MEMORANDUM

  TO:                Pastors, Parish Directors
  FROM:            Most Reverend Arthur N. Tafoya, Bishop of Pueblo
  DATE:            January 8, 2008
  SUBJECT:       Lenten Regulations

  The following information is from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’    
  Secretariat for the Liturgy regarding Lenten regulations:

• Catholics are asked to preserve the penitential purpose and
  character of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, February 6,
  2008.

• Catholics who have celebrated their 14th birthday are bound to
  abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and each
  Friday of Lent.

• Catholics who have celebrated their 18th birthday, in addition to
  abstaining from meat, should fast on Ash Wednesday and Good
  Friday. Fasting includes taking only one full meal and smaller
  quantities of food at the other two meals. The obligation of
  fasting ceases with the celebration of one’s 59th birthday.
  These practices are designed for spiritual growth. Catholics
  should not excuse themselves lightly from these prescribed
  minimal penitential practices.

(Cf. Canons 1249-1253 and On Penance and Abstinence, the Pastoral Statement of the National
Conference of Catholic Bishops, November 18, 1966)