Do Catholics eat

[LilyM]

Thank you! I knew that lots of Catholics did abstain during the Lenten season, but I wasn’t sure how “required” it was. I do remember reading somewhere, though, that if you happen to get invited to dinner at a non-Catholic’s house during that time, and they, unaware of Lenten policy, have made a lovely roast, you are obligated not to lay a guilt trip on your host about it, in the interest of Christian charity, and you may eat it.

There’s no guilt trip involved in stating that you can’t eat meat on a given day - what if you were a full-time vegetarian or vegan? Or a Jew or Muslim who can’t eat pork?

A good host finds out their guest’s dietary requirements and preferences before planning what to cook, or at least makes sure there are vegetarian options available. And if not they SHOULD feel bad, at least a little, about their lack of consideration for their guests.

Don’t ever feel ashamed of following the dictates of your faith. If you were visiting for the weekend would you refrain from going to Mass out of a mistaken notion of ‘Christian charity’? I hope not, you would be sinning gravely to do so.

 

[mr_foster]

No, the Catholic Church does not forbid its priests to marry. Priests freely CHOOSE to be unmarried for the Kingdom, just as Scripture tells us was the case with St. Paul, and also that Jesus Himself spoke of those 'who would make themselves celibate for the kingdom. He who has ears to hear this, let him hear."

Neither, as is clearly seen from the post above, does the Church FORBID a food, but rather asks for penitential fasting and abstinence at PRESCRIBED TIMES–not forbidding a food for ‘good and all’–that LATTER practice being a gnostic innovation that St. Paul condemns. Ritual Jewish fasting and abstinence from a food, not because it was ‘bad’ but rather because it was ‘good’ or a luxury–is something Jesus HIMSELF observed.

Oh okay, So a priest can be married

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Oh okay, So a priest can be married

This thread is about eating or not eating meat on Friday. If you wish to discuss priestly celibacy or lack thereof, depending on which Rite of the Church one practices, please make it a new thread to avoid derailing this one. Thanks!

 

[mr_foster]

Jesus fasted, he didn’t command that we must fast. That was his choice. It’s a personal decision and it’s can have benefits but it’s was never commanded

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Let me be sure you have understood me correctly, ok?

The norm for a Catholic man who is considering a vocation–a call- to the priesthood (for GOD is the one who chooses) is that he is single at the time of discernment. Since discipline requires a priest to be unmarried, (not forbidden, but freely CHOSEN) any man considering the priesthood will, if called, FREELY CHOOSE TO BE SINGLE. Thus, there is no ‘forbidding’ a man to marry. All men are free to marry if they choose; however, if they choose to marry, then they freely choose not to be priests.

There is no big ‘gotcha’ moment where some poor soul is told, “YOU are FORBIDDEN TO MARRY, BWA HAH HAH.”

Now, outside the norm, there are cases where a non-Catholic man has legally married a wife, questions his non-Catholic faith, discovers the truth of Catholicism, and converts. Most often this man was a minister in his old church. IF he is accepted for study to become a Catholic priest (some men are), he may be ordained even though he is married. However (just as is the case for Orthodox priests) if his wife dies, he may not remarry.

Orthodox priests, I hasten to add, are not forbidden to marry either. Neither are they REQUIRED TO MARRY.

And that is the main point. A man is neither forbidden to marry, nor required to marry, to be a priest in the Catholic Church–be it Roman or Orthodox.

Too often people focus on a celibate clergy --Ahhah! they are ‘forbidden to marry’ while forgetting that neither a priest nor ANY MAN OR WOMAN is REQUIRED TO MARRY.

And that’s my last word on this thread on THIS topic lest it be derailed. Feel free to continue on THIS topic on a separate thread.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Context, context, context.

Do Catholics abstain from meat every single day? Do they forbid it arbitrarily as did the GNOSTICS TO WHOM ST. PAUL IS SPEAKING? Do they forbid ANYONE TO MARRY (because ‘spirit’ is good and ‘flesh’ is evil) which is what the GNOSTICS TO WHOM ST. PAUL IS SPEAKING WERE ACTUALLY DOING?

 

[Mannyfit75]

Jesus fasted, he didn’t command that we must fast. That was his choice. It’s a personal decision and it’s can have benefits but it’s was never commanded

Fasting can be benefit a Christian when he offers it as a sacrifice to God. It deepens the Christian faith.

Catechism of the Catholic Church states,

1434 The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others.

Fasting isn’t condemn by Jesus but recommended.
Gospel of St. Mark Chapter 9 verse 16-29:

16 And one of the multitude, answering, said: Master, I have brought my son to thee, having a dumb spirit. 17 Who, wheresoever he taketh him, dasheth him, and he foameth, and gnasheth with the teeth, and pineth away; and I spoke to thy disciples to cast him out, and they could not. 18 Who answering them, said: O incredulous generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. 19 And they brought him. And when he had seen him, immediately the spirit troubled him; and being thrown down upon the ground, he rolled about foaming. 20 And he asked his father: How long time is it since this hath happened unto him? But he said: From his infancy:

21 And oftentimes hath he cast him into the fire and into waters to destroy him. But if thou canst do any thing, help us, having compassion on us. 22 And Jesus saith to him: If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 23 And immediately the father of the boy crying out, with tears said: I do believe, Lord: help my unbelief. 24 And when Jesus saw the multitude running together, he threatened the unclean spirit, saying to him: Deaf and dumb spirit, I command thee, go out of him; and enter not any more into him. 25 And crying out, and greatly tearing him, he went out of him, and he became as dead, so that many said: He is dead.

26 But Jesus taking him by the hand, lifted him up; and he arose. 27 And when he was come into the house, his disciples secretly asked him: Why could not we cast him out? 28 And he said to them: This kind can go out by nothing, but by prayer and fasting

Matthew 6:18:

16 And when you fast

, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.

Fasting was also practiced by the Apostles in the book of Acts:

Acts 13:2.

2 And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them: Separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have taken them.

Acts Of Apostles 13

3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away

Acts Of Apostles 14

22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

Acts Of Apostles 27

33 And when it began to be light, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying: This** day is the fourteenth day that you have waited, and continued fasting, taking nothing**

There is nothing unbiblical with fasting.

 

[Mannyfit75]

Jesus fasted, he didn’t command that we must fast. That was his choice. It’s a personal decision and it’s can have benefits but it’s was never commanded

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3Forbidding to marry, and commanding

to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

If that passage were true then the Apostles were being hyprocritical. It is apparent that they fasted. See the verses I cited.

 

[mr_foster]

Fasting can be benefit a Christian when he offers it as a sacrifice to God. It deepens the Christian faith.

Catechism of the Catholic Church states,

1434 The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others.

Fasting isn’t condemn by Jesus but recommended.

Matthew 6:18:

Fasting was also practiced by the Apostles in the book of Acts:

Acts 13:2.

2 And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them: Separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have taken them.

Acts Of Apostles 13

3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away

Acts Of Apostles 14

22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

Acts Of Apostles 27

33 And when it began to be light, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying: This** day is the fourteenth day that you have waited, and continued fasting, taking nothing**

There is nothing unbiblical with fasting.

I never said fasting was unbiblical… I said commanding one to fast is unbiblical

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Commanding one to fast is unbiblical? Then JESUS is ‘unbiblical’ because He said, “when the bridegroom leaves the attendants WILL FAST”. If you think that isn’t a command, what is it?

Matthew 9 15 And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, **and then they shall fast.**

Further, there are several places in the Bible --Jonah, for example, where the KING commands his people to repent in sackcloth and ashes, and FASTING. Here you go:
And the word came to the king of Ninive; and he rose up out of his throne, and cast away his robe from him, and was clothed with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published in Ninive from the mouth of the king and of his princes, saying: Let neither men nor beasts, oxen nor sheep, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water. 8 And let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth, and cry to the Lord with all their strength, and let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the iniquity that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn, and forgive: and will turn away from his fierce anger, and we shall not perish? 10 And God saw their works, that they were turned from their evil way: and God had mercy with regard to the evil which he had said that he would do to them, and he did it not.

 

[mr_foster]

Fasting can be benefit a Christian when he offers it as a sacrifice to God. It deepens the Christian faith.

Catechism of the Catholic Church states,

1434 The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others.

Fasting isn’t condemn by Jesus but recommended.

Matthew 6:18:

Fasting was also practiced by the Apostles in the book of Acts:

Acts 13:2.

2 And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them: Separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have taken them.

