Friday penance

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The priest at my church mentioned that we are required to do a penance on Fridays. I used to no eat meat on Fridays, but went back to eating meat …My mother gives it up, but I didn’t really know if it was required or not. Well, the priest said that we should try to do a good deed on Fridays.

After the mass, I planned on trying to do a good deed and/or give up meat the following Friday. However, when Friday came I completely forgot – I ate a turkey sandwich at lunch, and by around 11:30pm I realized I did not do any good deeds (forgot about it). Was this a sin? Also, what are some examples of good deeds that I can easily find to help every Friday? I am always trying to find something where I can help others, especially those in need but I don’t find those opportunities often. Any advice??
 
Hi first of all check what your countrys stance is on Friday penance because I think the the USA it’s optional (correct me if I’m wrong ), just because you preist says you SHOULD doesn’t mean you HAVE too , also I think try and do a good deed even a little thing like holdin the door open , letting people with lesser items go infront of you in the supermarket line . I dont think its a sin not to do a good deed so if you check countrys stance then you can tell if its a sin or not ? I’m in the uk and I dunno what the stance is here ?

Hope i was some help ?
Chuck
 
Chuck is right that each country’s norms will be different. In the USA, I believe the norm is to fast, but that American Catholics can optionally do a penance instead. Again, relying only on memory here, most other countries do not have the optional penance exception. Looks like we need an expert.
 
If you can’t make it all day fasting (I still can’t), try and fast until 3pm and then say the Divine Mercy chaplet. Try to abstain from goodies in the evening too.
 
But we are not asked to fast. Here in the UK, the Bishops of England and Wales have asked us to practise abstinence from meat, but it is not a matter of sin if we do not, provided that we do some other kind of penance instead.

As a matter of fact, our partner parish is having a Barn Dance and Hotpot Supper next Friday.

Abstaining from meat is the traditional way of observing the requirement of Friday penance but it can be meaningless if the non-meat meal is a treat, like lobster, or if the person does not usually eat meat anyway.
 
I just learned something I had never heard of before.

I hope this doesn’t mean all teh nights I went to the local dirt track for races on Friday night isn’t a sin.
 
Nelka said:
If you can’t make it all day fasting (I still can’t), try and fast until 3pm and then say the Divine Mercy chaplet. Try to abstain from goodies in the evening too.
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thank you!
 
paperwight66 said:
But we are not asked to fast. Here in the UK, the Bishops of England and Wales have asked us to practise abstinence from meat, but it is not a matter of sin if we do not, provided that we do some other kind of penance instead.

As a matter of fact, our partner parish is having a Barn Dance and Hotpot Supper next Friday.

Abstaining from meat is the traditional way of observing the requirement of Friday penance but it can be meaningless if the non-meat meal is a treat, like lobster, or if the person does not usually eat meat anyway.
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That’s the thing I also have a problem with… I’m not a vegetarian but I actually enjoy meals like salmon, fish; meals with no meat. I eat chicken or turkey everyday though, but since I like meals with no meat also, it probably wouldn’t be so much meaningful for me? But, if this is something we are required I don’t want to not do it at all.
 
bbentrup said:
Chuck is right that each country’s norms will be different. In the USA, I believe the norm is to fast, but that American Catholics can optionally do a penance instead. Again, relying only on memory here, most other countries do not have the optional penance exception. Looks like we need an expert.
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Sadly I can’t find the list of countries I had about the Friday penance but I can remember that while there are some countries where abstaining from meat is required the vast majority of countries have an option to choose whatever penance they want to do.
Here in the Philippines we have an option.
 
HNA444 said:
That’s the thing I also have a problem with… I’m not a vegetarian but I actually enjoy meals like salmon, fish; meals with no meat. I eat chicken or turkey everyday though, but since I like meals with no meat also, it probably wouldn’t be so much meaningful for me? But, if this is something we are required I don’t want to not do it at all.
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Similar to me as I don’t get to eat much meat as it’s too expensive although I can get cheap bacon from work, well I used to be able to, that’s expensive too now.

Maybe you could give up something else?
 
