Can I eat meat tonight?

[phil19034]

I abstain from meat every Friday, year round (I know it’s not required in the US, but I find it to help me greatly in my goal to grow closer to God).

Question: since tomorrow (Saturday) is the Solemnity of All Saints, and since Solemnities start at sundown the night before (aka the Vigil); does that mean that we can eat meat tonight for dinner (assuming we abstain during the day)?

I’m thinking the answer is yes, but I’m not sure.

Thank you and God Bless

 

[Joe_5859]

I abstain from meat every Friday, year round (I know it’s not required in the US, but I find it to help me greatly in my goal to grow closer to God).

Question: since tomorrow (Saturday) is the Solemnity of All Saints, and since Solemnities start at sundown the night before (aka the Vigil); does that mean that we can eat meat tonight for dinner (assuming we abstain during the day)?

I’m thinking the answer is yes, but I’m not sure.

Thank you and God Bless

Since you admit that you do so voluntarily, I would think that it is up to you.

Apart from that, I think it makes sense to start the celebration when the Church starts the celebration liturgically. I don’t know what the final word would be, though.

 

[frizzgrig]

The goal of such a discipline is to grow closer to God.

Since you do this as a private devotion, you are free to cease doing so at any time.

Having said that, lets consider the “tone” of your question - you seem to be looking for a “loophole” in the discipline of abstaining from meat on Fridays. Not exactly the kind of thing you would do out of love. It reminds me of the comments a priest gave concerning abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent and “giving up something” for Lent: “Abstaining from meat does not mean you go out and have a lobster feast on Friday. That misses the entire point. Similarly if you replace meat with something you dearly love to eat. The point of the discipline is to be joined with Christ in love and charity by voluntarily giving up something you enjoy and so learn self control, discipline, and maybe what it is like to not have the luxury of a full belly or comfortable life.”

I know families in the US who have fish every Friday (no meat on any Friday). That is a fine thing, but because they always do it it has lost much of the meaning to them. They think it is ok to go to Red Lobster and eat a large seafood meal and claim they are observing the rule of abstaining from meat. Technically they are, but in spirit are they?

 

[Ad_Orientem]

I don’t have a document to support this, but I believe fasting runs from midnight to midnight, even if the liturgical observance starts in the afternoon/evening.

 

[Joe_5859]

The goal of such a discipline is to grow closer to God.

Since you do this as a private devotion, you are free to cease doing so at any time.

Having said that, lets consider the “tone” of your question - you seem to be looking for a “loophole” in the discipline of abstaining from meat on Fridays. Not exactly the kind of thing you would do out of love. It reminds me of the comments a priest gave concerning abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent and “giving up something” for Lent: “Abstaining from meat does not mean you go out and have a lobster feast on Friday. That misses the entire point. Similarly if you replace meat with something you dearly love to eat. The point of the discipline is to be joined with Christ in love and charity by voluntarily giving up something you enjoy and so learn self control, discipline, and maybe what it is like to not have the luxury of a full belly or comfortable life.”

I know families in the US who have fish every Friday (no meat on any Friday). That is a fine thing, but because they always do it it has lost much of the meaning to them. They think it is ok to go to Red Lobster and eat a large seafood meal and claim they are observing the rule of abstaining from meat. Technically they are, but in spirit are they?

I think it’s a tad presumptuous to assume that Phil is just looking for a “loophole.” It’s a natural question to have just in terms of how properly to celebrate a solemnity.

 

[phil19034]

I don’t have a document to support this, but I believe fasting runs from midnight to midnight, even if the liturgical observance starts in the afternoon/evening.

yes, typically it does. But solemnities start at sundown.

This is what one priest posted on another thread to me this morning (note: I asked this question twice, once in this new thread and once in another thread - tried to delete one, but couldn’t)

I get that very question in actual parish life relatively often (relatively, because it’s not often that we have a Solemnity on a Saturday in the first place).

What I tell people is basically: if you come to Mass in the evening and/or prayed Evening Prayer I of the Solemnity then you should be feasting not fasting. On the other hand, if you do nothing to celebrate the Feastday, then keep the Friday abstinence.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=12456654&postcount=31

 

[phil19034]

The goal of such a discipline is to grow closer to God.

Since you do this as a private devotion, you are free to cease doing so at any time.

Having said that, lets consider the “tone” of your question -** you seem to be looking for a “loophole” in the discipline of abstaining from meat on Fridays. Not exactly the kind of thing you would do out of love.** It reminds me of the comments a priest gave concerning abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent and “giving up something” for Lent: “Abstaining from meat does not mean you go out and have a lobster feast on Friday. That misses the entire point. Similarly if you replace meat with something you dearly love to eat. The point of the discipline is to be joined with Christ in love and charity by voluntarily giving up something you enjoy and so learn self control, discipline, and maybe what it is like to not have the luxury of a full belly or comfortable life.”

I know families in the US who have fish every Friday (no meat on any Friday). That is a fine thing, but because they always do it it has lost much of the meaning to them. They think it is ok to go to Red Lobster and eat a large seafood meal and claim they are observing the rule of abstaining from meat. Technically they are, but in spirit are they?

I am NOT looking for a loophole. I read once that it is wrong to fast or abstain on Fridays when they are solemnities because we should be Feasting and celebrating on those days, not fasting and performing penance.

