Is a catholic restaurant owner sinning if he serves meat on Fridays during Lent?

[Tamsulosin]

Being a business open to people of all faiths,should he change the menu on Fridays during Lent,or it is acceptable by the Catholic Church that he provides meat on those days of abstinence?

 

[Timothysis]

Non Catholics are not obligated to abstain from meat on Fridays, hence there is no sin in serving them.

 

[FickleFreckled]

There’s nothing inherently wrong with eating meat on Fridays; it’s simply a prohibition of the Catholic Church and one that has evolved over time. It applies to no one else.

 

[Tamsulosin]

I think that if I owned a restaurant,out of respect for Jesus’ passion and suffering,I would not provide anybody with meat from a warm blooded animal on Fridays during Lent…It’s my restaurant,I set the menu.If the patrons do not like my food offerings for the day,they can go elsewhere.I would prepare savory fish and the like, not to lose clients.
But if I lose them ,I would dedicate my loss to Jesus.

 

[Lujack]

I don’t believe there’s anything wrong in that. As has been pointed out, non-Catholics are not obligated to follow that rule, and there is no prohibition on handling or preparing meat on Friday, so he can if he so chooses.

There’s nothing wrong with him choosing not to, either, though.

 

[averheyen]

No, he doesn’t have to, as far as I know, but still, I think he should. It’d be a good way to live the catholic faith so to speak.

 

[LilyM]

I think that if I owned a restaurant,out of respect for Jesus’ passion and suffering,I would not provide anybody with meat from a warm blooded animal on Fridays during Lent…It’s my restaurant,I set the menu.If the patrons do not like my food offerings for the day,they can go elsewhere.I would prepare savory fish and the like, not to lose clients.
But if I lose them ,I would dedicate my loss to Jesus.

Apart from the non-Catholics there are many Catholics - the young, pregnant women, the elderly and those who are ill - who aren’t (and shouldn’t be) bound to abstain. Some of these don’t just eat meat because they want to, but actually have to for their health (anaemics for example - it can be very dificult for some to get sufficient iron other than from red meat).

So you’re doing a lot more than expressing your faith - you’re thumbing your nose iin a most uncharitable way at those who, while being perfectly good Catholics, are NOT required to express their faith the same way as you, and for good reasons of their own.

 

[Shin]

Apart from the non-Catholics there are many Catholics - the young, pregnant women, the elderly and those who are ill - who aren’t (and shouldn’t be) bound to abstain. Some of these don’t just eat meat because they want to, but actually have to for their health (anaemics for example - it can be very dificult for some to get sufficient iron other than from red meat).

So you’re doing a lot more than expressing your faith - you’re thumbing your nose iin a most uncharitable way at those who, while being perfectly good Catholics, are NOT required to express their faith the same way as you, and for good reasons of their own.

It is not disrespectful to non-Catholics or to these extraordinary ‘I have to eat meat on Friday at a restaurant for my health’ people you have invented here.

In fact it is a distinctly good and reverent expression of Catholic culture to not serve meat on Fridays at a Catholic restaurant. Since it is not just during Lent but throughout the year in fact, that one is not supposed to have meat, this can show a clear sign of reverence to the Lord to edify -people of all faiths-.

 

[LilyM]

It is not disrespectful to non-Catholics or to these extraordinary ‘I have to eat meat on Friday at a restaurant for my health’ people you have invented here.

In fact it is a distinctly good and reverent expression of Catholic culture to not serve meat on Fridays at a Catholic restaurant. Since it is not just during Lent but throughout the year in fact, that one is not supposed to have meat, this can show a clear sign of reverence to the Lord to edify -people of all faiths-.

If you had to eat meat you probably would have to eat it every day - things like iron aren’t stored well by the body. I wasn’t talking about non-Catholics in my post, by the way, but about Catholics.

And have invented no-one, I know such people who need to eat meat. And yes, people do travel, and some don’t particularly desire to cook at home anyway, and so do eat out a lot.

If you want to REALLY edify people then you should just serve bread and water - why all the luxurious food on a Friday anyway?

 

[Shin]

If you had to eat meat you probably would have to eat it every day - things like iron aren’t stored well by the body. I wasn’t talking about non-Catholics in my post, by the way, but about Catholics.

And have invented no-one, I know such people who need to eat meat. And yes, people do travel, and some don’t particularly desire to cook at home anyway, and so do eat out a lot.

