- The Challenge of Peace, 1983
For many people, fasting may not be a weekly practice, especially when Lent is over.
But even though Pope Paul VI released Catholics from stringent fasting laws nearly 50 years ago, the Church still regards fasting for a purpose as a proper and useful tradition.
For instance, fasting for peace has been promoted over the years - by the U.S. bishops in their 1983 pastoral on peace and war, by the Ukrainian and Syrian bishops for peace, and by Pope Francis. At their 2012 General Assembly, the U.S. bishops debated whether to make abstinence from meat mandatory on Fridays throughout the year. Instead, the bishops released a statement, encouraging Catholics to fast and abstain from meat on Fridays to support life, religious liberty and marriage in the United States.
Beginning November 1, 2014, the Anglican bishops called for prayer and fasting on the first day of every month for the United Nations' climate talks scheduled in Paris in 2015. The fast was also supported by the Methodist Church, the Baptist Union and the United Reform Church.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw