Can one be a Catholic and a vegan at the same time?

[strngrnrth]

This makes me wonder what our resurrection bodies will be made of. Will we still be made of meat? Will we be made of light? Some other form of visible energy? Something that doesn’t exist on earth yet? Anybody have the answer?

 

[JimG]

Our resurrected and glorified bodies will be made of matter, just as now, and united of course with our soul, but we will be restored the preternatural gifts, and have the beatific vision.

 

[baltobetsy]

The only thing I wanted to say concerning this is that it is much more important to do what it takes to practice your faith correctly (receive the Eucharist and other sacraments) than it is to practice being a vegan correctly. I don’t care if technically the Eucharist is meat, or whatever, if you are a good, faithful, and practicing Catholic, then you have to take it - at least every Sunday.

Tracy

Tracy, I agree with your main point here, but the bolded portion is technically incorrect. The Church requires us to receive Holy Communion once a year, during Eastertime. Catholics doing their best to practice their faith intensely will certainly receive much more often - weekly or even daily - but the requirement is yearly.

Betsy

 

[mesquite_magic]

With respect, the substance is no longer bread. The accidents of the bread and wine remain, but as Catholics, we are obligated to believe that in every way that matters it is the body and blood of Christ. Therefore, under the strictest interpretation, it is in fact eating meat. However, under this strict interpretation, it is also cannibalism since Jesus’ body is a human (though transfigured) body.

To address the original question, I would say that just as certain orders of Monks that abstain from meat (for example, the trappists) make an exception for the eucharist so a vegan can. After all the normal objections vegans normally have to eating meat would not apply to communion.

–
Bill

If that were really the case then we wouldn’t partake in the Eucharist on Fridays during Lent.

Kim

 

[Tracyms1974]

Tracy, I agree with your main point here, but the bolded portion is technically incorrect. The Church requires us to receive Holy Communion once a year, during Eastertime. Catholics doing their best to practice their faith intensely will certainly receive much more often - weekly or even daily - but the requirement is yearly.

Betsy

Why then is Sunday / the Saturday Vigil Mass considered a Holy Day of Obligation? Are you saying that you have to go to Mass every week even if you consciously decide that you are only going to receive Communion at Eastertime? Seems kind of pointless to me, unless you need to go to confession and you haven’t had a chance to go. My parish priest told us that Sunday is considered a Holy Day of Obligation, and in my mind, if you have to be there anyway, then why not receive the Eucharist as much as you can? Yes the Liturgy of the Word is great - not knocking it. But aren’t we really supposed to be there for the Eucharist?

 

[baltobetsy]

Are you saying that you have to go to Mass every week even if you consciously decide that you are only going to receive Communion at Eastertime?

It has only been in the last hundred years or so that frequent Holy Communion has been practiced by the faithful. Pope St. Pius X encouraged frequent Communion. Before that, people would only receive a few times a year, with the permission of their Confessor.

Most people do not decide that they will only receive at Eastertime, but the law is there to remind those who do not take their faith seriously that once a year they have to get themselves together and go to Confession and receive Holy Communion, even if they’ve been content to be in mortal sin since last Easter.

The other thing is that, even if one does not receive Holy Communion, the Mass is still the unbloody re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary, offered to the Father as our perfect worship. One does not need to receive in order to offer this perfect worship, and it is required that we make this offering every Sunday by attending Mass, whether we receive or not.

Sorry for the serious thread drift.

Betsy

 

[JimG]

Are you saying that you have to go to Mass every week even if you consciously decide that you are only going to receive Communion at Eastertime?

Yes, of course.

We are obligated to attend Mass every Sunday (or Saturday vigil.)

We are only obligated to receive Holy Communion once per year, during the Easter season.

Even if one is in a state of mortal sin, one is still obligated to attend Mass weekly.

Frequent communion is a good thing, provided that familiarity does not breed irreverence. And provided that it’s very frequency does not encourage us to receive it when we should not.

 

[StCsDavid]

I had a discussion with a colleague at work the other day and the question came up if one can be a vegan and still participate in Holy Communion without violating the I don’t eat meat rule.
I know that there are all kinds of vegetarian (I read someones post who claimed to be a vegetarian but ate bacon), that is why I chose vegan as example. The core of the question is: Does the transubstatiated body of Christ count as meat?

Thanks for considering this.

One chooses to be vegan for personal reasons; whether that be health, protecting the environment, or maybe one doesn’t eat meat because one really hates plants. Whatever the reason, it’s a choice made on an individual basis.

To equate the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ as having the same unworthiness of consumption as a piece of chicken is terribly offensive. I would say someone who fretted over this clearly does not understand the Eucharist.

 

[AuntMartha]

With respect, the substance is no longer bread. The accidents of the bread and wine remain, but as Catholics, we are obligated to believe that in every way that matters it is the body and blood of Christ. Therefore, under the strictest interpretation, it is in fact eating meat. However, under this strict interpretation, it is also cannibalism since Jesus’ body is a human (though transfigured) body.

No it is not cannibalism. Please see this thread:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=139046&highlight=cannibalism

 

[jmcrae]

Why then is Sunday / the Saturday Vigil Mass considered a Holy Day of Obligation?

We have to attend Mass every Sunday and every Holy Day of Obligation, but the requirement to attend Mass is not the same thing as the requirement to receive the Eucharist.

What we are required to do on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation is: be present for the Mass, which means, pray the prayers of the Mass, listen to the readings and the homily, and be present when Christ becomes present to us on the Altar at the moment of the Consecration.

