Do you eat meat on Friday?

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My husband & I tried not to eat meat on Friday but the odd time we did if it was a feast day or a special occasion. One day we were travelling & we went into a restaurant in a small town & my husband said to me “I am having a burger”, I replied "It is the first friday in lent—i said no more because i knew that if i pushed it he would order the burger----we both ordered fish & chips—we also noticed that the people beside us were eating tuna fish sandwiches
after the meal we started talking to the people who consisted of grandparents, a daughter & her 2 small children----i was telling them how cute the baby was & the grandfather said that she looked just like him & i agreed—he told me that i had to go to confession tonite. i asked him how he knew that we were catholic he said that when my husband & i walked into the restaurant, the 2 year old granddaughter pointed to the benedict cross that my husband wore around his neck & said amen—my husband was happy that he had not had that burger
 
If I eat meat on Fridays, I offer three rosaries {rather than my usual one/day rosary}

What’s interesting is the quiet, cultural change, it used to be that even PUBLIC schools in my area served only “fish” meals on fridays.

What about Catholic schools? Do they serve meat or fish for lunch on fridays?

It is sad that it has been all but forgotten by most catholics that all fridays are still meatless days…and it dosen’t seem to be somthing that they teach on a local level.
 
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lyoncoeur:
What about Catholic schools? Do they serve meat or fish for lunch on fridays?
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The ones I taught in and attended only served meatless meals on Fridays during Lent. Odd, isn’t it? That’s why I brought this up…I was wondering how many people really did know about and observe this fast. It looks like most here do!
 
Bud Stewart:
I admit that I eat meat on ‘regular’ Fridays. However, I do abstain during Lent.

I read that more and more people are abstaining on a regular basis, but I haven’t given it much thought, until now.
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I’m pretty much with Bud on this one. I need to reflect on it a bit. I could certainly do better.

Blessings.
 
I am vegan, meaning I don’t eat any animals or use any animal products, ie. milk, eggs, leather…

I gave it all up for God and offer it up to him everyday for the conversion of sinners to the Catholic faith. St. Francis was a veggie too! And adam and eve were vegetarians until they sinned.

God Bless
 
I try not to but my family dosn’t observe so sometimes I do eat meat on non-lent Fridays. If I do eat meat then I don’t eat cholcate or other deserts.
 
I thought the Church did away with Friday abstinence about the same time St. Christopher was impeached. Seriously, I’ve been praying and studying my way back into the Church for the past 6 years and it was soon after I began my return that a friend informed me of the truth. Since then I either abstain or sacrifice in some other way.
 
I abstain from meat on Fridays as a way to HONOR God. It is just my own private little way of saying Thank You God for all the blessings you have showered on me. If I eat out on Fridays I either select fish or a salad. Nobody with me knows what I am doing, it’s just between me and my Lord!! 👍
 
I abstain from meat on Fridays as a way to HONOR God. It is just my own private little way of saying Thank You God for all the blessings you have showered on me. If I eat out on Fridays I either select fish or a salad. Nobody with me knows what I am doing, it’s just between me and my Lord!! 👍
 
I just got home a bit ago after having a meeting with the priest at my parish, and although the meeting wasn’t about this particular issue, I brought up the fact that I had recently learned “that we were supposed to abstain from meat year-round” after having read it here.

I was informed that it’s only to be a Lenten practice, and not prescribed for year round observance. He went on to explain that Pope Paul VI did away with the year round obligation roughly 35 years ago, and that anybody who still participates is being “more Catholic than they must”…

I’m gonna take his word for it until somebody here comes up with the paragraph from the CCC or the actual Code of Canon Law that speaks directly to this issue.

Peace,
Troy
 
I invited our wonderful priest to dinner on a non-Lenten Friday. I asked if he had any particular requests. He said that he does not eat meat on Fridays. It was the first meatless lasagna I’ve ever made. It was fair too if I may toot my own horn. (toot-toot):o

I am going to follow his example and that shown by others on this board. I am going to stop serving and eating meat on Fridays. I believe that this small sacrifice may bring my family and me closer to God.

I wouldn’t have even given it thought had I not seen it here first. I learn so much here. Thank you!

Peace
 
Make no mistake, I’m not saying that it’s “wrong” to abstain year round, but merely pointing out that it is not an “obligation”…

Some things, like weekly mass, yearly confession, etc., we are “obligated to”. Abstaining from meat on Friday’s is not one of those obligations to my understanding.

While I think it’s great to go above and beyond the call of duty, I’m not certain it’s fair to mis-inform people about what is actually obligatory… I try to make it to confession at least every month or so, and sometimes make it to mass more than once per week… But for me to allude to the fact that it’s “required” would be unfair to the unknowing.

Peace,
Troy
 
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IM3RD:
Make no mistake, I’m not saying that it’s “wrong” to abstain year round, but merely pointing out that it is not an “obligation”…
Peace,
Troy
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I **totally **get that. I hear you. I feel the call to go a bit above and beyond because I am so lacking in other areas. (I am working on it.) I believe my family will want to join me.

