Fast Laws of the Church
From the Code of Canon Law:
Canon 1252: Abstinence only is enjoined on the Fridays throughout the year.
Fast and abstinence together are to be observed on the following days: Ash Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays in Lent, Ember days, and the Vigils of Pentecost, the Assumption, All Saints, and Christmas.
On Sundays and holydays of obligation, except on a holyday in Lent, there is neither fast not abstinence, and, if a vigil that is a fast day falls on a Sunday, the fast is not to be anticipated on Saturday (as the law heretofore demanded), but is dropped altogether that year.
CANON 1250: The law of abstinence forbids the eating of fleshmeat and of broth made of meat, but does not exclude the use of eggs, milk and milk products (cheese and butter), and any seasonings of food thought made from the fat of animals.
CANON 1254: The law of abstinence binds all those have completed their seventh year of age.
CANON 1251: The law of fasting prescribes that only one full meal a day be taken, but does not forbid a small amount of food in the morning and in the evening. As to the kind of food and the amount to be taken, the approved customs of the place are to be observed. It is not forbidden to eat both fleshmeat and fish at the same meal, nor to interchange the midday and evening meal.
CANON 1254: The law of fasting binds all persons from the completion of their twenty-first year until the beginning of their sixtieth.
CANON 1247: The only holydays of obligation for the universal Church are the following: All Sundays, the feasts of Christmas, the Circumcision, the Epiphany, the Ascension, Corpus Christi, the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, St. Joseph, Sts. Peter and Paul, and All Saints. ... If any of the above-mentioned feasts have been legitimately abolished or transferred in some country, no change maybe made without consulting the Holy See.
for the United States
Complete abstinence: Fridays, Ash Wednesday, The Vigils of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas, On days of abstinence meat and soup or gravy made from meat may not be used at all.
Partial abstinence: Ember Wednesdays and Saturdays and on the Vigils of Pentecost and All Saints. Meat may be taken at the main meal only.
Fast: Weekdays of Lent, Ember Days, the Vigils of Pentecost, the Assumption, All Saints and Christmas.
Note these laws vary by country. Please consult your own catechism or contact the Vatican for more information.Michael Fighting
