8.302. Is there a contradiction between the post-Vatican II replacement of traditional fasts and penances with lenient practices and the Church’s historic call to mortification and reparation?
Yes. The traditional (true) Catholic Church has always upheld fasting, abstinence, and penance as essential practices for sanctifying the soul, imitating Christ, and making reparation for sin. These were not optional or symbolic, but were understood to be divinely instituted forms of mortification that discipline the flesh, subdue the passions, and unite the faithful with the sufferings of Christ. In contrast, after Vatican II, the post-conciliar hierarchy introduced a sweeping relaxation of these penitential disciplines. The traditional fast before Holy Communion was reduced to one hour; the forty-day Lenten fast became almost entirely optional; Friday abstinence from meat was made subject to personal choice or equivalent “penance,” and traditional observances such as Ember Days and Rogation Days were eliminated or ignored. This shift from a supernatural to a naturalistic, comfort-seeking attitude represents a clear rupture with the Church’s perennial ascetical doctrine.
The post-Vatican II religion’s abandonment of traditional penances is rooted in the Council’s anthropocentric vision of man and society. Rather than calling souls to self-denial, reparation, and contrition—as did Our Lord, the Apostles, and the saints—the new religion seeks emotional comfort, psychological affirmation, and social harmony. Fasting and mortification are no longer seen as means to holiness and salvation, but as culturally conditioned or outdated practices, replaced by vague personal sacrifices or gestures of solidarity. In doing so, the post-conciliar religion undermines both the doctrine of sin and the need for penance, replacing the crucified Christ with a worldly and indulgent “pastoralism.”
1. Traditional Teaching: Fasting and Mortification as Necessary for Salvation
The Church has always taught that penance is essential for the forgiveness of sin and the salvation of the soul. As Our Lord declared:
“Unless you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.”
The Council of Trent affirms the necessity of penance in the Sacrament of Confession, but also promotes it as a virtue to be lived daily:
“The Church teaches that penance is necessary at all times, and especially so after sin.”
Fasting, bodily discipline, and mortification of the senses are not only expressions of sorrow for sin but means of cooperating with grace. Pope Clement XIII wrote:
“Voluntary mortification of the body is a weapon of virtue and a strong defense against vice.”
From the earliest centuries, the Church required fasts throughout Lent, on Ember Days, Vigils of major feasts, and each Friday of the year. These were strictly enforced, not as arbitrary rules, but as a school of virtue and sacrifice—imitating Christ, who fasted forty days in the desert.
2. Novus Ordo Change: Relaxation and Near Elimination of Fasting Laws
Following Vatican II, the post-conciliar hierarchy initiated a dramatic shift. Pope Paul VI, in his 1966 apostolic constitution Paenitemini, reduced fasting obligations drastically. The 1983 Code of Canon Law codified the changes:
Only Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are now days of mandatory fasting
Abstinence from meat is required only on Fridays of Lent
All other Fridays permit the faithful to substitute “another form of penance”
The Eucharistic fast was shortened from midnight to just one hour
Moreover, traditional penitential observances such as Ember Days and Rogation Days were abolished. Vigils of feasts no longer required fasting. The 1962 calendar itself had already begun this trajectory, but Vatican II’s aftermath accelerated it, reflecting a broader theological shift: a de-emphasis on reparation for sin and a redefinition of penance as an interior, self-chosen act rather than a common discipline.
In modern “Catholic” parishes today, the idea of bodily mortification is rarely preached. Many are unaware that penance is still obligatory at all. Lenten disciplines have become symbolic, subjective, or health-oriented—e.g., “giving up chocolate” or “reducing screen time.” In this framework, penance is not ordered toward God’s justice or the salvation of souls, but toward self-improvement.
3. Theological Implications: Naturalism, Comfort, and Loss of the Supernatural
The abandonment of traditional fasting is not merely a disciplinary change; it reflects a deeper theological error—naturalism. As Pope Pius XII warned in 1947:
“Too often, today, mortification is regarded with contempt. But without it, a sincere return to God is impossible.”
Fasting and penance are essential because of original sin. The body must be disciplined so the soul may rule. By eliminating these practices or treating them as outdated, the post-Vatican II religion rejects the theology of sin, grace, and sanctification.
This shift corresponds with other modernist trends: rejection of Hell, universal salvation, and loss of belief in the Real Presence. Without penance, the Cross is emptied of meaning. Without mortification, the Church becomes worldly, soft, and complacent.