Peace to you, IM3RD.
 
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Anonymous:
I **totally **get that. I hear you. I feel the call to go a bit above and beyond because I am so lacking in other areas. (I am working on it.) I believe my family will want to join me.

Peace to you, IM3RD.
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I completely understand ya, Anonymous!

As a matter of fact, I have every intention of following you and abstaining from meat on Fridays myself… But, I just wanted to let folks know what I found out this afternoon so as not to perpetuate any misconceptions about what the Church actually teaches.

Peace to you as well, Anonymous!

Peace,
Troy
 
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IM3RD:
But, I just wanted to let folks know what I found out this afternoon so as not to perpetuate any misconceptions about what the Church actually teaches.
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Well, as the original writer of this poll and question, I do have to defend myself here! Troy, although I understand your concern I would like to clarify that I am not “perpetuating any misconceptions about what the Church actually teaches.” In fact, I originally learned of the Church’s teaching on this matter from a highly reputable apologetics magazine – either “This Rock” or “Envoy;” we’ve been doing this so long memory fails as to where I actually came across the article.

I must admit, I have read many arguments on the matter, for although the priest you spoke with claims those who still abstain on Fridays are being “more Catholic than they must” that is merely his opinion and is not the general concession among many moral theologians and apologists.

In the “Ask an Apologist” forum, someone brought this up. The response was from Jimmy Akin, and is very long, and very detailed. Interestingly, his final contention is that the Church does not still hold the faithful to an obligatory Friday fast. But as I said there are many, many people who still contend that this obligation is still in effect based on good documentation…clearly, I am one of them. 😉
 
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jc413:
I must admit, I have read many arguments on the matter, for although the priest you spoke with claims those who still abstain on Fridays are being “more Catholic than they must” that is merely his opinion and is not the general concession among many moral theologians and apologists.

Interestingly, his final contention is that the Church does not still hold the faithful to an obligatory Friday fast.
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I apologize if you thought I was attacking your position, Jamie… That was certainly not my intention.

During my meeting today, Fr Jim asked me what I’d been reading to better understand my faith. I told him that I am reading “Catholicism for Dummies”, “The Catechism of the Catholic Church” and the info at Catholic.com, including these message forums. When I told him that I’d just learned that “no meat Fridays” was a year round obligation, he politely corrected me…

The truth of the matter is that he is correct and you admit as much in your post. While I agree that “many” moral theologians and apologists agree with “no meat Fridays” year round, I’d say that it is reasonable to believe that MOST moral theologians and apologists would side with the actual documented teachings of the CCC or The Code of Canon Law.

Again, I have every intention of participating with you. However, as Fr Jim said, in doing so we are being “more Catholic than we must.” 😉

Peace,
Troy
 
I’ve been vegetarian for over 16 years and it has been way too easy. The meat substitutes are too delicious to be a penance. One of our favorite “fun” foods is “Amy’s Roasted Vegetable Pizza with no cheese”. It sounds boring but it is heavenly. All the Amy’s vegetarian foods are very good. Because I enjoy the veggies so much I decided during lent 2003 that I would start daily mass during lent and on Fridays. When I found out how satisfying daily mass and communion were back in '03 I continued and haven’t stopped yet.
 
Troy, just a couple of points – first, I *did *write my original post before I had read Jimmy Akin’s article, (and at that point had merely read material that contends that the obligatory Friday fast is still in effect). If I could, I would edit my original post to say something like “even though the obligatory fast is subject to debate, how many of you still participate?” But be that as it may, I can’t seem to figure out how to edit that post since it was posted a while ago.

Secondly, while some do contend that the fast is no longer obligatory, most people I have met still believe the Church encourages people to make some type of sacrifice or fasting, as I did write in my original post.

So suffice it to say that although there is good evidence to say that the fast is still in effect, there is good evidence to say the opposite as well.

Personally, I wish the American Catholic Church still did what so many churches in other parts of the country still do – *clearly *hold the faithful to a yearly obligatory fast on Friday. As someone else mentioned, one of the beauties of the Catholic faith is the universality of it, and I, for one, believe it is unfortunate that the American Church does not participate with so many of our brothers and sisters across the world in this fast as a whole.
 
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jc413:
So suffice it to say that although there is good evidence to say that the fast is still in effect, there is good evidence to say the opposite as well.
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Jamie – I think that for the most part we are in agreement on this issue… and, for that reason alone, there is really no reason to debate about “who” is right. Personally, I’m more interested in “what” is right and I’m going to politely defer to the CCC and the Code of Canon Law, which IMHO, is the BEST evidence.

If we as individuals start to decide on an individual &/or small group level what to believe about our faith and our to apply such issues then essentially we are nothing more than “Protestant Catholics”. (although I consider that to be something of an oxymoron from the outset)

I think a year round penance of meatless Friday’s is a great idea, but it’s simply not what the Church prescribes even if we get all the dissenters to write articles to the contrary. Ultimately, on matters of faith and morality we must defer to what is written into the CCC and Code of Canon Law. Wouldn’t you agree?

Peace,
Troy
 
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