Abstaining from meat on Fridays

[Holland]

I know, its another question on whether we should eat meat on Fridays but here it is. My aunt said it is decided on a Diocese level as to whether you have to abstain from meat on Fridays or not. I didn’t think so but she was pretty insistent. So is she correct?

 

[thistle]

Holland:

I know, its another question on whether we should eat meat on Fridays but here it is. My aunt said it is decided on a Diocese level as to whether you have to abstain from meat on Fridays or not. I didn’t think so but she was pretty insistent. So is she correct?

See below. There seems to be a contradiction between the CCC and Canon. The CCC says you can do any form of penance (of which you can choose not to eat meat) but Canon says you have to abstain from meat or some other food.

CCC 1438 The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice.36 These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works).

Can. 1250 The days and times of penance for the universal Church are each Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

 

[tee_eff_em]

thistle:

See below. There seems to be a contradiction between the CCC and Canon. The CCC says you can do any form of penance (of which you can choose not to eat meat) but Canon says you have to abstain from meat or some other food.

I think quoting the surrounding canons mitigates the apparent contradiction:

Can. 1249 All Christ’s faithful are obliged by divine law, each in his or her own way, to do penance. However, so that all may be joined together in a certain common practice of penance, days of penance are prescribed. On these days the faithful are in a special manner to devote themselves to prayer, to engage in works of piety and charity, and to deny themselves, by fulfilling their obligations more faithfully and especially by observing the fast and abstinence which the following canons prescribe.

thistle:

Can. 1250 The days and times of penance for the universal Church are each Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

*Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

Can. 1253 The Episcopal Conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.*

To answer the OP: The authority to establish the precise means of observing penance is given to the local Episcopal Conference.

However also worth noting are the following:

*Can. 1244 §1 Only the supreme ecclesiastical authority can establish, transfer or suppress holydays or days of penance which are applicable to the universal Church, without prejudice to the provisions of Can. 1246 §2.
§2 Diocesan Bishops can proclaim special holydays or days of penance for their own dioceses or territories, but only for individual occasions.

Can. 1245 Without prejudice to the right of diocesan Bishops as in Can. 87, a parish priest, in individual cases, for a just reason and in accordance with the prescriptions of the diocesan Bishop, can give a dispensation from the obligation of observing a holyday or day of penance, or commute the obligation into some other pious works. The Superior of a pontifical clerical religious institute or society of apostolic life has the same power in respect of his own subjects and of those who reside day and night in a house of the institute or society.*

Canon 1244 grants the Diocesan Bishop the authority to proclaim special days of penace, but I don’t know if he may establish the particular means of observing penance?

I Am Not A Canon Lawyer
tee

 

[thistle]

tee_eff_em:

I think quoting the surrounding canons mitigates the apparent contradiction:

Can. 1249 All Christ’s faithful are obliged by divine law, each in his or her own way, to do penance. However, so that all may be joined together in a certain common practice of penance, days of penance are prescribed. On these days the faithful are in a special manner to devote themselves to prayer, to engage in works of piety and charity, and to deny themselves, by fulfilling their obligations more faithfully and especially by observing the fast and abstinence which the following canons prescribe.

*Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

Can. 1253 The Episcopal Conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.*

To answer the OP: The authority to establish the precise means of observing penance is given to the local Episcopal Conference.

However also worth noting are the following:

*Can. 1244 §1 Only the supreme ecclesiastical authority can establish, transfer or suppress holydays or days of penance which are applicable to the universal Church, without prejudice to the provisions of Can. 1246 §2.
§2 Diocesan Bishops can proclaim special holydays or days of penance for their own dioceses or territories, but only for individual occasions.

Can. 1245 Without prejudice to the right of diocesan Bishops as in Can. 87, a parish priest, in individual cases, for a just reason and in accordance with the prescriptions of the diocesan Bishop, can give a dispensation from the obligation of observing a holyday or day of penance, or commute the obligation into some other pious works. The Superior of a pontifical clerical religious institute or society of apostolic life has the same power in respect of his own subjects and of those who reside day and night in a house of the institute or society.*

Canon 1244 grants the Diocesan Bishop the authority to proclaim special days of penace, but I don’t know if he may establish the particular means of observing penance?

I Am Not A Canon Lawyer
tee

I guess there must be some fexibility because if the penance would be restricted to abstaining from eating meat on Fridays, what does a vegetarian do?

I actually choose to abstain from eating meat on Fridays because its the easiest penance for me to remember.

 

[Holland]

What I always thought was you either needed to give up meat or do some other type of abstaining or penace on Friday. I ended up in a discussion with my Aunt over who has the authority to decide the issue. She still thinks it is decided on a Diocese level. I will give her the info I have obtained here. I give up meat because its the easiiest thing for me to remember. I do LIKE my steak so giving up meat is a good one for me.