Diocese of Madison Lenten regulations

	LENT BEGINS FEB. 13 -- This year, the penitential season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13. Here, Sylvia Minnaert of the Diocese of Madison's Office of Finance receives the mark of ashes from Auxiliary Bishop George O. Wirz at last year's Mass in the Bishop O'Donnell Holy Name Memorial Chapel at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison. (Catholic Herald photo)

Following are the regulations for Lent issued by the Diocese of Madison:

The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 13.

1. Catholics who have celebrated their 14th birthday are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, all Fridays in Lent, and Good Friday.

2. In addition to abstaining from meat, Catholics who have celebrated their 18th birthday, until they celebrate their 59th birthday, are to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those who are bound to this regulation may eat only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength according to one's needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.

These minimal penitential practices should not be lightly excused.

Special liturgical notes

1. Ritual Masses are prohibited on Ash Wednesday, during Holy Week, and on Sundays in Lent.

2. Funeral Masses may not be celebrated on Holy Thursday, during the Easter Triduum, or on Sundays in Lent.

3. When a marriage is celebrated during Lent, it is to reflect the special nature of the season.

MADISON -- Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk of Cincinnati, Ohio, is the next speaker in the ongoing St. Thérèse of Lisieux Lecture Series on Thursday, March 7, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center.

His topic will be "Thinking Catholic." Pilarczyk is the author of a popular book by that title published by St. Anthony Messenger.

In his book, Pilarczyk gives pastoral reflections on many aspects of our lives as Catholics. Offering the point of view of one deeply faithful to the tradition and teachings of the church, Pilarczyk seeks to "help people savor and appreciate and nourish the gift of thinking Catholic."

In his book he writes: "Thinking Catholic is not something we can outline with completeness and detail because it contains too many elements and because it is as complex as the human heart. It is a mixture of motivating forces that may vary from individual to individual, but that includes some features common to all faithful believers.

"It is not a collection of separate items like tools in a tool box, but rather a blend of energies, each of which influences the others, like the various flavors in a good wine."

Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 1959, Pilarczyk was ordained bishop of Cincinnati in 1974 and installed as archbishop in 1982.   Full Story ...