Lent: What the Church Actually Requires Fr. Chris Alar, MIC explains what the Church asks of us on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. These two sacred days are not optional penances—they are days of both fasting and abstinence. Fasting applies to healthy Catholics ages 18–59. The Church defines this simply: one normal meal and two smaller meals that together do not equal another full meal. It is meant to be sacrificial, but not harmful. The Church does not ask anyone to jeopardize their health. Thos