hiefly occur in the year?
A. Fast days chiefly occur in the year during Lent and Advent, on the
Ember days and on the vigils or eves of some great feasts. A vigil
falling on a Sunday is not observed.

Q. 1343. What do you mean by Lent, Advent, Ember days and the vigils of
great feasts?
A. Lent is the seven weeks of penance preceding 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. {394} 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 Lent.
All the Fridays of the year are days of abstinence except when a Holyday
of obligation falls on a Friday outside of Lent.

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.

Q. 1346. {395} 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. {396} 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. {397} 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. {398} 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