Word on the Street is that a monk, St. Anthony? (Or a Friar?) fasted for a year, and called himself “Brother Ass” to signify he should not be fed like a racehorse.
Also in the ghetto they still talk about another monk who fasted (starved himself) so much that he ruined his digestive system.
Do they still do this? If not, what is the justification–if it was holy then, why not now?
Fast, yes. Starve themselves, no. Why then & not now? Because people nowadays are less likely to confuse holy discipline & loony self-denial. You won’t find any Simon Stylites today, I hope.
So, in what ghetto do they talk about this?
It still occasionally happens with lay people, though. I’ve known a few kids who learned about fasting and wound up in the hospital due to it. Granted, none of these were Catholic.
My pastor actually has a recommended diet for what to consume while fasting, and how fast to start out. He also never tells anyone to fast, but says that, if they want to, they need to check with a doctor first.