Thursday, September 14, 2023
What Liquids Are Permitted on Fasting Days?

Liquids Permitted on Fasting Days

Around the 14th century water and other liquids become widely permitted to all classes of persons – not just monastics – outside the meal on fast days. This had been so widely known and taught that the 1917 Code did not even comment on the use of liquids on days of fast. In commenting on the Church’s law, Father Jone notes that while liquids do not violate the fast, this adage concerns liquids understood in the proper sense and not quasi-food items like milk shakes. In a similar vein, juices made from puree or pureed food would violate the fast:

"...liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed. The usual amount of cream in coffee or tea is permitted. Milk is understood as ordinary or homogenized, but does not include such combinations as malted milk or milk shakes. However combinations based on skimmed milk and coloring or special flavoring such as chocolate milk are rather a drink than a food and, therefore, permissible." 

Father Prümmer states the same with some additional language worth nothing:

"There is a common saying that drinks do not break the fast, but only those things are to be classified as liquids which normally aid the digestion of food: therefore any drink which has a notable nutritive value cannot be regarded as pure liquid, such as milk, chocolate made with milk. But wine, beer, coffee and tea are permissible." 

Antoine Villien in "A History of the Commandments of the Church" published in 1915 provides a history of the origin of the frustulum and the collation while noting that the distinction in liquids of simple liquids from others that would break the fast, showing that this distinction stretches back to at least the Middle Ages:

“To allow the meal to be taken at noon was to render it possible to work harder in the afternoon but then the fatigued body required some refreshment at night. A little liquid to quench the thirst was at first permitted for it was held that liquids did not break the fast. The Church refrains from forbidding liquids because their primary function is to relieve thirst and aid digestion rather than to nourish although, as St Thomas admits, liquids do give some nourishment. However, the liquids in common use, water and wine, do not always suffice; they are not even an aid to digestion for everybody. Since there are other liquids more beneficial to digestion and better able to quench thirst, e.g., the electuaria, viz. more or less liquid jellies, preserves, candied fruit; could not these electuaria replace water and wine? St Thomas thought that it was just as lawful to take them as to take any other medicine provided only that they be not taken in large quantities or as a food. The permissible quantity was not specified and it devolved upon custom to determine it. Quantity like custom naturally varied in different localities. In the monasteries where everything was better regulated this little lunch consisting of fruit herbs bread water or wine was taken in common, while the Collationes of Cassian were read; hence the name collation was given it and an effort was made so to limit the repast that it might never be equivalent to a full meal. Thus, the essence of the fast was saved.

“The collation was for the night. But in the morning also the weakened stomach felt the need of some relief. Since liquid did not break the fast it could not be forbidden. Neither did the electuaria break the fast as we have seen above provided they were not taken in too great a quantity or per modum cibi; hence they were likewise permitted. Water, wine, coffee were simple liquids; hot chocolate without milk was placed in the class of the electuaria: all were tolerated. A little bread is sometimes necessary with wine or coffee ne potus noceat, so as not to inconvenience delicate stomachs; hence it likewise was permitted and thus originated the morsel of food commonly called frustulum. So it was still true that only a single meal was taken.” 

Hence, in the context of fasting, liquids do not only refer to what is drunk. They also refer to beverages meant to aid in digestion and which offer no real nutritional value (i.e., no or virtually no calories).

Is Chocolate a Liquid or a Solid?

The discovery of the New World also brought with it questions directly impacting what may or may not be consumed on days of fasting and one of the most significant of those concerned a newly discovered substance – chocolate. Was chocolate a liquid or a solid? Could someone consume it on a day of fasting at any time since it is a liquid when heated and left at room temperature? The Economics of Chocolate describes this interesting history:

“The first fight over the definition of ‘chocolate’ was within the Catholic Church. After the Spanish conquest of America, chocolate was imported to Europe and consumed as a beverage. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in Catholic countries such as Spain, France, or Italy, the issue of whether or not it was permitted to drink chocolate during Christian fasting periods…arose. Christian fasting implied that flesh is ‘mortified,’ therefore more ‘nourishing’ substances couldn’t be taken. If chocolate was a drink, it did not break the fast, but if it was a food, then it could not be consumed during Christian fasting periods…