This is just as valuable to us whether we are receiving the Eucharist that day, or not.

Are you saying that you have to go to Mass every week even if you consciously decide that you are only going to receive Communion at Eastertime?

Absolutely, yes.

Seems kind of pointless to me, unless you need to go to confession and you haven’t had a chance to go.

It’s not “pointless” at all. After all, Catholics who have not yet received First Holy Communion (little children and people who are doing RCIA) still have to go to Mass, and yet, they are not even allowed to receive Holy Communion, yet. So, obviously, the requirement to attend Mass is not at all the same thing as the requirement to receive Holy Communion.

My parish priest told us that Sunday is considered a Holy Day of Obligation, and in my mind, if you have to be there anyway, then why not receive the Eucharist as much as you can? Yes the Liturgy of the Word is great - not knocking it. But aren’t we really supposed to be there for the Eucharist?

The main idea of being at Mass is to be present at the moment of the Consecration, when Christ comes to us on the Altar. Of course it’s a good thing to receive Holy Communion if you can, but for those who can’t, it’s still really important to be there for the Consecration.

 

[mchale]

No it is not cannibalism. Please see this thread:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=139046&highlight=cannibalism

Sorry for dropping out of the thread the last couple of days…

Anyway, with respect to Fr. Serpa, I am not sure the distinction is one I completely buy. The Eucharist is physically present. According to Church Teaching, after the words of institution are said, only the accidents of the bread and wine remain, meaning the substance of Christ’s Body and Blood are now present. While I do not dispute that Christ is sacramentally present, I do not see how he is not also physically present. Indeed I am not sure how denying a physical presence would be compatible with the Church’s teaching of transubstantiation.

–
Bill

 

[Tracyms1974]

Dear JMcrae,

  Thanks for clearing that up for me.  I learned a lot today!  :thumbsup:   I didn't realize how confused I was until you and baltobetsy explained it all to me.  Have a nice day!!

Tracy

 

[tabcom]

I had a discussion with a colleague at work the other day and the question came up if one can be a vegan and still participate in Holy Communion without violating the I don’t eat meat rule.

:dancing: :extrahappy: :bounce: **
That’s the funniest post I have ever read on this forum.**

 

[Generic_Man]

Listen up brothers and sisters, come here my desperate tale
I speak of our friends of nature, trapped in the dirt like a jail
Vegtables live in oppression, served on out tables each night
This killing of veggies is madness, i say we take up the fight
Salads are only for murderers, cole slaw’s a fascist regime
Don’t think that they don’t have feelings, just cause a radish can’t scream

I’ve heard the screams of the vegetables, watching their skins being peeled
Grated and steamed with no mercy… how do you think that feels?
Carrot juice constitutes murder… greenhouses prisons for slaves
It’s time to stop all this gardening… let’s call a spade a spade.

I saw a man eating celery, so i beat him black and blue
If he ever touches a sprout again, i’ll bite him clean in two
I’m a political prisoner, trapped in a windowless cage
'cause i stopped the slaughter of turnips, by killing five men in a rage
I told the judge when he sentenced me, this is my finest hour…
I’d kill those farmers again, just to save one more cauliflower

I’ve heard the screams of the vegetables, watching their skins being peeled
Grated and steamed with no mercy… how do you think that feels?
Carrot juice constitutes murder… greenhouses prisons for slaves
It’s time to stop all this gardening… let’s call a spade a spade.

How low as people do we dare to stoop
Making our broccolis bleed in the soup
Untie your beans, uncage your tomatoes
Let potted plants free, don’t mash that potato!

I’ve heard the screams of the vegetables, watching their skins being peeled
Grated and steamed with no mercy… how do you think that feels?
Carrot juice constitutes murder… greenhouses prisons for slaves
It’s time to stop all this gardening… let’s call a spade a spade.
Is a spade is a spade is a spade is a… spade

OK this is pretty silly but I thought you’d alll like it.

 

[JimG]

Sorry for dropping out of the thread the last couple of days…

Anyway, with respect to Fr. Serpa, I am not sure the distinction is one I completely buy. The Eucharist is physically present. According to Church Teaching, after the words of institution are said, only the accidents of the bread and wine remain, meaning the substance of Christ’s Body and Blood are now present. While I do not dispute that Christ is sacramentally present, I do not see how he is not also physically present. Indeed I am not sure how denying a physical presence would be compatible with the Church’s teaching of transubstantiation.

–
Bill

Yes, he is physically present in a sacramental manner. He is wholly (including physically) present under the appearances of bread and wine. His physical presence cannot be subdivided or torn into pieces, as it would be with, for example, cannibalism. He always remains whole and entire.

 

[KarenNC]

Listen up brothers and sisters, come here my desperate tale
I speak of our friends of nature, trapped in the dirt like a jail
Vegtables live in oppression, served on out tables each night
This killing of veggies is madness, i say we take up the fight
Salads are only for murderers, cole slaw’s a fascist regime
Don’t think that they don’t have feelings, just cause a radish can’t scream

Just to give credit where it is due, these are the lyrics to a song “Carrot Juice is Murder” by a group called Arrogant Worms
pandora.com/?tc=a-005269-0146-1149

great parody, puts me in mind of Tom Lehrer

 

[jmcrae]

Well, when you think about it, vegetables are usually eaten alive.

 

[Teflon93]

Well, when you think about it, vegetables are usually eaten alive.

That reminds me of a great Jack Handey line from SNL:

“If trees could scream, would we cut them down?
Yes. If they screamed all the time, and for no good reason.”