Abstaining from meat one day per week

[puzzledtoo]

I’m having difficulty understanding the anxiety, angst, or distress that some folks experience because the catholic church asks that they abstain from eating meat on Fridays throughout the year as a way of doing penance.
I’ve read here on the forums one time a post by a college student that was distressed because he or she had exams on good Friday and was worried that observing good Friday with abstaining and fasting would be too much for them. Really?
If we practiced the abstaining from meat each Friday this wouldn’t be an issue. If we had less meat on Fridays (say at one meal) and used the guidelines set forth by the church of doing something else as penance that day such as an extra rosary(as I just read on another thread) that would still serve the same purpose if I’m not mistaken.
I am primarily vegetarian, but when I go somewhere and there are no meat free offerings I do my best to push the meat aside and eat without fanfare so as not to insult the host or hostess if possible.
If nothing else abstaining or fasting once a week or once a month can help us to learn moderation. I’ve become moderate in other areas of my life through fasting twice a month.
The catholic church really isn’t asking that one starve. Only the abstaining from meat one day each week. It is a beautiful and beneficial spiritual practice.

 

[pensmama87]

It is hard to learn and practice self-denial when the world around us preaches indulgence in everything.

I have grown a lot since becoming Catholic, and to some degree sacrifices and penances are “easier,” but when you first start thinking about it at all, it’s enormously challenging, especially if you are alone. You can feel very defeated because you realize how much things can take a hold of you, and nobody around you seems to care, or worse, they think you are ridiculous.

I say let’s meet people where they are. We abstain every Friday, and I still dream about bacon cheeseburgers. Now, I’m in a place where I can offer that up and incorporate it into my penance. But it takes time. If someone starting out says, “It’s hard,” I would choose to believe them, having been there myself. I hope they can grow spiritually from the experience and perhaps take on more to continue to grow. But we have to start somewhere.

I think it can be dangerous if we look at the people around us who are suffering from things that seem not to bother us, and say, “Wow, I must be much more disciplined/holy/mature than they are.” The devil still works on us, too - have to watch out for pride. :sad_yes:

 

[DevoteC]

What about for those who cannot afford to buy foods and the only thing they have at the moment is meat. Is it a sin to eat meat if that is the only food they have?

 

[pensmama87]

What about for those who cannot afford to buy foods and the only thing they have at the moment is meat. Is it a sin to eat meat if that is the only food they have?

If that’s really all they have access to, then no, no sin. But I would guess for most people (at least in affluent countries) that is a rare situation.

 

[tee_eff_em]

What about for those who cannot afford to buy foods and the only thing they have at the moment is meat. Is it a sin to eat meat if that is the only food they have?

In the United States, it may be undisciplined to eat meat on a Friday, but it is explicitly not a sin.

1. Among the works of voluntary self-denial and personal penance which we especially commend to our people for the future observance of Friday, even though

we hereby terminate the traditional law of abstinence binding under pain of sin,

Pastoral Statement On Penance And Abstinence


tee

 

[Della]

What I find amusing is that there is a secular movement pushing “meatless Mondays” for environmental reasons, but heaven forbid we abstain from meat on Friday as a penance.

It’s not hard to abstain from one food group per week–not in the West where every food anyone could ever want is readily available. My dh have had no problem with it at all. There are many protein rich foods apart from meat. Keeping such a simple penance is the easiest way to do our Friday penance.

 

[Isca]

Abstaining from meat is very easy for most of us on this forum. We have many food choices. For me, I eat very little meat anyway, so it’s no big deal. I usually eat some ham at lunchtime - on Friday, I eat cheese instead.

Even for those who are big meat-eaters, there are so many lovely vegetarian things to choose from.

 

[AKDee]

I’m having difficulty understanding the anxiety, angst, or distress that some folks experience because the catholic church asks that they abstain from eating meat on Fridays throughout the year as a way of doing penance.

