Isn't fish meat?

[quasimodo]

Some mammals - well at least one - is OK to eat during Lent. When the missionaries were gaining converts in South America they found that the natives were eating large rodents called capybaras. The capybara is significantly or mostly aquatic. The Church, in a special dispensation, classified the animal as a fish in the 16th century. Capybaras have slightly webbed feet and no tail. Strange but true.

 

[Fuerza]

What is the “flesh” of fish called?

In Spanish “pescado” refers to a cooked fish and is therefore also used to refer to the flesh of a fish to be eaten. The word for a living, uncooked fish is “pez”. A person who wanted to say “the flesh of a fish” (for whatever reason that might come up in conversation) could say “La piel del pez”. In casual conversation, a person might say “la carne del pez”, but it’s not really the proper term.

 

[Leopard]

…I was hoping I could get a special dispensation for a nice tender, juicy Triceritops steak this season but I guess that would be out of the question…

Triceratops is not tender or juicy unless it is from a very young animal. The stuff available nowadays is typically rock hard and dry.

 

[VociMike]

So, why does your wife give you a hard time over a rather modest bit of self-denial in recognition of Christ’s Passion? Why does it bother her so much?

 

[love4mary]

Ok, this is a tough one for me. I grew up an Atheist so never gave a moments’ thought to giving up anything for Lent.

I am now a practicing Catholic engaged to a wonderful Cradle Catholic man who has given up Friday meat his entire life. I still cannot or to be honest, forget about the Friday no-meat rule and when he comes over for dinner on Friday nights, I have to rack my brain trying to cook veggie,he even considers fish to be a no-no plus he hates fish anyway.

Is there something I can do other then meatless Fridays except of course on Good Friday? there is one other required day which escapes me at this moment. I am an extreme carnivore (expecting letters from P.E.T.A) any moment now, but come to think of it,maybe that is one of the purposes of giving meat up on Fridays

Anyway, IS there another option available to us Catholics who find it difficult at best to give up meat? I still have to prepare a meat dish for my children though, one is only 10 and under the age requirement, and the 14 is close to being Anti-Catholic anyway and will go out of his way in doing things Against Church teachings.

 

[mlldrl]

Anyway, IS there another option available to us Catholics who find it difficult at best to give up meat?

I live in the US and as I understand it we’re not bound to give up meat on Fridays but if we choose to eat meat we should give up something else. For me I LOVE fish and seafood so it’s not really a hardship to eat fish on Fridays. Ditto with veggie dishes. I give up sweets. No sweet rolls with breakfast. No little bit 'o chocolate after lunch. No slice of pie after dinner. Let me tell you it is a struggle sometimes. I know it’s simple but it helps me remember how blessed I am to have these luxuries to give up and most importantly I have a Savior who gave up so much more for me.

You may consider that if it’s so hard for you to give up that it (meat) may be the very thing you should give up. At least you personally. Fix whatever for the kids but don’t eat meat yourself. Or better yet, talk to them about what it means to give up something important to you and work on it as a family.

M

 

[jc-servant]

Ok, this is a tough one for me. I grew up an Atheist so never gave a moments’ thought to giving up anything for Lent.

I am now a practicing Catholic engaged to a wonderful Cradle Catholic man who has given up Friday meat his entire life. I still cannot or to be honest, forget about the Friday no-meat rule and when he comes over for dinner on Friday nights, I have to rack my brain trying to cook veggie,he even considers fish to be a no-no plus he hates fish anyway.

Is there something I can do other then meatless Fridays except of course on Good Friday? there is one other required day which escapes me at this moment. I am an extreme carnivore (expecting letters from P.E.T.A) any moment now, but come to think of it,maybe that is one of the purposes of giving meat up on Fridays

Anyway, IS there another option available to us Catholics who find it difficult at best to give up meat? I still have to prepare a meat dish for my children though, one is only 10 and under the age requirement, and the 14 is close to being Anti-Catholic anyway and will go out of his way in doing things Against Church teachings.