The saints, by contrast, embraced fasting and penance with fervor. St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine of Siena, St. John Vianney, and countless others lived lives of extreme bodily self-denial. Their example is now considered “excessive” by modern standards—but they reflect the Gospel far more than today’s lenient disciplines.
4. Apostolic Tradition: From Christ and the Apostles to the Fathers
Fasting was instituted by Christ Himself. The Apostles observed Wednesday and Friday fasts. The Didache (1st century) instructs Christians:
“Let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, but on the fourth and sixth day.”
The early Church also established Ember Days and Lenten fasting. St. Leo the Great declared:
“Fasting is not only an abstaining from food, but from sins, too. It is a medicine for the soul.”
The Fathers, monks, and ascetics of East and West all insisted that fasting and bodily discipline were necessary for holiness. The Eastern rites to this day preserve strict fasting practices during Lent and other seasons. The Latin Church, until the 20th century, preserved this universal penitential ethos.
Vatican II’s abolition of these ancient observances stands in direct contradiction to the uninterrupted tradition of the Church, which considered fasting not a burden, but a gift of grace.
5. Impact on Doctrine and the Loss of the Sense of Sin
By abandoning traditional fasting, the post-Vatican II religion has contributed to a widespread loss of the sense of sin, of justice, and of the need for reparation. This affects every aspect of doctrine:
Confession is neglected
Hell is rarely preached
Christ’s Passion is sentimentalized, not understood as atonement
Devotions like the Sacred Heart, First Fridays, and Fatima penances are ignored
Without penance, the Cross becomes irrelevant. The faithful are not formed in discipline, self-denial, or contrition. This has led to moral laxity, irreverence in worship, and loss of vocations. It is not accidental—it is the fruit of a counterfeit religion that puts comfort before the Cross.
| Category | Traditional Catholic Teaching | Post-Vatican II Change | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose of Penance | Mortification, reparation for sin, and spiritual discipline | Personal expression or symbolic acts with no objective rigor | Undermines sense of sin and need for atonement |
| Fasting Requirements | Frequent and obligatory: Lent, Ember Days, Vigils, etc. | Only Ash Wednesday and Good Friday mandated | Breaks with apostolic and universal practice |
| Friday Abstinence | Required every Friday under pain of sin | Can be replaced with other unspecified "penance" | Leads to neglect and disregard for Friday penance |
| Role of the Cross | Central; imitated by self-denial and bodily mortification | Emphasis on comfort, joy, and psychological well-being | Promotes naturalism and loss of supernatural focus |
| Apostolic Tradition | Rooted in Christ, Apostles, and early Church practices | Traditions discarded or rendered optional | Contradicts historical continuity and Patristic witness |
Summary:
The traditional Catholic Church has always taught that fasting, abstinence, and mortification are essential for sanctifying the soul, disciplining the body, and making reparation for sin. These practices, instituted by Christ and followed by the Apostles, were never optional. They formed the backbone of the Church's penitential life—found in the Forty Days of Lent, Ember Days, Friday abstinence, and the Eucharistic fast. The saints embraced these sacrifices joyfully, knowing that without the Cross, there is no crown.
However, after Vatican II, the counterfeit Catholic religion that emerged abandoned this consistent tradition. In the name of “pastoral adaptation” and “modern needs,” the Novus Ordo system drastically reduced fasting obligations. Ember Days were eliminated, fasting before Communion was shortened to one hour, Friday abstinence was made replaceable, and most traditional penances were rendered optional or ignored. This dramatic shift undermined the theology of sin and penance, replacing it with subjective gestures, vague symbolic sacrifices, and an emphasis on psychological comfort.
The result has been a widespread loss of the Catholic spirit of reparation. Confession is neglected, Hell is rarely mentioned, and the very notion of sacrifice is foreign to many faithful. Instead of imitating Christ crucified, the new religion promotes well-being, social activism, and self-expression. By discarding the Church's rich ascetical tradition, the post-Vatican II religion contradicts divine revelation, the teaching of the Fathers, and the practice of the universal Church throughout the ages.
This contradiction is not accidental but essential to the new religion’s naturalistic worldview. It no longer views man as a sinner in need of sanctifying grace, but as a social being in need of affirmation. It no longer calls for the imitation of Christ through penance and the Cross, but for a worldly “joy” disconnected from mortification. The traditional Catholic must reject this counterfeit spirit and hold fast to the unchanging discipline of the saints and the true Church.