"The Ember-days are the first Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of each of the four seasons of the year, set apart as fast-days by the Catholic Church. According to the testimony of Pope Leo, they originated in the time of the Apostles, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost to dedicate each season of the year to God by a few days of penance, or, as it were, to pay three days interest, every three months, on the graces received from God.
The Church has also commanded us to fast at the beginning of each of the four seasons of the year, because it is at this time that she ordains the priests and other servants of the Church, which even the Apostles did with much prayer and fasting. Thus she desires that during the Ember-days Christians should fervently ask of God by prayer, by fasting and other good works, worthy pastors and servants, on whom depends the welfare of the whole Christian flock."
"Q. Why were the Ember-days especially selected for the conferring of Holy Orders?
A. These days of penance and mortification must have seemed to the Church specially suited for this holy function, because during those days the faithful have an opportunity, by united prayer and fasting, to implore of God the fulness of His Holy Spirit for those about to be ordained priests or deacons, and to obtain for the Church pastors according to God's own heart.
The Church lays much store by the prayers and good works of the faithful, when there is question of conferring Holy Orders. ...If the sincere Christian should have nothing more at heart than the advancement of the honor of God, the welfare of the Church, and the salvation of his brethren by good and virtuous priests, then it is for us a grave and urgent duty to offer to God, during the Ember-days, our prayers and our fasts, to the end that the Holy Ghost may enlighten the bishop, that he may not err in making the choice of priests and ministers for the Church, that he may select the worthy, and drive away the unworthy.
Besides this, we should also pray that the Spirit of God may come down with the plenitude of His gifts upon the newly ordained priests. In doing this, we comply with the instruction of the Saviour, who said to His disciples: "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest that He send forth laborers into His harvest. The Beauties of the Catholic Church."
"...she [Holy Mother Curch] desires that in the spring Ember-days we should ask God's blessing for the fertility of the earth; in the summer for the preservations of fruits of the field, in autumn when the harvest is ripe, and in winter when it is sheltered, that we should offer to God by fasting and prayer a sacrifice of thanks, petitioning Him to assist us, that we may not use His gifts for our soul's detriment, but the we refer all praise to Him, the fountain of all good, and assist our neighbor according to our means."
CALL TO ACTION: Pray and fast on the twelve Ember Days that we may not be chastised by a severe famine as we have thus been chastised already by a lack of lawful priests.
Source of orange text: "Explanation of the Epistles and the Gospels," Part I, by Rev. Leonard Goffine; page 9; Nihil Obstat; Arthur J. Scanlan, S.T.D., Censor Liborum; Imprimatur: Rt. Rev. Joseph F. Mooney, V.G., Adm. of Archdiocese of New York (September 28, 1918); Refuge of Sinners Publishing, Inc.; copyright 2021
Source of red text: "Fountain of Living Water" by Rev. A. A. Lambing, LL.D.; pages 258-259; Nihil Obstat: Remigius Lafort, S.T.L., Censor; Imprimatur: John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York; Fr. Pustet & Co. Publishers and Booksellers; copyright 1907
Photo by Michel Grolet