For all Carmelites, Friday, November 14 is the Feast of All Carmelite Saints. On Thursday, November 13, we honor their place on the Carmelite calendar with a day of fast and abstinence.

From the Provinicial Statutes (rev. July 2, 2011):

1. Fast and abstinence:

a) In addition to the days of fasting and abstinence proper to the Church in the United States and in response to the encouragement of our Bishops “to prepare for each Church festival by a day of particular self-denial, penitential prayer and fasting” and to our Carmelite traditions, our members, unless excused by reason of illness or age, will fast on the vigils of the following feast days:

1. Our Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16)

2. Solemnity of St. Joseph (March 19)

3. Our Holy Mother St. Teresa of Jesus (October 15)

4. Our Holy Father St. John of the Cross (December 14)

5. The Prophet Elijah (July 20)

6. St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (October 1)

7. All the Saints of the Order (November 14)

b) For sufficient reason, the above special fast days may be anticipated. Anticipation should never involve fasting on Sundays or Holy Days [cf. Canon Law 1249-1253].