Lent begins this year on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 6, and ends just before the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, March 20 when the Easter Triduum begins.

Lent is the principal penitential season in the church year. All the Christian faithful are urged to develop and maintain a voluntary program of self-denial (in addition to the Lenten regulations which follow), serious prayer, and the performing of deeds of charity and mercy, including the giving of alms.

Lenten regulations include:

Abstinence - Everyone 14 years of age and over is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.

Fast - Everyone 18 years of age and under 59 years of age is required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

On these two days of fast and abstinence, only one full meatless meal is permitted. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each person's needs, but together these two should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted but liquids (including milk and fruit juices) are allowed.

To disregard completely the law of fast and abstinence is seriously sinful.