And since All Saints Day starts at sundown tonight, I wanted to know if we should start Feasting at sundown or keep Fasting. Father David’s response was pretty enlightening.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=12456654&postcount=31

 

[KD8TZC]

I am NOT looking for a loophole. I read once that it is wrong to fast or abstain on Fridays when they are solemnities because we should be Feasting and celebrating on those days, not fasting and performing penance.

And since All Saints Day starts at sundown tonight, I wanted to know if we should start Feasting at sundown or keep Fasting. Father David’s response was pretty enlightening.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=12456654&postcount=31

I say do what your heart tells you to do. God loves you regardless if you fast or feast after sundown tonight. Just the fact that you are considering this for Him I think brings joy to Him.

God Bless,

John

 

[Catholic1954]

I abstain from meat every Friday, year round (I know it’s not required in the US, but I find it to help me greatly in my goal to grow closer to God).

Question: since tomorrow (Saturday) is the Solemnity of All Saints, and since Solemnities start at sundown the night before (aka the Vigil); does that mean that we can eat meat tonight for dinner (assuming we abstain during the day)?

I’m thinking the answer is yes, but I’m not sure.

Thank you and God Bless

The bishop is the one to give a dispensation for eating meat today before midnight, but you don’t really need one since this is a regular Friday on the calendar, and the usual conditions apply.

 

[Joe_5859]

I am NOT looking for a loophole. I read once that it is wrong to fast or abstain on Fridays when they are solemnities because we should be Feasting and celebrating on those days, not fasting and performing penance.

And since All Saints Day starts at sundown tonight, I wanted to know if we should start Feasting at sundown or keep Fasting. Father David’s response was pretty enlightening.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=12456654&postcount=31

I like Fr. David’s response. I would go with that.

 

[Seraphim73]

Well did you start fasting last night at sundown?

 

[phil19034]

Well did you start fasting last night at sundown?

No because today, Oct 31st is not solemnity.

In the Liturgical Calendar of the Roman Rite, a solemnity starts at Vespers and the Vigil Mass can take place after Vespers. In the Byzantine Rite, it’s similar, in that it starts with Vespers. But the Vigil Mass isn’t done until midnight.

In some of the other rites, the Vigil Mass can start as early as 6PM and some not before 3AM.

This is why solemnities such as Christmas, Easter, All Saints, etc all have a Vigil Mass. The solemnity starts with the vespers and the vigil watch before sunrise.

So this was the basis of my question: when should I start feasting. At sundown or sunrise.

Father David’s answer was exactly what I was looking for.

 

[thistle]

I abstain from meat every Friday, year round (I know it’s not required in the US, but I find it to help me greatly in my goal to grow closer to God).

Question: since tomorrow (Saturday) is the Solemnity of All Saints, and since Solemnities start at sundown the night before (aka the Vigil); does that mean that we can eat meat tonight for dinner (assuming we abstain during the day)?

I’m thinking the answer is yes, but I’m not sure.

Thank you and God Bless

Fasting is only required two days a year and they are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Do not confuse fasting with abstaining. As fasting is only required on these two days all other times are voluntary and you can start and stop whenever you want. You are not bound.

As for abstaining from meat on Fridays outside Lent if that is not a requirement in your country then it is voluntary and you can start and stop whenever you want. You are not bound.

 

[Brandon_Cal]

My neighbors who are practicing Catholics not only abstain on Fridays, but they also fast and abstain on the Vigils of All Saints (October 31st), the Immaculate Conception (December 7th), and the Nativity (December 24th). Can anyone shed some light on this? Why are they abstaining and fasting if these are solemnities and we’re supposed to be “feasting”?

 

[phil19034]

Fasting is only required two days a year and they are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Do not confuse fasting with abstaining. As fasting is only required on these two days all other times are voluntary and you can start and stop whenever you want. You are not bound.

As for abstaining from meat on Fridays outside Lent if that is not a requirement in your country then it is voluntary and you can start and stop whenever you want. You are not bound.

I’m not confusing the two. Thanks

 

[Joe_5859]

My neighbors who are practicing Catholics not only abstain on Fridays, but they also fast and abstain on the Vigils of All Saints (October 31st), the Immaculate Conception (December 7th), and the Nativity (December 24th). Can anyone shed some light on this? Why are they abstaining and fasting if these are solemnities and we’re supposed to be “feasting”?

I suppose you’d have to ask them to be sure, but I’d imagine they are fasting in preparation for the feasting to come on the solemnities themselves. Sort of like how we fast and abstain on Good Friday before Easter.

 

[dans0622]

My neighbors who are practicing Catholics not only abstain on Fridays, but they also fast and abstain on the Vigils of All Saints (October 31st), the Immaculate Conception (December 7th), and the Nativity (December 24th). Can anyone shed some light on this? Why are they abstaining and fasting if these are solemnities and we’re supposed to be “feasting”?

Hello,

Well…in “the old days” we were required to fast and abstain on the day before Pentecost, Assumption, All Saints, and Christmas (1917 Code, c. 1252). The vigil of the Immaculate Conception was not in the universal law as one of fast/abstinence but maybe that was a (required or customary) practice in the USA. I don’t think so but could be wrong. These regulations were modified quite a bit over the years, due primarily to World War II, and some countries had other requirements.

At any rate, I suppose they are just keeping up an old discipline.

Dan