Already ate meat twice during this Lenten season

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BadTurkey

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So I decided to give up meat for all of Lent this year, as I have done for the past 2 years. However, unlike past years, I already broke it twice and had meat (pizza once and again at a Chinese restaurant). I can feel the Catholic guilt setting in, fast!

I’ve also been neglecting my Sunday obligations, since I’ve been so stressed out/busy in the past two months. Went to Mass for the first time in a month. I think I need to go to Confession. Prompto.
 
Living up to your screen-name, no? 😃

Hey, it happens. I haven’t met a “perfect” Catholic yet, so join the club.
Yes… go to Confession… and make *MASS *a priority over the meat-issue… 😉

God bless!
 
Remember that nobody is perfect. God did not create us as perfect human beings. The only perfect human was Jesus. That is why the sacrament of Reconciliation exists. I find it very comforting to know that I can go to confession and be truly sorry for what I do and honestly try my best and God will forgive me. Perfection is not possible, but we can only pray to do our best with God at our side!

P.S. - I’m right there with you. Time change screwed me up yesterday and completely forgot about Mass.
 
Yes, do get to confession for the part about missing Mass.

Your personal decision about what to give up for Lent does not carry the pain of sin if you break it though. So you didn’t sin by eating meat (unless it was also a Friday). There might be a case to be made that you’re not keeping a promise to yourself, but I wouldn’t stress over the meat thing when your bigger problem is being away from Mass. If that is too difficult a sacrifice to make, you can always switch it any time to whatever sacrifice might be more realistic. I gave up meat one Lent, and I forgot one day and ate a hot dog. I wanted to make up for it, so I ate as a Vegan for one day. It was shockingly hard to do.
 
BadTurkey said:
So I decided to give up meat for all of Lent this year, as I have done for the past 2 years. However, unlike past years, I already broke it twice and had meat (pizza once and again at a Chinese restaurant). I can feel the Catholic guilt setting in, fast!

I’ve also been neglecting my Sunday obligations, since I’ve been so stressed out/busy in the past two months. Went to Mass for the first time in a month. I think I need to go to Confession. Prompto.
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That’s what it’s there for. 👍
 
I always gave up meat for Lent too - 15 years running. However, last year, I got sick when I started eating meat after Easter - it triggered my first bout of cholecystitis. So, since I don’t intend to give up meat permanently, I decided not to do it this year. My parish priest told me I should focus on my relationship with God during Lent, not what I put into my mouth. We have a tendency to focus on the food restrictions while forgetting what the food restrictions are supposed to do - get us to sacrifice what we like so we can focus on God instead of self-medicating with food.

In other words, if buying food laden with meat is the only way you will have time to go to Mass during Lent, don’t feel guilty. Buy the pizza and get thee to church!
 
I’d be curious to know if anyone has been to Rome during Lent to see what they observed.

My sister was there a few years back and she came back surprised that on Friday’s during Lent (at least where she was) everyone ate meat.

Anyone had the fortunate experience of being in Rome, Italy during Lent? Your experience?
 
I don’t think that any Catholics are going to hell for eating meat on a Friday during Lent. LOL!!! I have slipped up once this year already, but it wasn’t on purpose. Do I think I’m going to hell for eating meat during Lent? No. Do I think that I may be pleasing God by trying my best to follow this simple rule? Absolutely. I have bigger sins & problems to worry about than this one.
 
dontknow said:
I’d be curious to know if anyone has been to Rome during Lent to see what they observed.

My sister was there a few years back and she came back surprised that on Friday’s during Lent (at least where she was) everyone ate meat.

Anyone had the fortunate experience of being in Rome, Italy during Lent? Your experience?
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Canon Law says “Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities”. In the US, the conference of bishops stated that some other form of penance may be substituted for abstinence from meat on Fridays not in Lent. However, as far as I know, it is pretty unusual for the bishops not to have lifted the obligation for Lenten Fridays too. Certainly here in the UK there is no distinction between Fridays in Lent and Fridays not in Lent and I’m pretty sure there isn’t in Italy either.
 
Man, I gotta seriously stop watching the Food Channel/Travel Channel during Lent! So yummy. Me want. Argh!
 
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