“Catholic scholars debated the issue. Juan de Cardenas (1591-1913) and Nicephoro Sebasto Melisseno (1665) argued that chocolate could not be consumed during the fast because of the addition of butter. Antonio de Escobar y Mendoza (1626), Antonio de Leon Pinelo (1636), and Tomas Hurtado (1645) had a different opinion. According to them, it depended if (and how much) nourishing substances were added to the chocolate. If mixed with water it became a drink and was thus permitted (as was wine), but if mixed with other substances (as milk, eggs, and dry bread) it become a food and, therefore, was forbidden. Cardinal Francesco Mario Brancaccio (1664) also argued if the water component prevailed over the cocoa component, then chocolate did not break the fast…

“Several popes were asked to settle the dispute as leaders of the Catholic Church. According to Coe and Coe (2013), Popes Gregory XIII, Clement VII, Paul V, Pius V, Urban VIII, Clement XI, and Benedict XIV all agreed in private that chocolate did not break the fast. However, there was never an official Papal statement to end the debate.” 

Peter Dens in A Synopsis of the Moral Theology states a similar position from the Church at that time in a more succinct manner:

“Does the taking of chocolate break an ecclesiastical fast? It is certain, with the consent of all, that to eat chocolate undiluted breaks the fast; because it is food, and is taken by way of food. The question is concerning the drinking of chocolate; to wit, when chocolate, mixed with water and diluted and boiled, is drunk, or rather, is sucked. Cozza and La Croix propose this as a question controverted by their patrons on both sides, whom they cite. Benedict XIV, the Supreme Pontiff, has published a lucid dissertation upon this question, who, however, resolves that it is more safe to abstain from chocolate on a fast day; and to him we adhere with Billuart. The reason is, because such a potion in itself, and more especially serves for nourishment, and not properly cooling, or for quenching thirst; for it is a kind of hot concoction. This is confirmed from the fact that by this potion weak persons are nourished." 

To a serious Catholic, what was and was not permitted on a day of fasting was worth careful consideration. 

Want to learn more about the history of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.

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Monday, September 11, 2023
Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe to Defeat the Pro-abortionists in Mexico and Latin America

After the horrific decision to see the legalization of abortion in Mexico, join me in daily praying for the swift defeat of these anti-Catholic and pro-abortion zealots who send unbaptized souls to Hell by their actions.

O Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God, who as Our Lady of Guadalupe didst aid in the conversion of Mexico from paganism in a most miraculous way, we now beseech thee to bring about in these our times the early conversion of our modern world from its present neo-paganism to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of thy divine Son, Jesus Christ, starting in the Americas and extending throughout the entire world, so that soon there may be truly “one fold and one shepherd”, with all governments recognizing the reign of they Son, Jesus Christ the King. This we ask of the Eternal Father, through Jesus Christ His Son Our Lord and by thy powerful intercession – all for the salvation of souls, the triumph of the Church and peace in the world. Amen.

Source: Angelus Press 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal, page 1794

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Sunday, September 10, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 30


In today’s episode, on the 15th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. When the Obligation for Attending Holy Mass Begins
  2. Indulgences for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
  3. Upcoming Feastdays this Week

This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.comPrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers in Latin conveniently on the go. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com offers prayer cards in various formats, including Latin-English rosary pamphlets with the traditional 15 mysteries. Shop for additional Latin resources like missal booklets, server response cards, and more. Visit PrayLatin.com today.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Thursday, September 7, 2023
New A Catholic Life Patreon Shop Launched!

 

I'm happy to announce the launch of the new A Catholic Life Patreon Shop. You can now order the various ICS calendar files that I create each year for those seeking to restore the ancient fasting and abstinence disciplines.

I will soon be adding PDFs to all of my books as well for purchase on the storefront. Do note that if you are a patron of mine already, depending on your tier, you may have access to some of this content automatically without charge (if it is a benefit for your particular tier). If not, you are welcome to order it.

Also, most importantly, anyone can order from the Patreon shop - you do not need to be my patron to do so. So please share the link with anyone that might benefit from it!


