Meat on Friday

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Zenkai

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Hello everyone,

I’m not Catholic yet, but I am going through RCIA. What are the rules regarding eating meat on Fridays? I think it’s only required to fast from meat on Fridays during Lent, but I just wanted to make sure. Thanks.
 
The general rule is that Catholics must abstain from meat on ALL Fridays of the year. However national or regional bishops’ conferences are allowed to substitute another form of penance, if approved by the Holy See, on Fridays OTHER THAN the Fridays of Lent. Check the website of your local national or regional bishops’ conference. If it doesn’t say anything you should assume the rule in your country is to abstain on all Fridays.

(I would like to say, just ask your RCIA leader or parish priest, but unfortunately if you are in a Western country, the answers you may get may range from precisely correct to blatantly wrong.)
 
Petergee said:
The general rule is that Catholics must abstain from meat on ALL Fridays of the year. However national or regional bishops’ conferences are allowed to substitute another form of penance, if approved by the Holy See, on Fridays OTHER THAN the Fridays of Lent. Check the website of your local national or regional bishops’ conference. If it doesn’t say anything you should assume the rule in your country is to abstain on all Fridays.

(I would like to say, just ask your RCIA leader or parish priest, but unfortunately if you are in a Western country, the answers you may get may range from precisely correct to blatantly wrong.)
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Do the rules apply to me since I’m not Catholic yet? I had a hamburger today, and i was wonding if I commited any sin.
 
Zenkai said:
Do the rules apply to me since I’m not Catholic yet? I had a hamburger today, and i was wonding if I commited any sin.
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No. No disciplinary laws are binding on non-Catholics. Moral laws are binding on everyone.

God Bless
 
bilop said:
No. No disciplinary laws are binding on non-Catholics. Moral laws are binding on everyone.

God Bless
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Thanks!

Just wondering, would it be a mortal sin for a Catholic to eat meat on Fridays?
 
Zenkai said:
Thanks!

Just wondering, would it be a mortal sin for a Catholic to eat meat on Fridays?
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Depends on the rules in their particular country. In the US, no, except for Lenten Fridays.

Also, if one eats meats b/c you forget it’s Friday (for example) it wouldn’t be sinful.

God Bless
 
bilop said:
if one eats meats b/c you forget it’s Friday (for example) it wouldn’t be sinful.
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It wouldn’t be MORTALLY sinful, but I suggest it would be a venial sin. A Catholic should be constantly aware that Fridays are a special day of prayer and penance and should not allow the fact that it is Friday to spring up on him without warning.
 
Petergee said:
It wouldn’t be MORTALLY sinful, but I suggest it would be a venial sin. A Catholic should be constantly aware that Fridays are a special day of prayer and penance and should not allow the fact that it is Friday to spring up on him without warning.
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You can’t sin by accident. People get busy, and forget. It has happened to me (I try to abstain from meat every Friday).

God Bless
 
bilop said:
Depends on the rules in their particular country. In the US, no, except for Lenten Fridays.
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Ding, ding, ding!! I had some awesome fried cod tonight at my Elks Lodge, didn’t necessarily order it because it was Friday, but because, uh well, i’ve had it before and it’s awesome. Oh and those who think we in the United States need to abstain every Friday because that’s the way it was “back in the day” will be proud because I went through the day meatless :p.
 
You have no obligation to fast until you enter the Church.

From the USCCB:

4.Abstinence from meat and fasting on Fridays are encouraged for the intention of the protection of Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty, recognizing the importance of spiritual and bodily sacrifice in the life of the Church.

usccb.org/news/2012/12-212.cfm

Our bishops are strongly encouraging meatless Fridays but not requiring it.
 
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=672696&page=2

Roman Ordo says Abstinence on All Fridays​

In the United States, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has declared that “the age of fasting is from the completion of the eighteenth year to the beginning of the sixtieth.” The USCCB also allows the substitution of some other form of penance for abstinence on all of the Fridays of the year, except for those Fridays in Lent. Thus, the rules for fasting and abstinence in the United States are:

Every person 14 years of age or older must abstain from meat (and items made with meat) on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent.

Every person between the age of 18 and 60 must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Every person 14 years of age or older must abstain from meat (and items made with meat) on all other Fridays of the year, unless he or she substitutes some other form of penance for abstinence.

Abstaining from meat is the easiest form of penance for most people, as you can see the rules did not change, unless you do some form of sincere penance you ARE to abstain from meat.
 
Our Priest gives a dispensation from Friday Abstinence on major feast days.
 
bilop said:
You can’t sin by accident.
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I wasn’t suggesting that you can. However neglecting to be mindful of spiritual matters and the Church’s precepts, or deliberately or through laziness etc remaining ignorant of them, to the extent that one “accidentally” transgresses those precepts, is certainly a sin.
 
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