A spirit of laxity is eroding the life of billions of Christians. This spirit will depart the Church only by our prayer and fasting...

[Michie]

Laxism is a moral position that in a position of doubt tends to the easiest or least demanding alternative. Christians certainly suffer from this position, but I want to focus rather an the general laxity of the practice of penance, which continues to wear thin with almost nothing expected of Catholics any longer. The thinking in the last sixty years has been that after a period of excessive “legalism” the Church has been merciful to Catholics by not expecting too much of them. Some say, if we have high expectations, it will simply lead people into sin by failing to meet those standards.

Let’s look at what has happened as a result.

Since we are in the season of Lent, this is one of the most glaring examples. Lent began as an all day fast for an entire forty days, with no wine, oil, or animal products allowed in the one meal after sunset. Over time the Church allowed a collation (or snack) around noon. Although some fasting was expected each day, expectations were lessened in the early twentieth century to allow some meat at one of the meals on some days. After Vatican II, only two days of fasting remained in the entire year, even though two collations are allowed on those days. There isn’t one day of fasting left that would compare to the original Lent.

The same thing happened to the fast before receiving the Eucharist. It traditionally began from midnight the night prior, and then was lessened to three hours by Pius XII, and now is only one hour before receiving Communion, which, on a Sunday, is almost no time before Mass begins. The Eucharistic fast has almost disappeared.

Other practices of penance have become optional. When the US Bishops allowed another penance to substitute for abstinence from meat on Fridays, they said they hoped most Catholics would continue the practice voluntarily. We know that the Friday penance has almost completely disappeared in the United States (even though it is still in Canon Law, subject to Bishops Conferences). Other optional practices have also vanished, such as the penance of Ember Days and Vigils, which are now also regulated by Bishops and virtually non-existent.

Continued below.

Is There an End to Laxity?

Laxism is a moral position that in a position of doubt tends to the easiest or least demanding alternative. Christians certainly suffer from this position, but I want to focus rather an the general…

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[fide]

Depriving oneself of pleasures of the world make no sense until one understands why such deprivation is a good. At least for some Catholics, I believe that the problem is not a growing laxity in the Church culture of the West, it is rather a lack of authentic formation in the Faith. A well-formed Catholic knows why the pleasures of the world are not good for him - why moderation of such "foods" is necessary to his all-important spiritual health. Our problem is not laxity per se, calling for discipline and fasting as goods in themselves. Our problem is poor formation in the Catholic Faith. We suffer with malnutrition in doctrinal and in spiritual catechesis, with overfeeding in junk foods even in the Church.