The First Precept of the Church

7 Q. What does the First Precept of the Church: To hear Mass on all Sundays and on Holydays of obligation, order us to do?

A. The First Precept of the Church: To hear Mass on all Sundays and on Holydays of obligations, orders us to assist devoutly at Mass on all Sundays and on Holydays of obligation.

8 Q. At which Mass does the Church desire us to assist on Sundays and on Holydays of obligation?

A. The Mass at which the Church desires us to assist, if possible, on Sundays and Holydays of obligation is the Parochial Mass.

9 Q. Why does the Church recommend the faithful to assist at the Parochial Mass?

A. The Church recommends the faithful to assist at the Parochial Mass: (1) In order that all the parishioners of the same parish may unite in prayer together with their Pastor, who is their head; (2) In order that the parishioners may participate more abundantly in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is applied principally for them; (3) In order that they may hear the truths of the Gospel, which Pastors are bound to explain during Mass; (4) In order that they may learn the regulations and notices which are published at that Mass.

10 Q. What is meant by the Lord's Day?

A. The Lord's Day means the day of the Lord, that is, the day specially consecrated to divine service.

11 Q. Why in the First Precept of the Church is special mention made of the Lord's day?

A. In the First Precept of the Church special mention is made of the Lord's Day, because it is the principal Christian festival, as the Sabbath was the principal Jewish festival, and because it was instituted by God Himself.

12 Q. What other festivals have been instituted by the Church?

A. The Church has instituted Feasts of our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin, of the Angels and of the Saints.

13 Q. Why did the Church institute other Festivals of our Lord?

A. The Church instituted other Festivals of our Lord in memory of His divine Mysteries.

14 Q. And why have Festivals of the Blessed Virgin and of the Saints been instituted?

A. Festivals of the Blessed Virgin and of the Saints have been instituted: (1) In memory of the graces which God has given them, and to thank His divine goodness; (2) In order that we may honour them, imitate their example, and be aided by their prayers.

The Second Precept of the Church

15 Q. What is commanded by the Second Precept of the Church in the words, To fast on the days prescribed?

A. By the words, To fast on the days prescribed, the Second Precept of the Church commands us to observe the fast: (1) During Lent; (2) On certain days of Advent, where this is prescribed; (3) On Ember Days; (4) And on certain Vigils.

16 Q. In what does fasting consist?

A. Fasting consists in taking but one meal a day and in abstaining from prohibited kinds of food.

17 Q. On fast days may a collation be taken in the evening?

A. Through the concession of the Church, a collation may be taken in the evening on fast days.

18 Q. What is the good of fasting?

A. Fasting serves to dispose us better to prayer; to do penance for past sins; and to preserve us from sinning again.

19 Q. Who are bound to fast?

A. Every Christian over twenty-one years of age who is not dispensed, or excused for some good reason, is bound to fast.

20 Q. Are those who are not bound to fast, exempt from all mortification?

A. Those who are not bound by the obligation of fasting are not exempt from all mortification, because all are bound to do penance.

21 Q. For what purpose has Lent been instituted?

A. Lent has been instituted to imitate in some way the rigorous fast of forty days undergone by Jesus Christ in the desert, and to prepare us by penitential exercises to celebrate the feast of Easter devoutly.

22 Q. Why has the Advent fast been instituted?

A. The Advent fast has been instituted to prepare us to celebrate devoutly the Feast of our Lord's Nativity.

23 Q. Why has the fast of Ember Days been instituted?

A. The fast of Ember Days has been instituted: (1) To consecrate each of the Four Seasons of the year by some days' penance; (2) To beg of God the preservation of the fruits of the earth; (3) To thank Him for those already given us; (4) And to beseech Him to give good priests to His Church, the usual days for ordaining priests being the Ember Saturdays.

24 Q. Why has fasting on Vigils been instituted?

A. Fasting on Vigils has been instituted to prepare us to celebrate the principal Feasts devoutly.

25 Q. What is forbidden on Fridays, and also on Saturdays where not dispensed?

A. On Fridays, and also on Saturdays where not dispensed, it is forbidden to eat meat, except in case of necessity.

26 Q. Why does the Church wish us to abstain from eating meat on these days?

A. In order that we may do penance each week, and especially on Friday, in honour of the Passion, and on Saturdays in memory of the burial of Jesus Christ, and in honour of the Blessed Virgin. [[2]]