The Archbishop of Westminster has called upon Roman Catholics to practise fasting as a sign of solidarity with the world’s poor.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy- O’Connor, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, is urging his flock to return to the “simple life” to counter the culture of consumerism.

His concerns are mirrored by his counterpart in the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury. In an article for The Big Issue, the magazine sold by and for the homeless, Dr Rowan Williams, who is on retreat, states that one of his new year resolutions is to lose weight.

The spiritual discipline of fasting has a long tradition in Christianity, and is practised most regularly in Lent, the season of penitence that begins next month. For centuries Roman Catholics and Anglicans also practised eating less on Fridays, cutting out meat and eating fish instead. Many regret that the prohibition of meat on Fridays was relaxed in 1966 by Pope Paul VI, who wanted Catholics to pray and do charitable works instead.

The Cardinal makes his plea for fasting as the Catholic aid agency Cafod begins its Live Simply campaign, in which Christians pledge to cut back on excess in a stand against “consumerism, celebrity and hype” and to help those living in poverty.

Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor says, in his pastoral letter for the Feast of the Epiphany, that Catholics should deepen their faith by reviving their spiritual practices. In the letter, which will will be read at Masses in the Diocese of Westminster this weekend, he asks them to pray regularly and to eat less on Fridays.

He continues: “In wishing you the happiness of this great feast of Epiphany, ask yourself what you can bring as your gift to Our Saviour.

“May I suggest that one such gift is a little time every day . . . I find it essential in my own life to give at least some time each day to think about Him, to be with Him and to pray. That is really the point of the feast of the Epiphany.”

The Cardinal ate soup and a roll for lunch yesterday and a small piece of fish for supper.

Fasting faiths

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