Fat Tuesday

Mardi Gras
Working in a Catholic school, clubs and teams vied for the coveted “Fat Tuesday Bake Sale.”  It was a first-come, first-serve fundraising slot and it was always lucrative.  Giving up sweets is a popular Lenten resolution and everybody wanted to get their fill before the fasting began.  Mardi Gras is a fundamentally Catholic day.  Believers would consume all the meat, sugar, and fine food products that remained in their homes as the Lenten fast approached.

We too should celebrate life!  Our Catholic liturgical calendar follows a rhythm from fast to feast to ordinary days.  This is the pattern of our lives.  We all experience natural periods of celebration and stillness. We don’t want to over-indulge on food or alcohol any day of the year, but take some time to rejoice on Fat Tuesday!

© Liturgical Publications