[livius]

Ping to you guys. I'm curious to know what you think about this issue (please read the article first).

I think that many people don't understand the significance of a "collective" practice, even though in theory Vat II was supposed to make us into this great community. I have found that the Church, in its practices and in the attitude of its members, has much less community identity than it did prior to VatII.

I am in my 50s, btw, so I grew up with one Church and saw it morph into something totally different within the space of about 5 years.

The communal aspect has always bothered me, because I felt that we had much more collective identity and connection with the past (the community that went before us) prior to VII than after it. The fasting rules were a particularly concrete expression of that.

[AAABEST]

You could probably teach me more about this than I you, so I'm going to have to defer. I'm very careful about advising someone on doctrine issues as I feel that I'm not qualified. I would advise you going to a priest, but I'm not sure who you'd wind up with anymore so I won't do that either.

However, here is a some good info from a tradional site that shows how we used to fast and what has changed since. Note at all of that has been abolished:

Summary
Before receiving the Eucharist (the "Eucharistic Fast")	Traditional: nothing but water and medicines for three hours, though twelve hours are recommended
	1983 Code: nothing but water and medicines for 1 hour
All Fridays	Traditional: Abstain. There is an indult exempting American Catholics from abstaining on the day after Thanksgiving Thursday, however.
	1983 Code: Abstain. American Bishops, however, decided that Fridays' penance can be replaced by other, unspecified sacrifices. Many "conservative Novus Ordo Catholics" follow the traditional practice and abstain from meat as penance on this day along with traditional Catholics, and the American Bishops "recommend" the practice in reparation for the sin of abortion. Note, too, that American Catholics have a dispensation, from Pope Pius XII, to refrain from abstinence on the Friday following Thanksgiving Thursday.
Vigil of the Immaculate Conception	Traditional: Abstain and Fast
	1983 Code: abolished
Advent Embertide	Traditional: Partially Abstain and Fast
	1983 Code: abolished
Vigil of Christmas	Traditional: Abstain and Fast. A decree by Pope Pius XII allows the Fast to take place on December 23 instead
	1983 Code: abolished
Ash Wednesday	Traditional: Abstain and Fast
	1983 Code: Abstain and Fast
Lenten Embertide	Traditional: Partially Abstain and Fast
	1983 Code: abolished
Weekdays of Lent	Traditional: Fast
	1983 Code: abolished
Fridays of Lent	Traditional: Abstain, like all Fridays, in addition to the Lenten Fasting
	1983 Code: Abstain, even if you don't abstain on all other Fridays
Good Friday	Traditional: Abstain and Fast, like all Lenten Fridays
	1983 Code: Abstain and Fast
Holy Saturday	Traditional: Abstain and Fast until Noon
	1983 Code: abolished
Vigil of the Pentecost	Traditional: Partially Abstain and Fast
	1983 Code: abolished
Whit Embertide	Traditional: Partially Abstain and Fast
	1983 Code: abolished
Michaelmas Embertide	Traditional: Partially Abstain and Fast
	1983 Code: abolished

Also as a matter of disclosure, there are many here that would advise you against asking my opinion on ANY matter! LOL.

I love your take on communion, this is so essential to me and Catholicism. Have you ever had any invovement with traditional movement? You sound like a perfect candidate.

[AAABEST]

More info on the above table:

Definitions

Abstinence

In the Latin Church, abstinence means refraining from eating the meat from mammals or fowl, and soup or gravy made from them Fish is allowed, hence Fridays are known as "Fish Fridays." The laws of abstinence apply to all aged 7 and over.

Partial Abstinence

Meat and soup or gravy made from meat may be eaten once a day at the principle meal.

Fasting

Fasting is the taking of only one full meal (which may include meat) and two smaller, meatless meals that don't equal the large one meal. No eating between meals is allowed, but water, milk tea, cofee, and juices are OK. Meat is allowed at one meal, but not on Fridays, Ash Wedneday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigils at right. Everyone over 21 years of age and under 59 years of age is bound to observe the law of fast.

LINK TO ABOVE INFO

The entire site is a great reference. Canticle of Deborah turned me on to it.