Priests who possess a pastoral assignment are empowered to grant dispensations or relaxation from the laws of abstinence to individual persons as well as to individual families. The following are exempt from abstinence:

(1)  the poor who live on alms;
(2)  sick and frail persons;
(3)  convalescents who are returning to their strength;
(4)  pregnant women, and mothers who are nursing their children;
(5)  persons who perform hard labor;
(6)  children who have not completed their seventh year of age;
(7)  Persons have completed their 59th year of age with permission of their pastor or confessor.

The manner of observing the fast may be found here.