Acts Of Apostles 13

3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away

Acts Of Apostles 14

22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

Acts Of Apostles 27

33 And when it began to be light, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying: This** day is the fourteenth day that you have waited, and continued fasting, taking nothing**

There is nothing unbiblical with fasting.

Time Out. I see you substituted Priest for elders in YOUR translation. Are you saying that a “Priest” is an “Elder”

 

[Mannyfit75]

Time Out. I see you substituted Priest for elders in YOUR translation. Are you saying that a “Priest” is an “Elder”

Yes.

The word priest derives from the Greek word presbyteros (πρεσβυτερος), Latin presbyter, is traditionally translated priest and the English word priest is indeed etymologically derived from this word.

While the literal translation means elder, and is used in neutral and non-religious contexts in Greek to refer to seniority or relative age.

The translation I am using is DR Bible, which is translated from the Latin Vulgate (Latin Bible) (translated by St. Jerome around 382 AD.

Since this topic has nothing to do with priest. I do ask that you form another thread to discuss the word priest. Since I do not wish to derail this topic.

 

[rlg94086]

1 timothy ch. 4

1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

This is talking about false asceticism - groups that forbid marriage and abstain from certain foods all the time. Giving up meat on Fridays as a form of penance is not the same thing. Nice try though. I always love a good piece of misinterpreted Scripture to brighten my day.

 

[Mannyfit75]

I never said fasting was unbiblical… I said commanding one to fast is unbiblical

Commanding? It is more of a disciplinary practice. Fasting is a disciplinary practice. Most devout Christians would fast to interiorize themselves closer to God.

 

[Mannyfit75]

This is talking about false asceticism - groups that forbid marriage and abstain from certain foods all the time. Giving up meat on Fridays as a form of penance is not the same thing. Nice try though. I always love a good piece of misinterpreted Scripture to brighten my day.

It is apparent, Mr. foster is a new member.

 

[mr_foster]

Commanding one to fast is unbiblical? Then JESUS is ‘unbiblical’ because He said, “when the bridegroom leaves the attendants WILL FAST”. If you think that isn’t a command, what is it?

Matthew 9 15 And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, **and then they shall fast.**

Further, there are several places in the Bible --Jonah, for example, where the KING commands his people to repent in sackcloth and ashes, and FASTING. Here you go:
And the word came to the king of Ninive; and he rose up out of his throne, and cast away his robe from him, and was clothed with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published in Ninive from the mouth of the king and of his princes, saying: Let neither men nor beasts, oxen nor sheep, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water. 8 And let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth, and cry to the Lord with all their strength, and let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the iniquity that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn, and forgive: and will turn away from his fierce anger, and we shall not perish? 10 And God saw their works, that they were turned from their evil way: and God had mercy with regard to the evil which he had said that he would do to them, and he did it not.

first everything in red is irrelevent, They weren’t following Jesus in Jonah.
2nd. he said that his apostles would fast because they would be grieving the lost of him after his death. You have to read it in context. go back about ten verses. He was asked why his disciples were not fasting. then he said it was because everything was okay. they would fast later. He didn’t command them to. It was thier custom. They fasted during time of mourning. or for strength or whatever else they wanted to fast for. But they didn’t fast because it was a command.

And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

12But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

14Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

16No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

17Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Don’t misuderstand me, I’m not saying Fasting is bad or not biblical or not even beneficial on some level. I’m only saying that it was commanded. And it was never meant to be? Otherwise commanding to abstain from meats wouldn’t be a “sign of seducing spirits and doctrins of devils”

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Let’s give Mr. Foster time to respond to the Scripture I clearly referenced which shows that “commanding” to fast is quite Biblical. . .

 

[rlg94086]

It is apparent, Mr. foster is a new member.

Indeed. And, I welcome him with open arms. :bounce:

 

[rlg94086]

Don’t misuderstand me, I’m not saying Fasting is bad or not biblical or not even beneficial on some level.*** I’m only saying that it was commanded. And it was never meant to be? Otherwise commanding to abstain from meats wouldn’t be a “sign of seducing spirits and doctrins of devils***”

Hi mr foster,

Can you clarify? Those sentences are awkward. Are you saying that the Catholic Church’s call to penance by abstaining from meat on Fridays is a “sign of seducing spirits and doctrines of devils?”

 

[dranzal]

Umm, tonight we ate cheesy tuna mac with peas but sometimes we have cheese pizza or cheese quesadillas. We do this every Friday.