?
It is the Lent Season. It will be my first Lent before Baptism. After much reading and researching, it is life saving that I found this article from another convert, Britanny Ann.
That’s it! While the season of Lent is a 40-day period (46 if you count Sundays) leading up to Easter, you only have to follow the Catholic Lent fasting rules on 8 days total. That’s 2 days of fasting and 8 days of abstaining from meat. Every other day during Lent, you eat like normal. No changes needed.
During Lent, “fasting” means eating less than usual so that you can devote more time and energy to prayer, reflection, penance, charity (almsgiving), and spiritual growth.
Fasting does not mean you can’t eat anything all day. Rather, you can eat one full meal and two smaller meals throughout the day, as long as your total intake is less than two regular meals. Snacking in between these smaller meals is not allowed.
During Lent, “abstinence” means choosing not to eat meat or products that contain pieces of meat on certain days of abstinence.
According to the Catholic Lent rules, Catholics 14 years of age and older are required to practice abstinence (no meat) on Ash Wednesday, Fridays during Lent and Good Friday (unless a solemnity falls on one of those days). This doesn’t include all animal products, however.
Catholics are allowed to eat all of the following foods during Lent:
Catholics are not allowed to eat the following foods on Ash Wednesday or Fridays during Lent:
For most people, abstaining from meat and fasting for a few meals according to the Catholic Lent rules really isn’t that much of a sacrifice. For others, however, following the Catholic fasting rules could pose serious health problems. If that’s you, don’t worry.
The Catholic Church does offer plenty of exemptions.
For example, the following people are all exempt from fasting and abstaining during Lent:
Catholics only fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday during Lent, not every day. Catholics fast by eating one regular meal and two small meals (that equal less than one regular meal) with no snacks in between. Fasting does not mean no food all day, and fasting is not a requirement if the Friday falls on a Solemnity.
Catholics do not eat meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, or Fridays during Lent. Instead, they fast and abstain from meat in order to spend more time in prayer or to give more generously to the poor.
Catholics can eat meat on all days during Lent except Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Fridays during Lent. Catholics are only required to abstain from meat on these eight days. All the other days (and on all Solemnities), they may eat like normal.
Catholics do not eat chicken on Fridays during Lent, Good Friday, or Ash Wednesday. This includes large pieces of chicken, such as chicken wings, chicken casseroles, or chicken legs. However, Catholics can have eggs and liquid chicken broth (without pieces of meat) during Lent (and on all Solemnities).
Catholics can eat eggs during Lent. Because eggs are not the “fleshy” part of the animal, eggs do not count as meat for Lent.
Catholics can have dairy products during Lent, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese. Animal products are fine. The Catholic fasting rules only require Catholics to avoid the flesh meat of animals, not all animal products or derivatives.
As a general rule, most Catholics believe you can eat chicken stock, beef broth, turkey gravy, and other similar condiments during Lent, as long as you are only eating the juices from the animals, not the meat (flesh) itself, but not everyone agrees. You will want to ask your local priest for a definitive answer on this one.
Catholics can eat fish during Lent. While the reasons are unclear, Catholics do not consider seafood (fish, shrimp, crab, lobster) as meat during Lent. This is why Friday fish fries and clam chowder are so popular on Fridays of Lent!
There are several theories why fish is not considered “meat” according to the Catholic Lent Fasting Rules.
For example, some have suggested that it’s because fish are cold-blooded (while cows and chickens are warm blooded). Others have suggested that it’s due to the fact that fish used to be common, while steaks were rare. Others believe it rule was invented–at least in part–to help the fish economy in the 16th century.
Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. Every struggle in your life has shaped you into the person you are today.
Be Thankful for the hard times, they can only make you stronger...
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