Friday Penances 18361718

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Username7

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What are sufficient or reasonable Friday Penances?

I didn’t know about this until last Friday, so I did not have a coffee (as I usually have one every day) because I live in Canada and we are allowed to eat meat on Fridays if we abstain from something else.

Though I was just curious about some other examples of Friday Penance. Would something as simple as waking up an hour earlier be sufficient? I also read that taking a cold shower might be sufficient as well, but I wasn’t sure entirely.

In short, after hearing about the mandatory abstinence, piety, or charity on Friday I did not have a coffee that day. And was wanting to know if that was a big enough sacrifice.
  • Please excuse the numbers in the title. ‘Friday Penances’ was already used and couldn’t think of another title.
 
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Are you talking about during Lent or NOT during Lent?

If not during Lent, the traditional penance is “no meat” on Fridays outside of Lent.
 
I’m talking about not during Lent.

But during Lent I think the same applies in Canada. Even on Fridays on Lent we can eat meat as long as we abstain from something else, give something, or do another act of Piety I think.
 
I find the traditional abstaining from meat on Fridays to be the best way to fulfill my Friday penance. It’s a beautiful tradition that has been around for centuries.
 
Username7 said:
I’m talking about not during Lent.

But during Lent I think the same applies in Canada. Even on Fridays on Lent we can eat meat as long as we abstain from something else, give something, or do another act of Piety I think.
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I believe you are required to abstain from meat on all Fridays of Lent, as well as abstain and fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
 
No, @Username7 is correct. in Canada, even during Lent, Friday penances can be substituted for abstention from meat.

But for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, you are right, it is required to abstain and fast.
 
AlmaRedemptorisMater said:
No, @Username7 is correct. in Canada, even during Lent, Friday penances can be substituted for abstention from meat.
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I did not know that. Thank you for correcting me. I thought that abstinence during Lenten Fridays was binding in all of the Roman Rite Church.
 
Disciplines can be altered by local bishops conferences. We used to have a regular priest here that often “reminded” people that what they know about the practices of the faith may be regional (ok, more like a chastisement, but he meant well).
 
Yeah, I could probably do that too. But the only problem is that my family is not practicing Catholic. So supper time usually involves meat of some sort.
I’m also a little worried about Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday for that very reason.
 
Username7 said:
Yeah, I could probably do that too. But the only problem is that my family is not practicing Catholic. So supper time usually involves meat of some sort.
I’m also a little worried about Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday for that very reason.
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How old are you? If you are an adult (or even a teen) you family theoretically SHOULD respect your decision on this.

If your family is Catholic (even if not practicing) you should be able to simply say to them, “I’m observing Lent this year, and I will be fasting on Ash Wednesday & Good Friday, plus not eating meat on Fridays.”

When Lent is over, you should be able to say something like: “going meatless on Fridays has been helpful for me, so I’m going to go meatless year round”

God bless!
 
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