This year, Ash Wednesday—which traditionally begins the penitential season of Lent with a day of fasting, abstinence, and prayer—falls on February 14, Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day celebrates a third-century Christian martyr, but it has also become a secular celebration of loving commitment and romantic love.
In a statement, the Archdiocese of Chicago has clarified that Lent is more important than candy hearts. It further suggests that Catholics pick some other day for paper hearts and Cupid’s arrows.
The Archdiocese explained that Catholics will not be dispensed from the laws of fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday. Perhaps, Catholics planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day could do so on February 13th, which is also Mardi Gras.
“The obligation of fast and abstinence must naturally be the priority in the Catholic community,” said the statement.
According to the disciplinary laws and customs of the Church, Catholics aged 18-59 are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Catholics aged 14 and older are also required to abstain from meat on those days, and on Lenten Fridays.
Once again, in the imposition of these arcane and increasingly irrelevant dietary disciplines, the Church proves how out of touch it is with the People of God.
Does Cardinal Cupich or anyone in the administration of the Archdiocese of Chicago really believe that such a statement will have any impact upon those who celebrate the secular feast of Valentine’s Day with as much fervor and reverence for the opportunity to express their love and commitment to a spouse or sweetheart as they do to the Lord?
How many wedding anniversaries are celebrated on this special day? How many wedding engagements will be pledged?
That the Archbishop of Chicago has chosen to make such a statement provides me with yet another opportunity to bemoan all the dietary disciplines related to the celebration of the Lenten Season.
The overwhelming number of Catholics do not observe these disciplines. That is a fact.
And the reality is that such regulations (laws if you will) are unenforceable to the extent that any sanction or penalty can be imposed should they be ignored or transgressed.
Does not the fundamental rule of law, that an unenforceable precept should never be promulgated not apply to arcane dietary regulations associated with Lent?
Perhaps a simple word to the faithful to honor Ash Wednesday by profoundly entering into the spirit of regret and sorrow for personal sin would have been better than a proclamation of obligation to some meaningless prescript against a meat item on a menu or dinner plate.
The irony of this.
The Chicago statement comes on exactly the same day that Pope Francis has announced a new Apostolic Constitution calling for a “radical” reform to the nature and curriculum of ecclesiastical universities and institutions emphasizing “the primary need today for the whole People of God to be ready to embark upon a new stage of Spirit-filled evangelization.”
A new stage of Spirit-filled evangelization? Eat fish on Valentine’s Day or else?
What am I missing here?
I can only hope there are others among the Bishops who are a bit more intelligent and realistic in calling those entrusted to their pastoral care to a spirit of reconciliation and peace with the Lord by emphasizing the remarkable opportunity which the Lenten Season presents for such personal renewal.
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