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Sunday, September 3, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 29

In today’s episode, on the 14th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. Upcoming Feastdays this Week
  2. Customs for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  3. The Magisterial Weight of Various Papal Documents

This episode is sponsored by Meaning of Catholic. I would like to thank Meaning of Catholic for sponsoring this episode. Meaning of Catholic has just launched its online store offering PDF copies of “The Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence” (in 3 languages), “The Roman Catechism Explained for the Modern World,” and a few other great books to add to your library by authors like Timothy Flanders and Kennedy Hall. Please visit https://meaningofcatholic.com/shop/ to check them out today.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Monday, August 28, 2023
The Errors of So-Called Protestant Reformers


Who Was Jan Huss?

Jan Hus (also known as John Hus) was a Czech religious philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He was born in Husinec, Bohemia (which is part of the modern-day Czech Republic) around 1369 AD and he died on July 6, 1415, in Konstanz, Germany.

Hus was a predecessor to Luther and his errors greatly affected the Faith. He believed that the Church had become corrupt and that its teachings had strayed from the true message of Jesus Christ. He was eventually excommunicated by the Church in 1411. Despite this, he continued to preach and gained a large following in Bohemia. In 1414, he was invited to the Council of Constance to defend his views, but he was arrested and tried for heresy. He was found guilty and burned at the stake on July 6, 1415. 

Hus's ideas had a significant influence on the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, particularly in his emphasis on the authority of the Bible and the priesthood of all believers. He is considered a national hero in the Czech Republic, where his ideas are still celebrated today, although the Czech Republic is known as one of the most atheistic countries in the world. The embrace of Protestantism ultimately leads to atheism.

What Did Huss Teach Against Catholic Doctrine?

The Council of Constance condemned 30 of Huss’s false teachings as heretical. They included the following:

1. There is only one holy universal church, which is the total number of those predestined to salvation. It therefore follows that the universal holy church is only one, inasmuch as there is only one number of all those who are predestined to salvation.

2. Paul was never a member of the devil, even though he did certain acts which are similar to the acts of the church's enemies.

3. Those foreknown as damned are not parts of the church, for no part of the church can finally fall away from it, since the predestinating love that binds the church together does not fail.

4. The two natures, the divinity and the humanity, are one Christ.

5. A person foreknown to damnation is never part of the holy church, even if he is in a state of grace according to present justice; a person predestined to salvation always remains a member of the church, even though he may fall away for a time from adventitious grace, for he keeps the grace of predestination.

6. The church is an article of faith in the following sense: to regard it as the convocation of those predestined to salvation, whether or not it be in a state of grace according to present justice.

7. Peter neither was nor is the head of the holy catholic church.

8. It is not necessary to believe that any particular Roman pontiff is the head of any particular holy church, unless God has predestined him to salvation.

9. The pope is not the manifest and true successor of the prince of the apostles, Peter, if he lives in a way contrary to Peter's. If he seeks avarice, he is the vicar of Judas Iscariot. Likewise, cardinals are not the manifest and true successors of the college of Christ's other apostles unless they live after the manner of the apostles, keeping the commandments and counsels of our lord Jesus Christ.

10. There is not the least proof that there must be one head ruling the church in spiritual matters who always lives with the church militant.

Grouping these together, we see two key issues: predestination and papal authority. He paved the way for Luther and his successors.

The Errors of Luther

One key figure in the Protestant Reformation was Martin Luther, a Catholic monk, who, led astray by private judgment, set himself against the Faith held for 1500 years. He decided that all Christians before him had been in error. Is it possible to believe that Jesus founded a Church to mislead the world, and then after 1500 years approved of over 500 contradictory church denominations founded by men? But, you may say, the Protestant Church is the Church of Christ, purified of error, and only this purified form dates from Luther. I answer that you must choose between Luther and Christ. Jesus said His Church would never teach error (John 14:26); Luther says it did teach error. If Luther is right, Christ is wrong; if Christ is right, Luther and all his followers are wrong.

Luther's chief errors are contained in the following propositions: (1) There is no supreme teaching power in the Church. (2) The temporal sovereign has supreme power in matters ecclesiastical. (3) There are no priests. (4) All that is to be believed is in the Bible. (5) Each one may interpret Holy Scripture as he likes. (6) Faith alone saves, good works are superfluous. (7) Man lost his free will by original sin. (8) There are no saints, no Christian sacrifice, no sacrament of confession, and no purgatory.

You can read more by clicking here.