HNA444 said:
That’s the thing I also have a problem with… I’m not a vegetarian but I actually enjoy meals like salmon, fish; meals with no meat. I eat chicken or turkey everyday though, but since I like meals with no meat also, it probably wouldn’t be so much meaningful for me? But, if this is something we are required I don’t want to not do it at all.
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What I do sometimes is eat something really bland in addition to it being meatless.
 
I have been giving up meat on Fridays for awhile now(or something else). What I find funny is that I can have vegie meals all week long and it doesnt bother me. But when Friday comes…for some reason all hamburgers sound SO good 🙂 I crave them on Fridays 🙂 Or fajitas 🙂 And adding seafood really isnt a sacrifice for me at ALL.
But seriously, when I cant give up meat for whatever reason, I will give up something else, like reading or crocheting, or anything else find myself wanting to do. Or I sometimes will add a rosary or extra prayers to my nightime routine. SACRIFICE is the key.

Oh and what I find bothersome is that most Catholics I tell have no clue that there still is a Friday penance. Ive even argued with someone about how the Church has said we dont have to do it anymore…any kind of penance. And Im not commenting on how these people are poor Catholics either…some of these people are fantastic Catholics…far better than myself 😉 They just havent been taught 😦
 
cat3gs said:
I have been giving up meat on Fridays for awhile now(or something else). What I find funny is that I can have vegie meals all week long and it doesnt bother me. But when Friday comes…for some reason all hamburgers sound SO good 🙂 I crave them on Fridays 🙂 Or fajitas 🙂 And adding seafood really isnt a sacrifice for me at ALL.
But seriously, when I cant give up meat for whatever reason, I will give up something else, like reading or crocheting, or anything else find myself wanting to do. Or I sometimes will add a rosary or extra prayers to my nightime routine. SACRIFICE is the key.

Oh and what I find bothersome is that most Catholics I tell have no clue that there still is a Friday penance. Ive even argued with someone about how the Church has said we dont have to do it anymore…any kind of penance. And Im not commenting on how these people are poor Catholics either…some of these people are fantastic Catholics…far better than myself 😉 They just havent been taught 😦
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This is a honest but funny story. my cousin was a priest in Peoria, IL (God rest his soul). He walks into a dinner in downtown Peoria and orders a cup of coffee and a cheeseburger. After eating it he looks at the and said that it was the best cheeseburger he’d ever eaten. The cook looked back at him and said: “Well Father, it shouldn’t, it’s Friday”. My cousin was a Catholic priest. Needless to say my family never let him live that down. Of course you’d have to know my cousin Fr. Paul. He was as ornery as they get. He’d play poker at times with my grandfather and his friends and when teh collar came off he was just like one of the guys. But, he was one of the best priests anyone ever knew and anyone could go to him and seek help at any time of the dya or night and he’d help in any way he could.

I wish I could have met him. 😦
 
I was under the impression that it is “highly recommended” that we give up meat or do some sort of other penance on fridays outside of lent, not “morally obligatory” under pain of sin. Interesting discussion 🍿
 
This from catholic-pages.com/life/fridaymeat.asp
Most Catholics think that Vatican II did away with the requirement of not eating meat on any Friday of the year. Most think it is now just Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent that we cannot eat meat.

**This is what the new Code of Canon Law brought out in 1983 says about the matter:
Code: 
Canon 1251
Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays**, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday...
Canon Law still requires that Catholics not eat meat on Fridays…
Source - catholic-pages.com/life/fridaymeat.asp
 
Nigel7 said:
This from catholic-pages.com/life/fridaymeat.asp
Most Catholics think that Vatican II did away with the requirement of not eating meat on any Friday of the year. Most think it is now just Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent that we cannot eat meat.

**This is what the new Code of Canon Law brought out in 1983 says about the matter:
Code: 
Canon 1251**
Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday...
Canon Law still requires that Catholics not eat meat on Fridays…
Source - catholic-pages.com/life/fridaymeat.asp
Click to expand...
No it does not.

Can. 1253 The Episcopal Conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed.** In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.**
 
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