Friday Fast

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Throughout the year. Aren’t we Catholics supposed to do a Penance every Friday and the standard has always been giving up meat?
 
Of course you should. It’s what the Church has done seemingly forever, and still puts in first place among the options for observing Fridays.

But call it by its correct name, abstinence. You abstain from meat, but it is not necessary to fast (eat less food overall) except on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

And you can do it without making a nuisance of yourself when the gang goes for pizza on Friday night - just get mushrooms instead of pepperoni. 🙂

Betsy
 
scapularkid8 said:
Throughout the year. Aren’t we Catholics supposed to do a Penance every Friday and the standard has always been giving up meat?
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Except in the New World, where one could eat beaver on Friday, once upon a time:D Long story:p

Do you feel it may benefit you spiritually? Will it improve your willpower?
 
scapularkid8 said:
Giving up meat. Should I do it?
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I assume you mean only on Fridays.

I think that’s a decision you need to make for yourself. Pray about it and then decide.

First of all, there’s no requirement to abstain from meat on Friday. (See, for example, catholic.com/thisrock/2005/0501bt.asp)). So then it’s a question of whether this is a penance you want to undertake and what benefit it will have.

I recently started abstaining from meat on Fridays. It was something i had been considering for a long time. When Lent ended this year I continued avoiding meat on Fridays. So it hasn’t been for very long, but I can see some benefits from it. For example, it makes me more aware of God. Instead of mindlessly grabbing a hamburger for lunch, I have to think about my meal, and in turn think about WHY I’m doing what I’m doing. It makes me feel much more Catholic. Even though it’s a very small discipline, it brings some awareness with it. And And maybe a small discipline will help me build up toward a larger one.

So I would say don’t feel pressured into doing it, but if it’s something you’d like to do, go ahead and do it.
 
I think it would help me. My willpower has basically become nothing over the past few years, and I’d like a way to build it back up and have some…discipline isn’t the right word, but you get the idea. It would probably help my prayer life as well.
 
scapularkid8 said:
I think it would help me. My willpower has basically become nothing over the past few years, and I’d like a way to build it back up and have some…discipline isn’t the right word, but you get the idea. It would probably help my prayer life as well.
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If that’s what you think, I don’t see why not.
 
scapularkid8 said:
Throughout the year. Aren’t we Catholics supposed to do a Penance every Friday and the standard has always been giving up meat?
Click to expand...
Catholics are indeed encouraged to be penitential on Fridays: Aside from fasting (one meal–usually supper) and abstaining from meat, I’ll dress down–black pants, white shirt.
 
scapularkid8 said:
Giving up meat. Should I do it?
Click to expand...
Giving up meat on Fridays is abstinance, not fasting. But in any case, go for it. Meatless Fridays used to be standard. Nowadays it is just Fridays in Lent, with other Fridays encouraged but not required. Go for it:thumbsup:

And if it is discipline you are seeking, I will once again mention the CFP at

penitents.org/

By the end of the third year of formation, you will abstaining 4 days a week, fasting frequently, and may very well decide to do it for the rest og your life.
 
I am trying to abstain from meat on Fridays as well. Not such an easy thing at first! My question is when did the requirement change? is there a document that outlines this change in discipline? Seems like I heard somewhere that it was really never changed, but like so many other novelties and changes, it was the result of the “Spirit of Vatican II” 😦 and was jettisoned because it seemed out of date or outmoded. Perhaps it was just too dificult.

Thanks!
 
DON’T ABSTAIN FROM MEAT EVER!
Sincerely,
Mr. Lettuce.

(with apologies to chik-fil-a)
 
Here is a great page on the US Conference of Bishops site about penitential Fridays, and examples of penance beyond meat. It is important to do something, and they also explain why that is:

usccb.org/dpp/penitential.htm
 
Our Lady of Fatima called for prayer , fasting and penance. We’re such whimps when it comes to such things. We shouldn’t need rules, it should come naturally to a believer. Throughout the history of the church we’ve had beautiful examples to follow. Lets follow! Since VII the rules have become more liberal. People no longer fast or abstain on Fridays. But we should abstain from something (you pick) and hold to it. Reason will tell you what to do!
 
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