Beyond Lutheranism

Martin Luther unleashed a holy war against the Church. Actual physical battles in defense of the Catholic Church exploded in Germany and abroad. His movement of protest was formally called Protestantism. The resultant physical conflicts in Germany alone caused the destruction of more than 1,000 monasteries and castles, the sacking of hundreds of peasant villages which were left in ashes, and the burning of the harvests of the nation. More than 100,000 were killed. Others, inspired by this easy and seductive way of finding salvation once for all times, were quick to pile on, each with a different interpretation of Scripture. 

Who Was Zwingli?

Huldrych Zwingli (1484-1531) was a Swiss theologian and the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland. Zwingli's religious ideas emerged independently of Luther's in the early 16th century, yet both sought to attack the Christian Faith with a radically different doctrine than that which was preached for 15 centuries beforehand.

Zwingli took his own interpretation to Switzerland, where he taught that the actual body and blood of Christ was not present in the Eucharist, but only a representation. His interpretation of Scripture caused further consternation between not only the Catholic Church and his adherents, but also between Zwinglians and Luther’s adherents. John Calvin taught that only certain people were predestined to be saved. No amount of work by one not predestined could change God’s mind. Those not predestined were going to Hell. And as Protestantism spread, so did a myriad of different interpretations of Scripture emerge.

What Did Zwingli Teach Against Catholic Doctrine?

The Bible As the Sole Authority: Zwingli emphasized the authority of the Bible as the sole source of religious truth in a rejection of any other authority. Those familiar with the errors of sola-Scriptura can easily refute this since the entire history of the Church showed that authority was never found directly in the Scriptures. Even the Bible itself states: "Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours."

Rejection of Church Tradition: Zwingli challenged the veneration of saints, celibacy of the clergy, and the use of images and relics. All of these ideas of his can be condemned through a study of history, Scriptural authority (ironically), and the teaching of the Apostles and their successors.

Denial of the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist: The alleged “Reformers” were unanimous in rejecting Transubstantiation and the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist, and they argued endlessly over the Real Presence. Zwingli denied any Presence and called the sacrament a commemoration or symbol. Calvin accepted a ‘presence of power’ or spiritual presence. Luther believed in the Real Presence but not in Transubstantiation but a separate false doctrine called Consubstantiation. Zwingli actually so vehemently opposed Calvin and Luther that he declared them damned and ministers of Satan. Luther eventually wished to remove the doctrine and, in his words, give “a great smack in the face to popery,” but he declared that the Scriptures were too clear on the Real Presence of Christ to remove the doctrine.

Rejection of the Merits of Penance: Zwingli directed multiple attacks against the merits of good works, including fasting and abstinence, through the infamous “The Affair of Sausage” in 1522. He audaciously claimed that since Sola Scriptura was the only authority, sausages should be eaten publicly in Lent in defiance.

Who Was John Calvin?

John Calvin was born in Noyon, France, and initially studied law, but his interests soon turned to theology after he learned of Martin Luther’s new religion. In the early 1530s, Calvin fled from France to Basel, Switzerland, where he began to develop his theological ideas and wrote "Institutes of the Christian Religion” which was filled with the errors of predestination, sola scriptura, and others which became the foundation of the “Reformed” protestant sects.

In 1536, Calvin was invited to Geneva, Switzerland, where he became a leading figure in the city's Reformation. He sought to implement his ideas of church governance and moral discipline, which led to conflicts. After being initially expelled from Geneva, he was later invited back, and during his time there, he helped establish a theocratic government that emphasized a strong connection between Protestantism and state. Thankfully God raised up St. Francis de Sales to combat Calvinism who, by God’s grace, converted 72,000 heretics back to the Catholic Faith.

Calvin's teachings spread throughout Europe, and his influence extended to various Reformed movements in different countries, such as the Netherlands, Scotland, England, and parts of Germany. His theological ideas, known as Calvinism, became a major force in shaping Presbyterianism, Congregationalism, and Reformed Baptists.

What Did Calvin Teach Against Catholic Doctrine?

The Bible As the Sole Authority: Like Luther and Zwingli, Calvin emphasized the authority of the Bible as the sole source of religious truth in a rejection of any other authority. He rejected the Catholic view that tradition, along with Scripture, held equal authority in matters of faith. For Calvin, Scripture alone was sufficient for understanding God's will and receiving divine guidance. And like those who came before him, Calvin’s view is refuted by both Scripture itself and 1,500 years of actual Church history.

