[Question:]{.underline} Does chewing gum break the ecclesiastical fast?
[Answer:]{.underline} The ecclesiastical fast is not the same thing as a natural fast, which is the total abstinence from all food and drink. The ecclesiastical fast is the fast that is prescribed by the Church’s positive law, and is not always as absolute as the natural fast.
There are two kinds of ecclesiastical fast. The first kind is the Eucharistic Fast. Until Pope Pius XII’s Motu proprio of 1957 (Sacram communion), the Eucharistic fast required by the Church was an absolute fast from the preceding midnight. This excluded the ingestion of any food and drink, even water. It did not allow of even light matter, the ingestion of any food being grave matter and a mortal sin if followed by Holy Communion the same day. Pope Pius XII in the above mentioned decree allowed the three hour fast, to be counted strictly before the time of Holy Communion. This requires abstaining from all solid food and from alcoholic drinks. The rule was changed to one hour of abstinence from non-alcoholic beverages, and allowed the drinking of water at any time, without breaking the fast. These are the rules that must be kept in Tradition, the one hour fast of Pope Paul VI being truly a farce.
The Eucharistic Fast does not admit of a venial sin due to the small quantity of food ingested, not even a very small quantity being interpreted as nothing. However, it is not broken by particles of food found in teeth and swallowed in saliva, nor by toothpaste. The resolution of the question of chewing gum depends on whether or not it is considered to be a food. If the gum itself is swallowed, it must be said to constitute food. Furthermore, chewing gum has large quantities of sugar, that certainly has food value. Consequently, it must be considered as breaking the Eucharistic fast, so that if a person chews gum less than three hours before receiving Holy Communion, then he must abstain from Holy Communion, under pain of sin.
There is no Catholic who believes in the Real Presence who does not see how grave a disrespect it would be to chew gum and then afterwards approach the Sacred Banquet. In addition, as Pope Pius XII states, that the three hour fast itself is a special mitigation and concession on the traditional practice (absolute fast from midnight), that is recommended whenever possible, and that when we use these mitigations we “are expected to make compensation …by becoming shining examples of the Christian life, and principally by works of penance and charity” (In Matters Liturgical, 1959 edition, § 366).
The question of the Ecclesiastical fast prescribed for days of fast is entirely different. Here again the fast obliges under pain of mortal sin (alas, now only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday), but allows one main meal and two snacks. Any consumption of solid food outside those times is a breaking of the fast. However, with this fast, there can light matter, when the amount of food ingested is small, so that the sin committed by deliberately doing so is only a venial sin. Moreover, the amount of food ingested can be so little as to be effectively nothing, in which case it could be considered as not breaking the fast at all.
It would seem that the amount of sugar capable of nourishing contained in a chewing gum is not more than that which is allowed in a cup of tea or coffee. Yet we know that this does not break the fast. Consequently, it can be considered safely that the chewing of a single chewing gum on a day of fast would not constitute a sin against this precept of the Church. However, repeated chewing of gum would amount to at least a light matter, and would constitute a venial sin.
Furthermore, any Catholic who understands the most elementary principles of mortification in the spiritual life, can see how inappropriate it is to stretch the Church’s fasting rules in this way. The chewing of gum, producing oral satisfaction, is a practice that demonstrates little mortification of the sense of taste. It ought, therefore, to be entirely avoided on days of penance, in which we mortify the rebellious senses that lead us into to many sins that offend the all pure Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Answered by Father Peter Scott, SSPX.