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Text Box: The Orthodox - Basilian Catechism Q. 1341. What should one do who doubts whether or not he is obliged to fast? A. In doubt concerning fast, a parish priest or confessor should be consulted. Q. 1342. When do fast days chiefly occur in the year? A. Fast days chiefly occur in the year during Great Lent and Advent, on the Ember days and on the vigils or eves and preceeding days of some great feasts. A vigil falling on a Sunday is not observed. Q. 1343. What do you mean by Great Lent, Advent, Ember days and the vigils of great feasts? A. Great Lent is the seven weeks of penance preceding Pascha - Easter. Advent is the four weeks of preparation preceding Christmas. Ember days are three days set apart in each of the four seasons of the year as special days of prayer and thanksgiving. Vigils are the days immediately preceding great feasts and spent in spiritual preparation for them. Q. 1344. What do you mean by days of abstinence? A. By days of abstinence I mean days on which no meat at all may be taken (complete abstinence) or on which meat may be taken only once a day (partial abstinence). This is explained in the regulations for Great Lent. All the Fridays of the year are days of abstinence except when a Holyday of obligation or Great Feast falls on a Friday outside of Lent. All Wednesdays are optional days of abstinance. Q. 1345. Are children and persons unable to fast bound to abstain on days of abstinence? A. Children, from the age of seven years, and persons who are unable to fast are bound to abstain on days of abstinence, unless they are excused for sufficient reason.

Text Box: Q. 1346. Why does the Church command us to fast and abstain? A. The Church commands us to fast and abstain, in order that we may mortify our passions and satisfy for our sins. Q. 1347. What is meant by our passions and what by mortifying them? A. By our passions are meant our sinful desires and inclinations. Mortifying them means restraining them and overcoming them so that they have less power to lead us into sin. Q. 1348. Why does the Church command us to abstain from flesh-meat on Fridays? A. The Church commands us to abstain from flesh-meat on Fridays in honor of the day on which our Saviour died. LESSON THIRTY-SIXTH: On the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Commandments of the Church Q. 1349. What is meant by the command of confessing at least once a year? A. By the command of confessing at least once a year is meant that we are obliged, under pain of mortal sin, to go to confession within the year. Q. 1350. Should we confess only once a year? A. We should confess frequently, if we wish to lead a good life. Q. 1351. Should we go to confession at our usual time even if we think we have not committed sin since our last confession? A. We should go to confession at our usual time even if we think we have not committed sin since our last confession, because the Sacrament of Penance has for its object not only to forgive sins, but also to bestow grace and strengthen the soul against temptation. Q. 1352. Should children go to confession? A. Children should go to confession when they are old enough to commit

Text Box: sin, which is commonly about the age of seven years. Q. 1353. What sin does he commit who neglects to receive Communion during the Pascha (Easter) time? A. He who neglects to receive Communion during the Pascha (Easter) time commits a mortal sin. Q. 1354. What is the Pascha (Easter) Time? A. The Pascha (Easter) Time is, in this country, the United States of America, the time between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday. Q. 1355. When is Trinity Sunday? A. Trinity Sunday is the Sunday after Pentecost, or eight weeks after Pascha - Easter Sunday; so that there are fourteen weeks in which one may comply with the command of the Church to receive Holy Communion between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday. Q. 1356. Are we obliged to contribute to the support of our pastors? A. We are obliged to contribute to the support of our pastors, and to bear our share in the expense of the Church and school. Q. 1357. Where did the duty of contributing to the support of the Church and clergy originate? A. The duty of contributing to the support of the Church and clergy originated in the Old Law, when God commanded all the people to contribute to the support of the temple and of its priests. Q. 1358. What does the obligation of supporting the Church and school imply? A. The obligation of supporting the Church and school implies the duty of making use of the Church and school by attending religious worship in the one and by giving Orthodox Catholic education in the other; because if the Church and school were not necessary for our spiritual welfare we would not

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