If you want to REALLY edify people then you should just serve bread and water - why all the luxurious food on a Friday anyway?

So you know these people? I hope you will immediately inform them of the existence of something called ‘vitamins’ which I am sure will make their lives much easier than depending on restaurants for their health.

Then perhaps when they can find nothing but a Dunkin Donuts, salad bar, etc. on the road they will not die of iron deficiency.

The use of extraordinary circumstances and exceptions, including guilt trips with pregnant women, to do away with standards in Catholicism is from Hell, not the Lord.

We are to live our Catholic lives in the world when we are not nuns and monks, and to do so unashamedly. To seek to remove Catholic culture because it troubles some people is the exact technique that has destroyed it in so many places, and removed God from public life. The Lord -owns- public life. It is His too. We are to live devoutly within it.

I wish to see many, many restaurants practicing their Catholicism.

 

[Tamsulosin]

I understand that in fact eating fish often is good for your health,better than eating other meats,(fish oil, good for the heart)The advise is to eat fish twice a week in fact.
I do not think anybody will have permanent damage to their health by not eating meat on one of the meals on a particular day.(Maybe the pregnant mom ate a turkey sandwich for lunch?)
I have a hard time imagining restaurant owners of those faith that prohibit pork,for example,
fixing in their kitchens barbecue pork,pulled pork or hog cutlets,for the pregnant women or for a debilitated person that frequents their store.
Do you think they are that accomodating?

 

[PaulinVA]

I’m amazed that even something this simple is controversial.

A good Catholic will make sure that he/she has non meat items available on the menu every Friday. That is practicing Catholicism.

There is no reason to remove the other items. There is no reason to make other people live your Catholic faith. They are not required.

 

[Shin]

I understand that in fact eating fish often is good for your health,better than eating other meats,(fish oil, good for the heart)The advise is to eat fish twice a week in fact.
I do not think anybody will have permanent damage to their health by not eating meat on one of the meals on a particular day.(Maybe the pregnant mom ate a turkey sandwich for lunch?)
I have a hard time imagining restaurant owners of those faith that prohibit pork,for example,
fixing in their kitchens barbecue pork,pulled pork or hog cutlets,for the pregnant women or for a debilitated person that frequents their store.
Do you think they are that accomodating?

This is how accommodating they are:

wcbstv.com/topstories/non.kosher.frankfurter.2.965310.html

I by the way admire their enthusiasm, though of course, I do not approve of knifing, I do approve of fear of offending God and anger at it.

I will not say that serving meat on Fridays is a -sin- or -not-, but I will say that it -could be-, if God is calling you to do better than this as your Catholic witness, and you disobey that call of grace in your heart.

Also I am certain the case could be made, at least in an area where there are many Catholic people, that by serving meat on Fridays one is presenting a near occasion of sin to those people by presenting the temptation to be lax in the Faith and not care about observing Fridays – one is allowed to substitute a penance, but in practice this has basically instead resulted in non-observance – something one should not contribute to either. One’s faith is supposed to be edifying.

So while I won’t make the case that it -is- a sin, I will present the possibilities that it could be detrimental to one’s faith life.

Business owners are called to be -Catholic- business owners. If a person can’t tell the difference between a Catholic business owner, and a worldly one, one has to ask…

If you were accused of being Christian, would there be any evidence against you?

I see refraining from serving meat on Fridays as a very positive sign of reverence for the day of the Lord’s crucifixion and bearing witness for Christ.

 

[PaulinVA]

I will not say that serving meat on Fridays is a -sin- or -not-, but I will say that it -could be-, if God is calling you to do better than this as your Catholic witness, and you disobey that call of grace in your heart.

Business owners are called to be -Catholic- business owners. If a person can’t tell the difference between a Catholic business owner, and a worldly one, one has to ask…

If you were accused of being Christian, would there be any evidence against you?

I see refraining from serving meat on Fridays as a very positive sign of reverence for the day of the Lord’s crucifixion and bearing witness for Christ.

Shin, I don’t know. Sometimes we want to make stands for our faith that aren’t really stands at all. We are not required to force non Catholics to comply to our disciplines. Non Catholics will simply not come to your restaurant on Fridays, because the selection is reduced. Some will not come because they are anti Catholic. Your reputation will suffer, and your clientele will shrink. People won’t come on others days, either.

Your sales will suffer, and you will have to lay off people, perhaps you will have to close the business. All over something that you don’t have to do.

