Lent - What Can We Eat?

[Catholic_Home]

You might want to take a look at a book I’ve written entitled “Lenten Fasting and Abstinence – Meatless Meals for Lent”

It is a collection of the laws of fasting an abstinence, a comparison between the ancient and modern laws, inspiration from Scripture, the Popes and Saints as well as prayers at mealtime in English and Latin.

I’ve included over 90 recipes made without meat and many are very budget conscious as well.

The book was a work of love that I wrote in 2005 when our son, just before he decided he wanted to be a Priest, gave up meat for Lent.

I have revised it for 2009 and it is available in an affordable “print it yourself” version as well as a printed version.

The original unrevised eBook is available for free download at my website www.catholichomeandgarden.com

While you’re there, please take a peek at my Lent and Confession pages.

God bless,
Christine

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Or perform some other penitential act? I’m not sure what that is, a penitential act.

I was under the impression that we only had to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. Because of what I am reading here, I think I should abstain from meat on Fridays all year. Because I haven’t been doing any extra penitential acts on Fridays.

I do not eat meat on Fridays all year.

 

[RosalieM]

I gave up meat last Lent and decided to do so this Lent also. I can have seafood and veggie entrees. This Lent it doesn’t seem like a significant penance, so I’m also giving up snacks and trying to fast more than the minimal two days. I feel better after the Ash Wednesday fast in which dinner consisted of grapes and milk. I had an oatmeal, milk and protein powder mushy concoction for breakfast (oh so healthy!) with vitamins. Lunch was a fish sandwich and cheese and crackers. I felt stuffed until later in the evening. I attribute that to the fish protein.
Another filling snack is orange juice with protein powder and a bit of clear soda. I think a good fast would be to divide up a full meal, having a small breakfast like oatmeal, a sandwich or entree for lunch, and fruits and/or veggies for dinner. and, p.s. I don’t eat meat on Fridays all year either.

 

[rpp]

I do not eat meat on Fridays all year.

I also do not eat meat on Fridays except on very rare occasions, and then I am certain that I perform some penitential act like say an additional Rosary. Generally, I try to have seafood on Fridays, which is a penitential act as I do not like seafood very much.

 

[Kathrin]

A priest here in Switzerland told me today that the abstinence from meat on Lenten Fridays isn’t required by Catholic law anymore.

I am a vegetarian anyway but I want to make sure I give other people the right information.
What the priest said surprised me, i thought Fridays in Lent were days of abstinence. Maybe it is different in different countries? Does anybody know?

Kathrin

 

[jazzy_987]

It could be different depending on the country.
Here in Canada it’s recommended but not mandatory.

 

[jmcrae]

It could be different depending on the country.
Here in Canada it’s recommended but not mandatory.

Just to be clear, in Canada, we may substitute another form of penance in the place of abstinence from meat on every Friday of the year, including the Fridays of Lent, except for Good Friday (which is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat) and Ash Wednesday, which is also a day of fasting and abstinence from meat.

But we aren’t free to not abstain from meat and then not do some other form of penance.

That’s the rule for Canada. I know that in the States, penance on the non-Lenten Fridays of the year is optional.

 

[jazzy_987]

Just to be clear, in Canada, we may substitute another form of penance in the place of abstinence from meat on every Friday of the year, including the Fridays of Lent, except for Good Friday (which is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat) and Ash Wednesday, which is also a day of fasting and abstinence from meat.

But we aren’t free to not abstain from meat and then not do some other form of penance.

That’s the rule for Canada. I know that in the States, penance on the non-Lenten Fridays of the year is optional.

Sorry I forgot to include that.

 

[1ke]

Here is the universal law of the Church:

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P4O.HTM

Note that it states the Episcopal Conference may alter the penance requirements (Canon 1251 & 1253

So, it depends upon what the Bishops in Switzerland have decided.

Sorry, not familiar with Switzerland.

 

[Phemie]

Just to be clear, in Canada, we may substitute another form of penance in the place of abstinence from meat on every Friday of the year, including the Fridays of Lent, except for Good Friday (which is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat) and Ash Wednesday, which is also a day of fasting and abstinence from meat.

But we aren’t free to not abstain from meat and then not do some other form of penance.

That’s the rule for Canada. I know that in the States, penance on the non-Lenten Fridays of the year is optional.

When’s the last time you heard about the ‘substituting something else’ rule in Canada?

I was reprimanded for putting it in the bulletin one year. I had just discovered it and had never known of its existence and I was around when the rule changed. No ‘substitution’ was ever mentioned, just a straight “You may eat meat on Friday from now on.”

 

[jmcrae]

When’s the last time you heard about the ‘substituting something else’ rule in Canada?

I was reprimanded for putting it in the bulletin one year. I had just discovered it and had never known of its existence and I was around when the rule changed. No ‘substitution’ was ever mentioned, just a straight “You may eat meat on Friday from now on.”

