Lagos Archdiocesan Laity Council

07/03/2022

Days of Abstinence

Certain uncertainties and sometimes controversies arise as to when and how we are to abstain and fast. In fact, some believe that abstinence is a strict religious practice meant for the Priests and Religious. Controversially, some Religious erroneously have the believe that the rules of abstinence is NOT universal but particular to certain Archdioceses/Dioceses (at least, that was what the Superior of the Religious House I went in Umuahia, Abia State told me).
To begin with, The Code of Canon Law –(New Revised English Translation), Second Indian Reprint 2005- clearly establishes and states what the acceptable norms regarding the days of abstinence are for “All Christ’s faithful” (Book IV: The Sanctifying Office of the Church, Title II: Sacred Times, Chapter II: Days of Penance). Simply put: Canon 1249. What this Canon does is to explain the reason behind, and the justification for, it “so that all may be joined together in a certain common practice of penance”. Therefore, “On these days Christ’s faithful are in a special manner to devote themselves to prayer, to engage in works of piety and charity, and to deny themselves, by fulfilling their obligations more faithfully and especially by observing the fast and abstinence which the following Canons prescribe:
“Can. 1250: ‘The days and times of penance for the universal Church are each Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.’
“Can. 1251: ‘Abstinence from meat, or some other foods as determined by the Bishops’ Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.’
“Can. 1252: ‘The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.’
“Can. 1253: ‘The Bishops’ Conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works if charity and exercises of piety.’”
Basically, the provisions of these Canons are explicit enough for any discerning mind to grasp their meanings and understand them completely without expecting an expert in Canon Law to break them down. As such, what I supposed the problem is, is that people are NOT aware of the proviso of Can. 1249, and by extension the entire provision for the “Days of Penance” in the Catholic Church, by 'The Code of Canon Law'.
Now, let us reason together on the above mentioned Canons. ‘Abstinence from meat, or some other foods as determined by the Bishops’ Conference, is to be observed on all Friday’, Can. 1251 tells us about when to abstain from meat or some other foods which the Bishops Conference will determine. For instance, you cannot ask the people in riverine areas (like Warri, Bayelsa, parts of the South-South, Ilaje, Òndó State, et al) to abstain from meat; they do not eat it in the first place. So, the Bishops Conference can ask them to abstain from fish or any other meal instead.
What we need to do is to have an open mind to the teachings of the Church. Remember, that the Church is both a Mother and Teacher, according to the Encyclical of St. John XXIII: “She is “the pillar and ground of truth”, (1Tim 3:15)”. As such, docility is the watchword for us to be obedient children of our Mother -The Church; and a brilliant student of our Teacher -The Holy Spirit. If we do this, definitely there will be no ground for doubts, and no room for controversies.
I will like to see The Church fashioned and modelled after Her Head -Christ, dishing spiritual nourishment to her members by way of constant reminder on all she teaches for their edibility and edification. The entire corpus of her teaching must be simplified and made readily available by ways of homily, religious texts, seminars/conferences/forums, and most importantly take full advantage of the benefits embedded in social media to reach her numerous faithfuls. This way, many will have the opportunity to be kept abreast of whatever they need to know any point in time.
I will very much like to be part of the People of God immersed in, and obedient to, the Teaching Authority of the Church. Always willing to learn and know in other to appreciate what an heritage the Church has, and is, for them. The people of God ready to listen and act on the teachings of the Church, bearing in my that, as their Mother, she cannot mislead them. And, as their Teacher, she can only offer them the authentic teaching handed on from Christ -her Head, through Apostolic Tradition.
Nevertheless, what I set out to do is simply to state what the Church teaches and professes as regards the days of abstinence in the Universal Church (the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church), to the best of my knowledge; based solely on the laid down and established rules guiding the affairs of the Church. However, this is not to imply that I am an expert in Catholicism. Far from it, I am nowhere near being regarded as such. Besides, if I am an Apologetic, I simply do it based on my understanding of the Church’s teachings.

‘Wagbemiga Mary-Peter Onifade
Writer: Biographer/Essayist/Profiler
0703 457 3233

26/05/2017

15/05/2017

“Do whatever He tells you”
O come to the throne of grace
O come to the Heart most pure
To Mary our hope of life
In whom salvation is sure

Refrain:
Oh Lady of Fatima (Nigeria) hail
Immaculate Mother of grace
O pray for us help us today
Thou hope of the human race

It was exactly a hundred (100) years, last Saturday (13 May, 2017), since our Mother, the Virgin Mary, appeared to three children in a field called Cova da Iria at Fatima in Portugal, in 1917. Our Lady came down from heaven with a message for the whole world but gave them to three little children (St. Francisco, St. Jacinta and Lucia), in a series of six apparitions running from May till October; occurring on the 13th day of each month.
It is on this note that the Holy Father, Pope Francis, declared Sunday, 27 November, 2016 to Sunday, 26 November, 2017, a whole year, for the Centenary Celebration of the Fatima Apparitions. In view of this, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has declared this year as the “Marian Year”. In other word, we are currently in the Year of our Mother Mary in Nigeria. Hear the Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Marins, in his Special Circular on Marian Year, say:

