Are we still required to abstain from meat on friday?

[Tantum_ergo]

Would it be classed as a sin to eat meat on a friday?

You’re in the UK, so if you’re in an area governed by the bishops who reinstituted year round Friday abstinence, If you’re a Catholic, and you do this deliberately (not accidentally), then yes.

 

[paperwight66]

You’re in the UK, so if you’re in an area governed by the bishops who reinstituted year round Friday abstinence, If you’re a Catholic, and you do this deliberately (not accidentally), then yes.

In which case, any sin would be disobedience. As I said in an earlier post, the Bishops made it clear at the time that eating meat was not a matter of mortal sin.

It is worth noting that a neighbouring parish had a (meat) hotpot supper on a Friday recently. And the clergy attended.

 

[Filii_Dei]

It is worth noting that a neighbouring parish had a (meat) hotpot supper on a Friday recently. And the clergy attended.

Regrettable but absolutely hilarious. Hopefully, somebody had a word with them about it afterward though.

 

[bcuster]

And what specifically does the Church teach about friday?

You are required to abstain from meat or substitute another form of penance, unless your bishop has asked his flock to abstain from meat. (For example, our Archbishop asked us to abstain from meat during the Year of Faith.

 

[djames99]

And what specifically does the Church teach about friday?

If we are traditional, here is one opportunity to show it.

Absolutely abstain.

As an aside, it’s roots can be found in the principle of mortification which is also ‘not in vogue’ anymore. The small gesture will not only benefit you with added graces, but will set the example for others in this self satiating secular mindset of today.

 

[thewanderer]

Whether there is an obligation to do penance on all Fridays has been a topic of heated debate on a couple of threads on CAF. I have maintained that there is still an obligation, but some, quoting Jimmy Akin, have maintained that there is not.

Here is the link to his third article: jimmyakin.com/2004/07/friday_penance_.html
Links to the first two are in it.

I have read his articles and find that his reasoning is very similar to the reasoning used by those who reject Vatican II, but that’s just my opinion.

I’m not trying to get into a debate here, but I just wanted to put emphasis on the most important part of Jimmy Akin’s argument which I feel like many people ignore when dealing with this question, namely, that Canon Law states very explicitly that if there is a doubt about what a particular canon law, that particular law does not have binding force. The point of his argument is not just that you could interpret the US Bishops as having removed a strict obligation to penance on all fridays, but that since it can be interpreted that way (even if you don’t think thats the correct interpretation) the law is in doubt, and so, according to Canon Law it is not binding.

Either way, even if you accept his argument (which at least one of EWTN’s Canon Lawyers agrees with) its still something all Catholics really should do. Even if Jimmy is right and there is no strictly binding obligation (ie, under pain of sin) to penance on fridays outside of lent, its kind of like Good Friday. Its not technically wrong to spend your good Friday partying it up with others, saving your one full meal for an expensive outing to a fancy seafood restaurant without spending any time in prayer or reflection on the crucifixtion, there are no Church laws that strictly prohibit this kind of thing, but it goes so strongly against the spirit of Catholicism that there is a very strong “ought” that goes along with observing Good Friday as a special day of reflection on the passion of our Lord. In just the same way, as Catholics, whether or not it is strictly binding, there is a very strong ought that goes along with observing Fridays as days of penance in remembrance of Christ dying on the cross for us sinners.

In summary, while there is a pretty good argument against a Friday penance being strictly binding on US Catholics via the letter of the law, the spirit of the law obliges us to perform at least some form of penance/recollection on Christ’s boundless love and mercy and the unimaginable gift he has given us through his death. Its the greatest gift anyone will ever receive, the least we can do is commemorate it through prayer and reflection (which technically counts as an act of penance for the Friday obligation). Its really so easy to keep that bare minimum that the spirit of the law demands that we keep it.

 

[Dempsey1919]

It is worth noting that a neighbouring parish had a (meat) hotpot supper on a Friday recently. And the clergy attended.

I’m not surprised. Nobody paid a blind bit of notice to the Bishop’s Conference when they brought back the Friday abstinence. I think most English Catholics are opposed to anything that’s connected to the pre-Vatican II days.

 

[jfoges]

It also bears repeating that the Bishops made it clear at the time that failure to abstain from meat was not a matter of mortal sin (see the Q & A section following the press release at the time).

Just in case anyone is scrupulous.

wasn’t it considered “mortal sin” before Vatican II? I wonder why that changed.

 

[Cojuanco]

wasn’t it considered “mortal sin” before Vatican II? I wonder why that changed.

It was a discipline. A good discipline, but a discipline nonetheless. At the time the Church enjoined it on us on the pain of mortal sin, the sin would have been the violation of the Fourth Commandment, as the hierarchy are our legitimate superiors.

 

[AllSeasons]

And what specifically does the Church teach about friday?

For the sake of simplicity, I just give up meat every Friday. During Lent, I give up meat everyday, except Sundays. Easier said than done, though. Just this past Friday, I totally forgot and had a burger for lunch. Oh well.