Five years ago, when I e-mailed my Bishop for clarification. He wrote back that we are to do some kind of penance on all Fridays of the year, with Good Friday being the only one where the required penance is to fast and to abstain from meat.

 

[Maverick]

That is interesting that a lot of Catholics don’t eat meat on Fridays all year round. I think I’ll go that route too.

I was kind of hoping the Church would restore that meatless Friday rule, but there is no need for me to wait for something that may never happen. Plus I want to be as true to Church doctrine as I can be.

This will make it easier to remember and follow for me rather than doing another penitential act. I think for many Catholics Friday is now just the same as any other day (except during Lent)

 

[Phemie]

Five years ago, when I e-mailed my Bishop for clarification. He wrote back that we are to do some kind of penance on all Fridays of the year, with Good Friday being the only one where the required penance is to fast and to abstain from meat.

Don’t you have Bishop Henry? I’m surprised it required personal communication; I would have thought that in your diocese something so basic would be well publicized. I can honestly say that I have never heard that rule mentioned once since we were given the option.

 

[RosalieM]

That is interesting that a lot of Catholics don’t eat meat on Fridays all year round. I think I’ll go that route too.

I was kind of hoping the Church would restore that meatless Friday rule, but there is no need for me to wait for something that may never happen. Plus I want to be as true to Church doctrine as I can be.

This will make it easier to remember and follow for me rather than doing another penitential act. I think for many Catholics Friday is now just the same as any other day (except during Lent)

This is true. When I visited my sister and brother-in-law, they became almost adamant about the subject of eating meat on Fridays. They didn’t want to hear anything about it. So I changed the subject and ate shrimp while everyone had chicken. It also happened at a parish bible study gathering. They were passing around hungarian sausage on Friday. I’m a revert and I am not waiting for any announcements of changing things or arguing about how people perceive things. I’m just not having meat on Fridays. It’s the least I can do. Wasn’t the initial reason because Christ died on a Friday? I’ll honor that – mandatory or not.

 

[tee_eff_em]

I’ll bet that beaver and otter were both allowed too, although I’d rather have them as pets than as supper.

Muskrat is kosher for Lent, they say.

Wish I could find out about rattlesnake – Nowhere near water, but it is cold blooded? (The bride brought home some leftovers from an office function tonight)

tee

 

[rcscwc]

Not to derail but…

There was a joke a while ago, when McDonald’s was first considering opening shop in India. The Indian Government stated its concern that India was a majority Hindu nation, and Hindus regard cows as sacred and therefor could not countenance the consumption of beef.

To which McD’s replied, “And your point is…?”

And anybody will believe that the Indian govt bowed to Mac. NO. Not like that.

Was such a retort made by the Mac in Israel about pork too. Or in some muslim country? Or do they not operate there?

Fact. Mac learnt the HARD, HARD way that it cannot have pork or beef in its items on sale in India, UNLESS they advertise this fact.

 

[Ghoti]

And anybody will believe that the Indian govt bowed to Mac. NO. Not like that.

Was such a retort made by the Mac in Israel about pork too. Or in some muslim country? Or do they not operate there?

Fact. Mac learnt the HARD, HARD way that it cannot have pork or beef in its items on sale in India, UNLESS they advertise this fact.

The joke was that there was no beef in the Big Mac etc…that Mickey D’s grub is not “real” food.

I remember the germ of this joke came from 1. the rather generic bland taste of the burgers as compared to a backyard burger, and 2. the fact that the burgers were (are?) listed as being made “with 100% pure beef”, not “from 100% pure beef”.

“I made a sandcastle WITH a shovel.” Doesn’t mean there’s any shovel in it anymore.

 

[rcscwc]

The joke was that there was no beef in the Big Mac etc…that Mickey D’s grub is not “real” food.

I remember the germ of this joke came from 1. the rather generic bland taste of the burgers as compared to a backyard burger, and 2. the fact that the burgers were (are?) listed as being made “with 100% pure beef”, not “from 100% pure beef”.

“I made a sandcastle WITH a shovel.” Doesn’t mean there’s any shovel in it anymore.

Noo. In fact their french fries were done in beef tallow. A few damaging law suits and they saw reason. In India they go out of the way to assure: NO BEEF, NO PORK.

 

[Kathrin]

Wow, thanks!
So of course the priest knew what he was talking about.

Because of the replies I got here, I better knew where to look it up and found the document of the swiss bischop’s conference. And really, it doesn’t say that on Fridays of Lent abstinence from meat is mandatory.

So, like on other Fridays of the year, something else can be substituted.

Voluntary fasting on Lenten Fridays is recommended though, as a sign of sharing with others.

Thanks everybody!
I could now make a call and let somebody know that I had given wrong information.

Kathrin

 

[Cluny]

Birds and mammals are out.

In the East, so is anything with a backbone (though the jury is still out about frogs’ legs). Shellfish is permitted. I think the criterion was if it bled red blood if you stabbed it.