During Lent, the meatless Friday is not optional. You will live. I love my meat also! I could wax nostalgic about meat dishes all day.

Try having pasta with some big hearty, artichoke hearts, chewy mushrooms and/or veggies. My mother used to do something like breakfast for dinner on Fridays when we were little kids, so we had waffles or pancakes with an egg which was hearty/filling and still meatless. We did not even miss the meat because having pancakes for dinner with fruit on the top was so unusual and kind of fun/weird. A big pot of homemade bean or veggie soup with cornbread is a good dinner for the whole family also. We will not die or have a breakdown without our meat one day per week.

Also during the remainder of the year, we are supposed to do something to mark Fridays as special since abstinence from meat is no longer mandated. People can simply go meatless all year on Fridays or choose something else outside of Lent to substitute.

 

[JMBNH]

Some mammals - well at least one - is OK to eat during Lent. When the missionaries were gaining converts in South America they found that the natives were eating large rodents called capybaras. The capybara is significantly or mostly aquatic. The Church, in a special dispensation, classified the animal as a fish in the 16th century. Capybaras have slightly webbed feet and no tail. Strange but true.

Beaver used to also be classed as fish, not sure if it still is. Probably why beavers died out in the UK during the Middle Ages due to being popular Friday food.

 

[puzzleannie]

With the rapidly approaching lenten season, my non-catholic wife always gives me a hard time with the no-meat Friday requirement…

HELP!

meat is whatever the bishops say it is when they publish the Lenten regulations. that might even vary with culture, and does definitely vary with Rite. (see past discussion on muskrat for instance in parts of Canada and Michigan).

since there are a dozen threads on this topic each Lent you might enjoy wading through a search

 

[JMBNH]

Is there something I can do other then meatless Fridays except of course on Good Friday? there is one other required day which escapes me at this moment.

Ash Wednesday, which is next Wednesday.

You’re clearly lucky you’re not Greek Catholic (or Greek Orthodox for that matter) or you’d be giving up meat for the whole of Lent AND Advent (except Saturdays and Sundays) plus the vast majority of Wednesdays AND Fridays, and the fish exemption isn’t there on most days, nor is dairy/eggs allowed, nor alcohol, nor vegetable oils. Though in some ways it seems better as we get it easy in the Latin Rite.

 

[puzzleannie]

Triceratops is not tender or juicy unless it is from a very young animal. The stuff available nowadays is typically rock hard and dry.

the only time you are likely to see it on a typical restaurant menu is as “Chicken Fried Steak”
don’t ask

 

[bluerose]

I beg to differ. They cover it with some kind of tomato gravy and call it Salisbury Steak.

Because Salisburies are very rare and expensive, so they use Triceratops instead (hence the need for the thick gravy.)

 

[JanPWilde]

So what do Catholic vegans like me do for Lent, then? Personally, I think I like the Byzantine and Orthodox rules for Lenten fasting better. Less clogging of the arteries at parish fish frys! (And fewer fish dying!)

 

[Miles_Mariae]

So what do Catholic vegans like me do for Lent, then? Personally, I think I like the Byzantine and Orthodox rules for Lenten fasting better. Less clogging of the arteries at parish fish frys! (And fewer fish dying!)

Well, as an expression of regret for previous errors, you could renounce your ridiculous dietary habits.

Seriously, I guess you could bring a carrot or two to the fish fry and nibble on them, pretending that you are enjoying the delicious fish.

 

[Jon_S]

Last year during lent I went to Burger King with some friends from work. I ordered a juicy Whopper and had it just inches away from my mouth when I realized it was Friday.

I threw the burger in the trash with a tear in my eye. I tried to give it to someone else, but no one wanted it. They all had food already.

 

[Filius99993]

So what do Catholic vegans like me do for Lent, then? Personally, I think I like the Byzantine and Orthodox rules for Lenten fasting better. Less clogging of the arteries at parish fish frys! (And fewer fish dying!)

