Friday Penance?

[mVitus]

While reading this thread (forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=1032244) I gleaned that we’re supposed to give something up on Fridays. I’ve always known about no meat on Fridays in Lent and that it used be no meat any Friday, but I’d never heard about a regular Friday penance before so I’ve got a couple questions. (For reference I live in the US.)

1: What exactly would count as a penance? Would saying an extra rosary fulfill it?

2: Is it sinful not to? And if so, what kind? (This is more so I know going on, though I’m gonna figure something out for this Friday.)

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

While reading this thread (forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=1032244) I gleaned that we’re supposed to give something up on Fridays. I’ve always known about no meat on Fridays in Lent and that it used be no meat any Friday, but I’d never heard about a regular Friday penance before so I’ve got a couple questions. (For reference I live in the US.)

1: What exactly would count as a penance? Would saying an extra rosary fulfill it?

Just about anything over and above your normal Friday routine offered with a penitential spirit would suffice; yes, the extra rosary is a good example.

2: Is it sinful not to? And if so, what kind? (This is more so I know going on, though I’m gonna figure something out for this Friday.)

Personally, if I knew the Church obligated me to something and I willfully disregarded that obligation, then yes, I would consider that a sin - but that’s probably a conversation best left to you and your confessor.

Amended to say: There are many who disagree about (1) whether there is an obligation or not to do penance on Fridays {personally, I think that part is a clear yes}, and (2) whether or not failure to do so is in the venial or mortal sin category, thus my advice - speak to your confessor.

 

[Todd977]

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence.

 

[gardenswithkids]

While reading this thread (forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=1032244) I gleaned that we’re supposed to give something up on Fridays. I’ve always known about no meat on Fridays in Lent and that it used be no meat any Friday, but I’d never heard about a regular Friday penance before so I’ve got a couple questions. (For reference I live in the US.)

1: What exactly would count as a penance? Would saying an extra rosary fulfill it?

2: Is it sinful not to? And if so, what kind? (This is more so I know going on, though I’m gonna figure something out for this Friday.)

This is something that I only learned of as an adult and for some reasons it’s been particularly hard for me to remember about Friday penances. To help me remember, I structured my weekly cleaning routine to put a chore I dislike on Friday. It may be small, but I clean our bathrooms on Friday now. It’s usually not until I scrub the toilet that I remember that I’m offering this task as my Friday penance.