I feel more angst and distress over the fact that this practice has ceased in America and that there hasn’t been much emphasis on the fact that we’re supposed to at least do something for penance every Friday. I read several articles on this yesterday, actually, and they pointed out that by ceasing the meatless Friday in America that we Catholics lost some of our identity and the benefit of the solidarity of every Catholic participating in the same penance. It also pointed out that protestants noticed our Friday penance of no meat and while some made disparaging comments like “fish eaters” others greatly respected us for it and it was a witness we made to Christ and His Church. We even impacted things like McDonalds, which came out with the Fillet o’ Fish sandwich to appeal to Catholics because they noticed a huge dip in sales every Friday. I do try to go meatless on Fridays as my primary penance. If for some reason I forget I will do another penance instead. I am trying to remember Friday as the “little Lent” it is supposed to be.

 

[St_Francis]

I have met people who were not raised with this discipline who were raised by people who were very proud of their ability to give their children meat and really emphasized it–those people (the parents) had been raised in a time when many families had meat only on Sundays and poor families not even that often.

So now I know people who really think they are not really eating unless there is meat involved… meat-and-potatoes type of people.

Starting from a base like that, you can see they have a long path before them!

 

[St_Francis]

What I find amusing is that there is a secular movement pushing “meatless Mondays” for environmental reasons, but heaven forbid we abstain from meat on Friday as a penance.

It’s not hard to abstain from one food group per week–not in the West where every food anyone could ever want is readily available. My dh have had no problem with it at all. There are many protein rich foods apart from meat. Keeping such a simple penance is the easiest way to do our Friday penance.

And science is finding that fasting is good for one’s health!

 

[signit]

I feel more angst and distress over the fact that this practice has ceased in America and that there hasn’t been much emphasis on the fact that we’re supposed to at least do something for penance every Friday. I read several articles on this yesterday, actually, and they pointed out that by ceasing the meatless Friday in America that we Catholics lost some of our identity and the benefit of the solidarity of every Catholic participating in the same penance. It also pointed out that protestants noticed our Friday penance of no meat and while some made disparaging comments like “fish eaters” others greatly respected us for it and it was a witness we made to Christ and His Church. We even impacted things like McDonalds, which came out with the Fillet o’ Fish sandwich to appeal to Catholics because they noticed a huge dip in sales every Friday. I do try to go meatless on Fridays as my primary penance. If for some reason I forget I will do another penance instead. I am trying to remember Friday as the “little Lent” it is supposed to be.

Good point.

I don’t observe the meatless Friday outside Lent; I say an extra Rosary on Friday nights.

But I agree with the point being expressed. When the rule was changed in the U.S. I remember an older Catholic man on the news who was actually disappointed.

And there’s something about my not eating meat on Friday during Lent that makes me feel that I’m publicly standing up and being counted for something. There was a routine about this on EWTN Radio last night; a conversation between a Catholic man and another man in which the Catholic explained that he still obeys the meatless Friday.

 

[puzzledtoo]

Thank you all for the responses you’ve offered. With just these few posts I’ve gained a bit of knowledge, and insight from your knowledge, insight, questions, concerns. I hadn’t even thought of meeting someone where they are at the moment. Hopefully I can gain enough patience to add this as a part of my daily practice. Just breathe, relax, and meet others where they are. It’s not others who need to change, it’s me. Thank you.

 

[Bonnie]

Just breathe, relax, and meet others where they are. It’s not others who need to change, it’s me. Thank you.

Reminds me of my favorite version of the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the people
I cannot change,
the courage to change
the one I can,
and the wisdom to know
it’s me.

I generally abstain from meat on Fridays, but if I’m having a meal at someone’s house I don’t insist on it. I just eat whatever is offered.

 

[anonymous_in_fl]

I abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the entire year.
I have been doing it for many, many years - - - - I started it as a sacrifice.
It’s just “normal” for me now.
And just for the record I LOVE meat! It is truly a sacrifice to give it up, but it is just a small sacrifice compared with what Christ did for me!

 

[revert_jen]

What I find amusing is that there is a secular movement pushing “meatless Mondays” for environmental reasons, but heaven forbid we abstain from meat on Friday as a penance.

