Always forgetting Friday penance

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Butaperson

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Hi. So I’m a Catholic of about half a year, and I very frustratingly seem to constantly forget the Friday fast.

I don’t think that I yet have it in my mind, the connection between Friday’s and no meat. I’m very bad with the days of the week. Most days I just don’t quite realize that it is actually Friday. I’m in school, and by the second semester the days have all just blurred together into a monochrome pattern, and it’s difficult to select one day out of the rest. I kid you not, there are days when I have woken up on Thursday and hoped that it isn’t Sunday yet for fear that I’ve missed mass. I should go on an official boycott of school for the enhancement of my religious experience (joke)

What do you think I can do to remind myself that it is Friday? I have considered doing a cell phone alarm, but it doesn’t work as there always seem to be like 15 alarms on my phone on a given day. I wanted to see if I could work something on my computer but…???technology??? I don’t have a physical calendar, and even when I did I rarely bothered to check it.

Any suggestions? I might write something in my notebook so that if I flip by the page I’ll remind myself to check the day. Or try to establish a visual pattern, like wearing a particular pair of earrings on Friday, so that I have a physical object to associate with the day. What I find the most frustrating is the fact that every week, my French teacher never fails to remind us that AUJOURD’HUI C’EST VENDREDI" and I just never quite associate it with Friday fast, so I need some new patterns to help remember.
 
You are not alone and good habits can be hard to develop. We were reminded a few years ago about the Friday penance and our Bishops (in the UK) reminded us and then encouraged us not to eat meat on Friday. It took me nearly a year to properly adjust as I had to break away from the Bacon butty on Friday culture at work and a few other habits (usually when I had the day off). I know of others who still struggle.

I would suggest praying, keep trying and have a fall back plan for the times when you don’t succeed. The fall back plan could be offering some extra prayers as a penance, maybe a chaplet of Divine Mercy for the conversion of sinners, souls in Purgatory or persecuted Christians.

Keep picking yourself up, dusting yourself down, never give up and above all forgive yourself.

Have prayed for you.
 
It took us a year to get it down, too! To remember it was Friday… *on *Friday… and Friday means no meat… also *on *Friday…

Used to be Catholics had a lot of help because most restaurants had their fish specials on Fridays, etc. But no more 😦
 
Put an old fashioned paper calendar on the fridge door and X out the days. It may not help for the whole day, but habit will help.
 
I’m sure you may have an iPod or iPad or some kind of smart device that will give you a reminder that it’s Friday.

Here, we have a printed calendar where we write in ALL activities of our family of six. We have all Fridays noted to remind us not to eat meat. We also have made it a habit to go to Church on Friday mornings (homeschooled kids) which also helps us to remember not to eat meat.

Just keep trying and you’ll get there! Don’t give up. Peace.

+JMJ+
 
Butaperson said:
Any suggestions? I might write something in my notebook so that if I flip by the page I’ll remind myself to check the day.
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How do you keep track of your school assignments or other matters of similar importance?
Or try to establish a visual pattern, like wearing a particular pair of earrings on Friday, so that I have a physical object to associate with the day.
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Another option for associating something with a day (obviously, these aren’t mutually exclusive) is to establish a set of devotions for Fridays, if not also the other days of the week.
 
I’m a vegetarian. Does that mean I should fast something else on Friday?
 
Put a blank post-it note on the back of your bedroom door, or in your wallet if you’re paying for lunch each day. Just put it wherever you would usually start cooking or purchasing the food.
 
nevaehniko said:
I’m a vegetarian. Does that mean I should fast something else on Friday?
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I’m a vegetarian also. I daresay being vegetarian doesn’t mean doing more on Friday as we are abstaining from meat all the time.

For the OP, I think the suggestion of the daily calendar is best. Also perhaps plan your main meal the day before.
 
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