![]() ![]() ![]() While Ember Days are not part of the whole community worship, personal observance at home or small communities is not discouraged. In the USA most bishops have chosen to not officially observe Ember Days, but in other countries they are observed. In the 1969 Calendar reform (see General Instruction on the Roman Missal), the observance of Ember Days was left to the discretion of the conference of bishops, and can be adjusted and expanded. The Ember Days also are no longer universally marked on the General Roman Calendar. There is no longer this liturgical connection in the United States, but Ember Saturdays still are a day to pray for priests. The Code of Canon Law of 1983 no longer requires the observance of these fasting and abstinence rules for Ember Days.įormerly, priestly ordinations were performed on many of the Saturday Ember Days. These were days of fasting and abstinence, allowing one full meal, with meat at the principal meal only, except on Fridays where complete abstinence was required. (See New Liturgical Movement for further explanation.) All other Ember weeks were fixed to a certain week this change fixed the September Ember breviary readings and prayers to a particular week. Usually this coincides with the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, but this year is an example of the Ember Days falling the next week. John XXIII, the Ember Days in September were adjusted to fall after the 3rd Sunday in September. After the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14.After Pentecost (Whitsunday) (this would be during the traditional octave of Pentecost).The traditional dates for the Ember days are the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: The Church recognized the pattern of change of seasons and bringing in the harvest man needs to give thanks and renew our hearts.Īn old English rhyme pointed to the Ember Days during the year: The Ember Days in September are outside the main liturgical seasons (Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter) and are closest to the Fall Equinox. ![]() ![]() …The September Ember Days were one of the first Ember Days established, and they are the most prominent of the quarterly days. Although not required, the traditional fasting and abstaining of these days are an external expression of turning our hearts and focusing back to God. But naturally the change of seasons seem to tug and encourage us for renewal and change (spring and fall cleaning, anyone?). Both seasons are a time for change of heart and renewal. In addition, the Church provides us two seasons of preparation, Advent and Lent. Ember Days are a quarterly observance the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of one week of each season that “the Church is accustomed to entreat the Lord for the various needs of humanity, especially for the fruits of the earth and for human labor, and to give thanks to him publicly.” ( Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 45). Once again, I turn to the Church’s Ember Days as an aid to looking at nature and the change of seasons and recognizing them all as a gift from God. She’d be my go-to for a quick and easy introduction, as here: Jennifer Gregory Miller has written quite a bit about Ember Days at Catholic Culture. Today (September 19) is the first of the autumn Ember Days, observances of fasting that come four times a year in traditional Catholicism up to the Second Vatican Council, but recently brought back into focus by a couple of bishops who have called for their observance in light of recently clergy abuse scandal revelations. ![]()
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