 It is 100 years this year since the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima. In view of this, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has declared a Centenary Celebration running from November 27th 2016 to November 26th 2017.
 Following suit, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has directed that the Marian Year be celebrated all over the country.
 We are therefore pleased to inform all Christ’ faithful in the Archdiocese of plans towards celebrating this great event in our Archdiocese.
 Inauguration ceremony in our Archdiocese will begin with a Novena in all Parishes from Thursday May 18th – Friday May 26th, 2017. On Saturday, May 27th, there will be a Marian procession from the National Stadium to the Marian Shrine in Maryland at 7.00am. The Inaugural Mass follows immediately after the procession. Deans and Parish Priests should please mobilize the people of God to participate actively in this event.

The Year should be observed in the following ways:
 Monthly Novena prayers ending with First Saturday Devotion in all Parishes.
 Prayer for the Marian should be said in all Parishes.
 Family Marian Devotion and Rosary.
 Solemn celebration of all Marian Feasts in the Parishes.
 Parishes and Deaneries to embark on Pilgrimage to key Marian Shrines in the Archdiocese; Maryland, Ave Maria Ikate and Marian Grotto at Ibiye.

Giving the sermon at the Canonisation Mass of St. Francisco and St. Jacinta on Saturday, 13 May, 2017 (the Centenary Day of the first apparition) at Fatima, the Pope says:
“[There] appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun”. So the seer of Patmos tells us in the Book of Revelation (12:1), adding that she was about to give birth to a son. Then, in the Gospel, we hear Jesus say to his disciple, “Here is your mother” (Jn 19:27). We have a Mother! “So beautiful a Lady”, as the seers of Fatima said to one another as they returned home on that blessed day of 13 May a hundred years ago. That evening, Jacinta could not restrain herself and told the secret to her m: “Today I saw Our Lady”. They had seen the Mother of Heaven. Many others sought to share that vision, but… they did not see her. The Virgin Mother did not come here so that we could see her. We will have all eternity for that, provided, of course, that we go to heaven.”
The Holy Father went on to admonish that:
“Dear pilgrims, we have a Mother. Clinging to her like children, we live in the hope that rests on Jesus. As we heard in the second reading, “those who receive the abundance of the grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:17). When Jesus ascended to heaven, he brought to the Heavenly Father our humanity, which he assumed in the womb of the Virgin Mary and will never forsake. Like an anchor, let us fix our hope on that humanity, seated in heaven at the right hand of the Father (cf. Eph 2:6). May this hope guide our lives!”
Amen!!!
Just as our Mother Mary instructed the “servers” at the wedding in Cana: “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5); she equally invites you and I to do as Her Son instructs us. She asks us all to be obedient to the will of the Heavenly Father who has a perfect plan for our lives, here on and hereafter in heaven. As our Role Model, she implores us to emulate her ‘divine obedience’ to the eternal will of the Father. If she could do it, then, with the help of God, we can, also, achieve perfection in obedience to the will of the Heavenly Father (Mt 5:48).
“Do whatever He tells you” Holy live and holy living in conformity with the will of the Father are necessary for heaven our through home. As pilgrims here on earth, Abraham (‘our father in faith’) gave us a shining and leading example of perfect obedience to the will of God when he left his house to another unknown land that God led him (Gen 12:1); and later, when he did not refuse to offer his only son of the promise in sacrifice to God (Gen 22:1-19). We can be obedient to the will of God as well.
“Do whatever He tells you” This requires that we trust in God with a total abandonment as exemplified by the widow of Zarephath (Gen 17:15); trusting and believing God in the words of the Prophet Elijah. After there had been no rain in the land, the Lord sent Elijah to Zarephath to be catered for by the widow. On her path, she was simply living for the last moments of her life as the last ounces her stock were what she were to prepare for her son and herself before they die of starvation (ibid, 12).
The Holy Father, Pope Francis recalls the message of Fatima to the three seers and reminds us all to keep them to heart and live on them: “Our Lady foretold, and warned us about, a way of life that is godless and indeed profanes God in his creatures. Such a life – frequently proposed and imposed – risks leading to hell.” “Do whatever He tells you” Because, for us to make heaven and not end up in hell, we must heed the Fatima messages in making reparations for sin, consecrating our hearts, families and nation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary; the daily recitation of the Holy Rosary for the release of souls in purgatory and for many to miss hell.

‘Wagbemiga Mary-Peter
+2347034573233

15/05/2017

“Do whatever He tells you” https://wagbemiga.wordpress.com/2017/05/15/do-whatever-he-tells-you/ …

O come to the throne of grace O come to the Heart most pure To Mary our hope of life In whom salvation is sure Refrain: Oh Lady of Fatima (Nigeria) hail Immaculate Mother of grace O pray fo…