Justification by Faith Alone: Calvin, like other protestant founders, held to the doctrine of "sola fide," or justification by faith alone. He taught that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone and does not require us to live out our faith through any works, which contradict the teaching of our Lord directly.

Denial of the Visible Hierarchy Established by Christ: He opposed the hierarchical system of the Church which was established by Christ to have a physical earth, including the authority of the pope.

Rejection of Church Tradition: Calvin objected to the veneration of saints and the use of images and relics. 

Denial of the Sacraments: Calvin recognized only two Sacraments— Baptism and the Eucharist – but he viewed even those two Sacraments as symbolic acts that pointed to spiritual realities and rejected the idea of Sacraments as channels of divine grace which affect what they signify. He therefore denied the Real Presence of Christ, the Sacrifice of the Mass, and even the efficacy of Baptism for Salvation. Those who were baptized as children in denominations that follow Calvin’s ideas should be conditionally baptized upon conversion to the Catholic Faith.

Predestination: One of Calvin's most controversial and egregious teachings was the doctrine of predestination. He believed in the concept of "double predestination," which asserted that God predestined some individuals to be saved (the elect) and others to be damned (the reprobate). He, therefore, rejected free will since a person is destined to either heaven or hell and cannot change their fate.  

Various Congregational, Reformed, and Presbyterian churches look to these errors as their basis. We have a responsibility to work for the conversion of those ensnared in the errors of Calvin, and to that end, let us invoke the patronage of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen who was martyred by the Calvinists for his defense of the Catholic Faith.

There is No Uniformity in Protestantism

Once Luther stated that the Bible was open to individual interpretation, the theological trail became crisscrossed with Biblical theorizing and harsh denunciations. Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Anabaptists, and others all preached different pathways of what each described as the true road to salvation. And they all conflicted with each other. Just as 1 + 1 must equal 2, it is impossible for all of the conflicting and varied protestant groups to all be true. The truth is actually found only in the Catholic Church.

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Sunday, August 27, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 28

In today’s episode, on the 13th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. Reminder of St. Michael's Lent
  2. Upcoming Feastdays this Week
  3. Public vs. Private Litanies

This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.comPrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers in Latin conveniently on the go. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com offers prayer cards in various formats, including Latin-English rosary pamphlets with the traditional 15 mysteries. Shop for additional Latin resources like missal booklets, server response cards, and more. Visit PrayLatin.com today.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Sunday, August 20, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 27

In today’s episode, on the 12th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. Upcoming Feastdays this week, including the Octave of the Assumption & the Vigil of St. Bartholomew Vianney
  2. Should Catholics Honor Coptic Orthodox “Saints”?

I would like to thank CatechismClass.com for sponsoring this episode.  CatechismClass.com, the leader in online Catholic catechism classes, has everything from online K-12 programs, RCIA classes, adult continuing education, marriage preparation, baptism preparation, confirmation prep, quince prep classes, catechist training courses, and more. It is never too late to study the fullness of the Catholic Faith, and CatechismClass.com is the gold standard in authentic Catholic formation online.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Sunday, August 13, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 26

In today’s episode, on the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. All Things Assumption: The Vigil of the Assumption, Assumption Day, Octave of the Assumption, and Customs for the Assumption
  2. Historical Proof of Early Christians Believing in the Assumption and in the Immaculate Conception
  3. Upcoming Feastdays this Week: St. Joachim, St. Hyacinth, and St. John Eudes

This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.comPrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers in Latin conveniently on the go. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com offers prayer cards in various formats, including Latin-English rosary pamphlets with the traditional 15 mysteries. Shop for additional Latin resources like missal booklets, server response cards, and more. Visit PrayLatin.com today.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Sunday, August 6, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 25

In today’s episode, on the 10th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. Upcoming Feastdays this week, including the changing dates for St. John Vianney
  2. Saturday Fasting & the Binding Force of Custom
  3. Catholic Productivity

I would like to thank CatechismClass.com for sponsoring this episode.  CatechismClass.com, the leader in online Catholic catechism classes, has everything from online K-12 programs, RCIA classes, adult continuing education, marriage preparation, baptism preparation, confirmation prep, quince prep classes, catechist training courses, and more. It is never too late to study the fullness of the Catholic Faith, and CatechismClass.com is the gold standard in authentic Catholic formation online.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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