I know! I have often thought of this before.

It’s not hard to abstain from one food group per week–not in the West where every food anyone could ever want is readily available. My dh have had no problem with it at all. There are many protein rich foods apart from meat. Keeping such a simple penance is the easiest way to do our Friday penance.

If you can afford meat, you can afford eggs (or cheese, or tofu, or fish). But while it’s fine to get on your own case for not doing more than is required, it’s a bad idea to judge someone else for not doing more than is required. I abstain on all Fridays throughout the year, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to.

I’ve read here on the forums one time a post by a college student that was distressed because he or she had exams on good Friday and was worried that observing good Friday with abstaining and fasting would be too much for them. Really?

I didn’t read the post in question, but I would imagine there was more worry about the fasting than the abstinance. Also college students may (depending on their situation) have less control over the types of foods they have access to than the rest of us. Plus, if you’re really stressed about finals, it doesn’t take much to push you over the edge.

Anyway, I can tell you that experience in abstaining doesn’t really make fasting much easier. The Church’s requirements for fasting are not at all strict, but some people may not know how much food is actually allowed. (I can’t ever discuss it with my evangelical Protestant friends, because calling a small meal and two snacks “fasting” is just too embarrassing.)

We abstain every Friday, and I still dream about bacon cheeseburgers.

Mmmmmmm, yum. And here it is, Friday. Well, if it wasn’t at least a little hard, I’m not sure what the point would be.

Christianity: The only major world religion that allows you ever to eat a bacon cheeseburger.

(Actually, that’s not true, for example I believe there aren’t any food restrictions in Chinese folk religions, why why let the facts get in the way of a good slogan? )

–Jen

 

[Della]

If you can afford meat, you can afford eggs (or cheese, or tofu, or fish). But while it’s fine to get on your own case for not doing more than is required, it’s a bad idea to judge someone else for not doing more than is required. I abstain on all Fridays throughout the year, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to.

If you got the impression that I was demanding everyone abstain from meat on Fridays, I’m afraid you read more into my words than I stated. I didn’t write that everyone has to do what my dh and I do. I merely stated that is it the simple and easy way to do penance on Fridays. I just wanted to make that clear. :tiphat:

 

[newcalling]

I abstain from meat other than fish on Fridays year round as my Friday penance. Meat is something which I eat a lot, and I only somewhat like fish. I could never be vegetarian, but won’t get off topic with that. To me, it’s a real sacrifice. On the rare occasion when I can’t keep it, I do another penance. However, it was my understanding that part of the reason the requirement was removed in the United States is that it isn’t necessarily a good penance for everyone anymore. If it’s easy for you or you’re vegetarian anyway, then it is my understanding that you should pick a different penance which will be more of a challenge for you. I only know that it is a good one for me because it is hard for me, especially when I don’t have any fish and go completely meatless for that one day.

 

[revert_jen]

If you got the impression that I was demanding everyone abstain from meat on Fridays, I’m afraid you read more into my words than I stated. I didn’t write that everyone has to do what my dh and I do. I merely stated that is it the simple and easy way to do penance on Fridays. I just wanted to make that clear. :tiphat:

I’m sorry, that was badly written on my part. I was agreeing with you in the first half of that paragraph but in my head responding to the OP in the second half. Sorry for the confusion. My only excuse is that I was multitasking at the time, which I should know better than to do.

–Jen

 

[Red_James]

I thought the rule only required one to abstain meat on Fridays during Lent, and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, at least in the U.S.
I myself don’t eat meat on Friday, because I usually tend to have pizza on Friday nights in celebration of the work week being over.
That being said, on Friday evenings I do say extra prayers, such as the Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and my prayer does take a more solemn nature, were I actually sing the hymns instead of just saying them.

 

[Della]

I’m sorry, that was badly written on my part. I was agreeing with you in the first half of that paragraph but in my head responding to the OP in the second half. Sorry for the confusion. My only excuse is that I was multitasking at the time, which I should know better than to do.

–Jen

No problem. I’ve done the same thing on occasion.