Abstaining on Fridays

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Son_of_Jonah

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I have always known and practiced that one is to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. However, the idea that one is to abstain from meat on all Fridays is something of a novel concept to me. Until recently, I was unaware that the Church encouraged and/or enforced this as a general rule of Catholic living. Given my unawareness of this, I am naturally inclined to questions about the practice. Does anyone have a link handy that explains it in more detail? Or could anyone give me the important bullet points, such as whether it’s simply encouraged or if it’s required, what differences exist regionally (apparently the UK is required to abstain from meat, but the US has different rules…?), what other sacrifices may be made instead, etc.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated! God Bless!
 
You asked for it, so here it is. Good luck.

CHAPTER II : DAYS OF PENANCE

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. 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.​

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=630023
Re: Friday Abstinence Today?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirach2
That is a difficult question to find a common answer, for many opinions circulate that say you must substitute a penance of your choice if you decide to eat meat on Friday. That is not what the Bishops envisioned when the lifted the discipline for Friday abstinence.
Unquote:

In fact, that’s exactly what the bishops did envision. Friday remains a day of penance. There is nothing optional about keeping the Friday penance. The option now is how that penance is done–not whether-or-not it is observed.

I suggest that you read the actual statement from the bishops instead of reading someone’s internet blog.

Here’s a link to the entire text
old.usccb.org/lent/2008/Penance_and_Abstinence.pdf

And a quote from the document itself that completely contradicts the conclusion on the blog:
  1. Friday itself remains a special day of penitential observance
    throughout the year, a time when those who seek perfection will be
    mindful of their personal sins and the sins of mankind which they are
    called upon to help EXPIATE in union with Christ Crucified.
 
Here is some more.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=672696&page=2

Roman Ordo says Abstinence on All Fridays
In the United States, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has declared that “the age of fasting is from the completion of the eighteenth year to the beginning of the sixtieth.” The USCCB also allows the substitution of some other form of penance for abstinence on all of the Fridays of the year, except for those Fridays in Lent. Thus, the rules for fasting and abstinence in the United States are:

Every person 14 years of age or older must abstain from meat (and items made with meat) on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent.

Every person between the age of 18 and 60 must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Every person 14 years of age or older must abstain from meat (and items made with meat) on all other Fridays of the year, unless he or she substitutes some other form of penance for abstinence.

Abstaining from meat is the easiest form of penance for most people, as you can see the rules did not change, unless you do some form of sincere penance you ARE to abstain from meat.
 
Thanks, I appreciate it!👍

Also… I assume fish still qualifies as something “not made from meat,” and that clam chowder would be an acceptable dish for lunch today?
 
Son_of_Jonah said:
Thanks, I appreciate it!👍

Also… I assume fish still qualifies as something “not made from meat,” and that clam chowder would be an acceptable dish for lunch today?
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Yes I would think so. Fish, frogs, clams, oysters, … all fishy foods.
 
(without reading or commenting on other posts I will note…)

In Númenor one is to abstain too from all Elven foods…
 
Sigh… I was looking forward to Lembas to polish that off 😦
 
Bookcat said:
(without reading or commenting on other posts I will note…)

In Númenor one is to abstain too from all Elven foods…
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I’m fairly sure that’s being scrupulous. One should, of course abstain from Elven meat dishes but there’s no reason I’m aware to abstain from all Elven food. The fact their “plain” food is still so rich is no fault of theirs.
 
SonCatcher said:
I’m fairly sure that’s being scrupulous. One should, of course abstain from Elven meat dishes but there’s no reason I’m aware to abstain from all Elven food. The fact their “plain” food is still so rich is no fault of theirs.
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No scruple.

The decree of the Bishop of Númenor:

“In addition to Abstinence from meat (CIC 1251), to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday; abstinence from all (omni) Elven food is to be observed in Númenor ube observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday.”
 
I never abstained from meat on Fridays growing up. However, my wife and her family always has. In the last year I’ve started doing the same and it does make a difference. When I go to my work cafeteria and see grilled hamburgers on Fridays and I avoid it for a tuna fish sandwich, the sacrifice is abundantly clear to me. And so I’m thinking about my spirituality and relationship with God every Friday, even if it is for that brief instant. Now I just need to work on thinking about God the other 167.5 hours in the week. 😃
 
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