Friday birthday question

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My child’s birthday falls on a Friday. He will be 7, and he’s inviting friends over for pizza and cake that day. Here’s the complication: as a family, we don’t eat meat on Fridays. Should I make an exception since we’re having guests and it’s a celebration, and instead do another act of penance, or do we order cheese pizza only? Maybe this is a silly question!
 
No question is silly when you are asking it because you are concerned about your faith! Whether or not to eat meat or perform another type of penance on Fridays is entirely up to you. God bless,
Thank you–I just fear that we might fall into the habit of making excuses not to abstain, or we run the risk of confusing our kids. I tend to overthinking things, though!
 
I honestly don’t think any of the children will question the meal. Most kids of that age are happy with any kind of pizza, including yummy cheese pizza. In fact, in my experience with children over the years, most kids prefer cheese pizza. My daughters did, and all four of my nephews and my niece will eat only cheese pizza.

In fact, most kids that age could care less if the pizza comes from a parlor, or comes in a box and sells for 99 cents.

Pizza parlors wouldn’t sell cheese pizza if no one liked it!

I don’t even think most grownups would question what they are served when they are invited to someone’s house for a meal. That’s just rude.

I would not say one word if I were you, and I wouldn’t even dream of making any kind of apologies for a meatless meal. Cheese pizza is awesome, and very appropriate after a planeterium visit–tell them it’s made out of “moon cheese.”

Happy B-day to your son!
 
Good question–it’s because he wants to go to a nearby planetarium afterward with his buddies, and it’s only open to the public on Friday. He’s a space buff!
In that case why not have a cheese pizza (or another type lacking meat)? I don’t see a particular reason why a birthday party needs meat.
 
Well then, that puts me at ease. Cheese pizza it is. Thanks for helping me think this through and responding to my question!
 
I would not say one word if I were you, and I wouldn’t even dream of making any kind of apologies for a meatless meal. Cheese pizza is awesome, and very appropriate after a planeterium visit–tell them it’s made out of “moon cheese.”

Happy B-day to your son!
This is such a cute idea! Thanks for your helpful response and kind words. 😉
 
My child’s birthday falls on a Friday. He will be 7, and he’s inviting friends over for pizza and cake that day. Here’s the complication: as a family, we don’t eat meat on Fridays. Should I make an exception since we’re having guests and it’s a celebration, and instead do another act of penance, or do we order cheese pizza only? Maybe this is a silly question!
I don’t think there should be exceptions to penitential practices you normally put into place. If anyone asks - and 7 year olds might not even notice no meat on the pizza - your son can explain. A nice chance for a bit of evangelization. No one will care as long as there is cake, anyway.
 
My child’s birthday falls on a Friday. He will be 7, and he’s inviting friends over for pizza and cake that day. Here’s the complication: as a family, we don’t eat meat on Fridays. Should I make an exception since we’re having guests and it’s a celebration, and instead do another act of penance, or do we order cheese pizza only? Maybe this is a silly question!
 
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St_Hilary:
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Yes, it is your choice to eat meat; we do have ann option and I am sure God undeerstands the celebrartting of a child's birthday.
You are NOT bound to not eat meat on Friday; but if this a decision you mad, God bless you.

Don’t worry and have the pizza party for your child.

God bless you now
 
I might encourage just getting cheese pizza, because then everyone will be happy. I don’t know of your son’s friends, but some may be vegetarian (due to parents or possibly of their own willingness) or just not like meat on their pizza (I’ve known some people like this). So, plain cheese would work best. Maybe even look into getting gluten free (or low gluten) pizza crust in case someone has a gluten allergy.
 
Ha ha, I was going to say, order the meat pizza because having a 7 year old boy’s birthday party is a type of penance of its own!

😃

But no, the cheese pizza will be fine. At every single birthday party we ever attended (and we went to many), there was only ever cheese and pepperoni, and both kinds disappeared at an equal rate, so if you want to just offer cheese pizza, no one will mind.
 
Being only 7 years old, I would think the fasting rules not necessarily apply:

“Can. 1252: The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.”

Cheese pizza will be fine anyway. The kids will not notice.
 
As pointed out, the children are not bound to fast or abstain, even on Fridays during Lent. In the US, the bishops have indicated that the Lenten nature of Fridays may be observed in a way other than fasting, such as almsgiving or prayer. If you were so inclined, you could make some commensurate charitable effort in lieu of abstinence from meat on any Friday outside Lent, if you were so inclined.

It would be gracious, in any case, to have something without meat available for those who choose to abstain, whether that is cheese pizza or something else, because your family may not be the only one in your circle that does this. The adults in your family can have just the cheese and there will be some for any other adults who abstain as their Friday penance or even any children who choose to abstain with their older relatives even though they are not bound to do so. Some, after all, do not look upon Friday penance as a burden, but as a way to be nearer to God. (I mean those who would miss it when the demands of charity require that they observe their penance in a way not of their choosing, because the alternative is to offend their hosts when duty does not demand it.) IMHO, leaving the traditional choice as a choice would be the hospitable thing to do.

I’m saying it falls under the Golden Rule: If someone were to make a non-meat alterative available at a children’s Friday party so that you could choose to abstain as you always do, I think you’d appreciate the thoughtfulness of the gesture. (Speaking of which: try to have veggies to munch on available, too, have cold water available in addition to caloric drinks, and take care not to push the cake on anyone. Someone may not only be abstaining, but on a diet!)
 
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