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  • 17 hours ago
The influence of social media brings an additional dimension to what a local Catholic priest sees as a need for abstinence during the Lenten period.

As Christians at home and around the world embark on 40 days of prayer, almsgiving, fasting and repentance, the Archdiocese of Port of Spain is reminding Catholics that fasting goes beyond abstaining from food.

Rynessa Cutting has more from morning mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Transcript
00:00O Saviour, know my thoughts, I pray...
00:11May hours after two days of revelry in the capital city came to an end,
00:16devout Catholics filled the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Port of Spain
00:20to mark the start of the Lenten season.
00:23Remember that you are those and unto those you shall return or repent and believe the Gospel.
00:33The 40-day period is one marked by prayer, almsgiving, fasting and repentance.
00:39And the Catholic Church is urging Christians to focus on substance over form.
00:45Your almsgiving must be secret and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
00:53And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites.
00:58They love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues
01:03and at the street corners for people to see them.
01:08I tell you solemnly, they have heard their reward.
01:12That when you pray, go to your private room and when you have shut your door,
01:20pray to your Father who is in that secret place and your Father who sees all that is done in
01:26secret will reward you.
01:28Father Dafe is reminding the faithful that the Church instructs them to observe Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as days
01:36of food fasts,
01:37and all Fridays of Lent as days of abstinence from meat.
01:41However, he notes, fasting is much more than abstinence from food.
01:45We are asked to refrain from grudges instead to reconcile with God.
01:54We are also asked to observe digital fasting on social media and going into sites that harm the soul.
02:07And instead we have to focus on spiritual growth.
02:12Why worry when you can pray?
02:19Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
02:22The Orange News is calle and here they we livein..
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