A good Catholic businessman does not overwork his employees, provides an honest days pay for an honest day’s work, is generous with time off, is understanding of family issues, and provides a honorable place to work. He doesn’t have to try to make his customers comply to Catholic disciplines. I fear if he tries to make everyone comply, he will become a Catholic former business owner.

 

[Shin]

Shin, I don’t know. Sometimes we want to make stands for our faith that aren’t really stands at all. We are not required to force non Catholics to comply to our disciplines. Non Catholics will simply not come to your restaurant on Fridays, because the selection is reduced. Some will not come because they are anti Catholic. Your reputation will suffer, and your clientele will shrink. People won’t come on others days, either.

Your sales will suffer, and you will have to lay off people, perhaps you will have to close the business. All over something that you don’t have to do.

A good Catholic businessman does not overwork his employees, provides an honest days pay for an honest day’s work, is generous with time off, is understanding of family issues, and provides a honorable place to work. He doesn’t have to try to make his customers comply to Catholic disciplines. I fear if he tries to make everyone comply, he will become a Catholic former business owner.

I prefer to focus on the positive side of this and not on the negative.

As an edifying and beautiful example of faith. A witness of Catholic reverence to the world.

And I think that a person who does this should trust in the Lord in regards to this matter. He could also advertise in parish bulletins.

I don’t know that what you are saying -could- happen would in fact happen, I do not think it likely truly unless there was (and it is possible) some demonic resistance.

And if that resistance is there that is a sign that it is a good and holy thing to -do-.

And that being said if a person is afraid of being persecuted because he is openly Catholic, and so is unwilling to be so. . .

That is what you are talking about isn’t it? I mean, it is not as if there’re hordes of people who’d be upset about having only non-meat dishes on one day of the week, i.e. a separate menu, after they’d adjusted to it – unless they were anti-Catholic.

Are we telling people its time to hide in the sewers and catacombs already? That they don’t dare -be- Catholic?

 

[PaulinVA]

And that being said if a person is afraid of being persecuted because he is openly Catholic, and so is unwilling to be so. . .

That is what you are talking about isn’t it? I mean, it is not as if there’re hordes of people who’d be upset about having only non-meat dishes on one day of the week, i.e. a separate menu, after they’d adjusted to it – unless they were anti-Catholic.

Are we telling people its time to hide in the sewers and catacombs already? That they don’t dare -be- Catholic?

No, shin, I would support you if it was something that was, uhm, important. A matter of faith.

It’s one thing for Chik-Fil-A to be closed on Sundays. They just close. It’s a good thing.

It’s another to cause people to live your faith. Yes, it’s a witness of some sort. A stand of some sort. But I don’t understand why a person would make such an empty stand.

A non Catholic gains nothing by going to that restaurant and ordering a non meat dish. It’s not a discipline they are called to follow. They don’t know they are following a discipline.

So, I guess our disagreement is whether that business owner is somehow living his faith by not serving meat. I don’t think it’s required or advisable.

 

[Shin]

No, shin, I would support you if it was something that was, uhm, important. A matter of faith.

It’s one thing for Chik-Fil-A to be closed on Sundays. They just close. It’s a good thing.

It’s another to cause people to live your faith. Yes, it’s a witness of some sort. A stand of some sort. But I don’t understand why a person would make such an empty stand.

A non Catholic gains nothing by going to that restaurant and ordering a non meat dish. It’s not a discipline they are called to follow. They don’t know they are following a discipline.

So, I guess our disagreement is whether that business owner is somehow living his faith by not serving meat. I don’t think it’s required or advisable.

Actually they gain a taste of Catholic culture… and moreover a discipline they will follow if they ever become Catholic, which is quite necessary for their souls’ salvation.

So it’s in fact a wonderful way to take a step towards introducing others to the Faith, one dish at a time. Many people are very accommodating to others customs.

I see it overall as a positive witness to the faith that should be a joy to implement, not a fearsome thing.

Now, I can hear the argument of not being overt if you are afraid of persecution – hiding so to speak, because of it, and I understand it – though I do not say it is necessarily a good thing either.

But does it rise to this level? How many people are truly upset by having a different menu on a single day of the week? Honestly. Sure a few people are unholy terrors about such things, but these people exist everywhere about everything, one need not fear them.

Are we going to close down all the restaurants that do not serve meat for other reasons? Why aren’t people here complaining about those hmm?

