Stations of the Cross
A venerable devotion during Lent is the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross. It is a great means to meditate on the Passion and Death of Our Lord. Stations will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the Fridays of Lent and followed by Holy Mass. On Good Friday, April 7th, Stations will be held at a time to be announced in the Holy Week Schedule. Also the faithful may gain a plenary indulgence under the usual condition by praying the Via Crucis. This may be done privately or during public devotions (in which case, only one person needs to go from station to station). No specific prayers are prescribed, just meditation on the sufferings of Christ.
Lenten Regulations
1. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence. The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence in the United States.
2. The obligation of abstinence (refraining from eating meat) begins at the age of 14. The law of fasting (limiting oneself to one full meal and two lighter meals) obliges all between the ages of 18-59. No one should consider this obligation lightly.
3. Those individuals who have a medical condition in which fasting may be considered harmful are not obliged to fast, but should perform some other act of penance or charity.
4. Pastors and parents are to see to it that minors, though not bound by the law of fast and abstinence, are educated in the authentic sense of penance and encouraged to do acts of penance suitable to their age.
5. The Commemoration of Saint Patrick, March 17th, falls on a Friday in 2023. Out of pastoral consideration, Bishop David Zubik has decided to dispense the faithful of the Diocese of Pittsburgh from the obligation to abstain from meat on that day. While no member of the faithful is required to use this dispensation, those who do so are encouraged to consider some additional act of Lenten discipline on that day.
6. All members of the Christian Faithful are encouraged to do acts of penance and charity during the Lenten season beyond what is prescribed by the law.
7. As a general rule, a request for a dispensation from the obligation of abstinence on Fridays of Lent will not be considered unless some serious reason is present. The attendance at social events, banquets, wedding rehearsals or receptions, or funeral wakes are not considered sufficient reason to request a dispensation.
N.B. This year, the Feast of St. Joseph (March 19th) falls on the 4th Sunday of Lent. Since the Sunday takes precedence over the Feast, the Feast of St. Joseph is transferred to Monday, March 20th.