I wish I could at least be a vegetarian, but my parents wouldn’t allow for it… either that or I’d have to go on my mother’s “special diet”. Yikes.

 

[JanPWilde]

Personally, I consider my vegan diet as an extension of a pro-life view. And Filius, perhaps when you’re on your own, vegan or vegetarian could be something you’d consider.

All that said, my husband still eats meat. I don’t force my vegan decision on anyone. But one of the factor in my decision for veganism was the Lent I spent eating veg on Fridays. I enjoyed the experience, and I’d always felt that fried fish was way, way, way overpromoted! (Not to knock the good work of our K of C brothers!)

And I bake vegan for family events because some are allergic to dairy, some to eggs. With vegan, most everyone can eat what I bring.

 

[rwoehmke]

Last year during lent I went to Burger King with some friends from work. I ordered a juicy Whopper and had it just inches away from my mouth when I realized it was Friday.
I threw the burger in the trash with a tear in my eye. I tried to give it to someone else, but no one wanted it. They all had food already.

In the Detroit Archdiocese before Vatican II we were taught that if you forgot and bought and then remembered you could eat it. Of course those were the days when we were told to clean our plates because Chinese children were starving.

 

[LilyM]

Ash Wednesday, which is next Wednesday.

You’re clearly lucky you’re not Greek Catholic (or Greek Orthodox for that matter) or you’d be giving up meat for the whole of Lent AND Advent (except Saturdays and Sundays) plus the vast majority of Wednesdays AND Fridays, and the fish exemption isn’t there on most days, nor is dairy/eggs allowed, nor alcohol, nor vegetable oils. Though in some ways it seems better as we get it easy in the Latin Rite.

No vegetable oil? Can you have animal fats like lard or dripping instead?

 

[Linda_Marie]

Ok, this is a tough one for me. I grew up an Atheist so never gave a moments’ thought to giving up anything for Lent.

I am now a practicing Catholic engaged to a wonderful Cradle Catholic man who has given up Friday meat his entire life. I still cannot or to be honest, forget about the Friday no-meat rule and when he comes over for dinner on Friday nights, I have to rack my brain trying to cook veggie,he even considers fish to be a no-no plus he hates fish anyway.

Is there something I can do other then meatless Fridays except of course on Good Friday? there is one other required day which escapes me at this moment. I am an extreme carnivore (expecting letters from P.E.T.A) any moment now, but come to think of it,maybe that is one of the purposes of giving meat up on Fridays

Anyway, IS there another option available to us Catholics who find it difficult at best to give up meat? I still have to prepare a meat dish for my children though, one is only 10 and under the age requirement, and the 14 is close to being Anti-Catholic anyway and will go out of his way in doing things Against Church teachings.

Check out this thread:
Recipes for Lent:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=133396

Friday is a day of Penance and traditionally this penance took the form of abstinence from meat. Now, we have options.
From the catechism:
scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a4.htm#1434

V. THE MANY FORMS OF PENANCE IN CHRISTIAN LIFE

1434 The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving,31 which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort at reconciliation with one’s neighbor, tears of repentance, concern for the salvation of one’s neighbor, the intercession of the saints, and the practice of charity "which covers a multitude of sins."32

1435 Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right,33 by the admission of faults to one’s brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one’s cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance.34

1436 Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. "It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins."35

1437 Reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the Our Father - every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins.

1438 The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice.36 These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works).

and this from Canon Law:
intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P4M.HTM

Note - Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, we are bound to abstain and fast. Fridays during Lent we are bound to abstain. Other Fridays are bound by whatever your local Council of Bishops have decreed is binding on Catholics. In the US and Australia, abstinence on ordinary Fridays is optional but some form of penance is still required.

It took me a while to learn that penance wasn’t necessarily something unpleasant that must be endured but that it is rather a means of repairing our relationship with God and getting closer to Him.