It is not as if one can’t measure the reaction in stages, and test the waters so to speak with one’s menus and prudently arrange for this witness to be taken with the least risk and most fun.

 

[Cat]

I don’t see meatless Fridays as part of a distinctive Catholic culture. There are other religions, non-Christian religions, that forbid the eating of certain foods on certain days. In the U.S., there are so many religions that most people wouldn’t readily recognize meatless Fridays as something distinctly “Catholic.”

To me, the culture of Catholicism is loving and welcoming. Good hospitality is the hallmark of Catholicism and Christianity in general.

And I believe that it’s possible to serve meatless dishes and still act charitably and hospitably.

I believe that a popular restaurant owner can possibly earn the favor of the community and increase his/her business and stature in the community by publicizing meatless Fridays and serving up delicious meatless dishes and making it clear that this is being done to honor Christ. Certainly there will people who get miffed and avoid the place, but many people, including Protestants, will be pleased with the public attempt to honor Christ and will flock to this restaurant in droves. Good restaurant owners can do almost anything they like, as long as it tastes good and is served in a congenial atmosphere.

HOWEVER…there are many franchises in the U.S. where the owner/manager does not have a choice in the matter. A McDonald’s franchiser cannot overrule the corporate vision and refuse to serve burgers on Lenten Fridays.

A Catholic like shin who expects the McDs owner to do this is putting them in an impossible position. That person will lose their franchise, and receive a very poor reference from McDs, which will make it difficult for the person to find another job. They and their family will suffer negative consequences and be forced to apply for public aid.

Should the Church help such people financially? I would say no, because the Church has NOT ordered people who own restaurants to stop serving meat on Lenten Fridays. The person set their own standard of righteousness outside of the standards of the Church, and that’s just not right. It’s really no different than the person who decides that the Church is wrong about birth control or abortion or women priests. We shouldn’t deviate from what the Church asks of us.

Perhaps it would be well for Catholics to think about all this before buying a restaurant franchise that serves meat as a staple. If they are convicted that serving meat on Lenten Fridays is wrong, perhaps they shouldn’t become franchisees and instead, seek to buy and create their own restaurant and set their own standards.

 

[Mattapoisett64]

I prefer to focus on the positive side of this and not on the negative.

As an edifying and beautiful example of faith. A witness of Catholic reverence to the world.

And I think that a person who does this should trust in the Lord in regards to this matter. He could also advertise in parish bulletins.

I don’t know that what you are saying -could- happen would in fact happen, I do not think it likely truly unless there was (and it is possible) some demonic resistance.

And if that resistance is there that is a sign that it is a good and holy thing to -do-.

And that being said if a person is afraid of being persecuted because he is openly Catholic, and so is unwilling to be so. . .

That is what you are talking about isn’t it? I mean, it is not as if there’re hordes of people who’d be upset about having only non-meat dishes on one day of the week, i.e. a separate menu, after they’d adjusted to it – unless they were anti-Catholic.

Are we telling people its time to hide in the sewers and catacombs already? That they don’t dare -be- Catholic?

I would understand what a Kosher restaurant was, but since there are no Catholic dietary laws in that same sense, I don’t understand what a “Catholic restaurant” is. And I certainly don’t understand how not forcing non-Catholics to observe Catholic Lenten regulations equates to “hiding in the sewers and catacombs.” So “being Catholic” means forcing non-Catholics to observe our liturgical regulations? Where does the Church teach that?

 

[BSHoop96]

It is not disrespectful to non-Catholics or to these extraordinary ‘I have to eat meat on Friday at a restaurant for my health’ people you have invented here.

In fact it is a distinctly good and reverent expression of Catholic culture to not serve meat on Fridays at a Catholic restaurant. Since it is not just during Lent but throughout the year in fact, that one is not supposed to have meat, this can show a clear sign of reverence to the Lord to edify -people of all faiths-.

The restaurant is not “Catholic”…the owner is.

I would suppose that many non-Catholics eat there. Not eating meat on Friday is a discipline of the Catholic church.

It is not a sin for the restaurant owner to serve meat on Fridays during Lent. If someone that is Catholic chooses to eat meat, that is their problem.

Yes, I think that he would lose business. Now if he is willing to offer that up that’s fine for him. But unless the cook, waiters, waitresses, busboys are all Catholic, he is making a decision that may harm their financial situation simply because he is applying a Catholic discipline to everyone. It is not a sin for non-Catholics.