Area Catholics can fast on Saturday

Ventura Couny Star | February 9, 2005

[Land of the Irish]

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony is allowing Catholics who want to celebrate Chinese New Year today to observe Ash Wednesday on Saturday.

Both holidays occur today.

"I hereby commute the obligation to observe fast and abstinence on Ash Wednesday," Mahony said in a statement released recently.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, a 40-day period that ends with Easter Sunday. Catholics are expected to fast on Ash Wednesday and to refrain from eating meat every Friday until Easter.

Mahony's office estimates there are 1.8 million Asian-American Catholics in the Archdiocese, which includes Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Mary Kay Yu of Camarillo, a Catholic whose husband, George, is chairman of the Ventura County Chinese-American Historical Society, said she couldn't remember another year in which the holidays fell on the same day.

"This year really presented a conflict," Yu said Tuesday.

She said Mahony's decision didn't help her or her family because they already intended to celebrate Chinese New Year on Saturday.

She said she planned to observe Ash Wednesday today.

[Land of the Irish]

"I hereby commute the obligation to observe fast and abstinence on Ash Wednesday," Mahony said in a statement released recently.

[Land of the Irish]

Mahoney ping

[thor76]

Perhaps Mahoney's mitre should be replaced by a beanie sporting a propeller on the top!

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Cardinal Raj has a penchant for Chinese New Year, doesn't he?

I'm glad he has his priorities straight. Yes indeed.

Now where did I put that pic of the Chinese Red Dragon dancing in his Temple of Doom?

[Land of the Irish]

So now the novus church has given us both Ascension Sunday and Ash Saturday.

What's next?

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

What's next?

Holy Week. Fasten your seatbelt.

[NZerFromHK]

From the Catholic Church of Hong Kong:

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http://sundayex.catholic.org.hk/chancery/ci050109.html

...

III. ASH WEDNESDAY (February 9)

As this year Ash Wednesday (February 9) falls on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the faithful are dispensed from fast and abstinence on that day in accordance with our diocesan regulation. However, the faithful are required to choose for themselves some other suitable forms of penance or perform some works of charity, in keeping with the penitential spirit of the season of Lent.
Taking into account the Lunar New Year festivities, the rite of the giving of ashes can be postponed to the 16th (Wednesday - during Mass) or the 18th of February (Friday - during Way of the Cross), or to another suitable date. In accordance with liturgical tradition, this rite should not be held on a Sunday.
The rite of election or enrolment of names for baptism is to be held, as usual, on the First Sunday of Lent (February 13).
The liturgical texts of the booklet “Lunar New Year Liturgy” (in Chinese), published by the Diocesan Liturgy Commission, may be adopted for weekday and Sunday Masses during the Lunar New Year period.

Given at the Chancery Office,
3 January 2005.



Rev. Lawrence LEE
Chancellor

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[Mr Lidless]

L-L-L-Lunar New Year Liturgy? (excuse my stuttering) What the hell is THAT?!!

[Arguss]

If the Catholic Chinese are that conflicted over the two "holidays" why wouldn't the just observe both of them? It wouldn't hurt them to fast twice.

Why would they fast on New Years anyway? It seems to me that these are two different kinds of days, each with it's own protocol. If I were Chinese I wonder how I ould go about reflecting on the Sacrifice of Jesus and my own involvement in that Sacrifice while I was out having fun blowing off fireworks.

[AAABEST]

Cardinal Mahony's Dragon Mass

[Mark in the Old South]

What is next, a dispensation from the fast for the next Wicker chicken sacrifice?

[NZerFromHK]

Even the Catholic Church of Hong Kong doesn't do what Mahoney has done. New Year celebrations yes, but it is held outside Sunday service hours.

[NZerFromHK]

http://catholic-dlc.org.hk/p7b-a.htm

(book marked A004 on the page)

[Mark in the Old South]

Re: "Cardinal Mahony's Dragon Mass"

Well in his defense and considering just who we are talking about, doncha think that kinda makes sense? :-)

[Mark in the Old South]

Welcome to our world.

[sinkspur]

If I were Chinese I wonder how I ould go about reflecting on the Sacrifice of Jesus and my own involvement in that Sacrifice while I was out having fun blowing off fireworks.

Since you're not Chinese, you don't have to worry about it, do you?

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

A picture which will live in infamy, imo.

[Pio]

Yes the connections between serpents and Mahoney is even displayed in full on his Cathedral.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Mahony has a serpent traced in the cement walkway through the children's garden.

[donbosco74]

Oh my gosh! -my 14 year old daughter said when she saw this abomination.

If anyone has any doubts whether the infamous dragon (draco) has taken over the sanctuary at Mahony Square Garden, let them cease now. The Taj Mahony has been exposed (again). Saint Benedict said, "Let not the dragon be my guide" (Non draco sit mihi dux). I wonder what Mahony's revision of that motto would be? Provided, of course, that he were honest - wait - we shouldn't presume to expect too much from him.

Anyone who expects this garbage to stop, hey, give it up. It's only going to get worse, and worse, and worse, until God makes it stop; and that won't be a pretty sight. You should STOP putting any money in the collection basket at your local Novus Ordo parish, because you are funding not only draco messes but perversion of all kinds.