Meat prohibited on Fridays?

[ReflectiveDove]

I’m just a little bewildered.

I read in a thread about eating meat after midnight on Friday…

Okay, can someone explain this to an “up-and-coming” Catholic from the Protestant Church?

Peace be with you,
Brian

 

[mrs_abbott]

Meat is only prohibited on Fridays during Lent. I have known a few people to stay up late on those Fridays and eat meat after midnight, which is perfectly legit, since it’s legally Saturday.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Not eating meat on Fridays during Lent (and previously on all Fridays) is NOT Church Doctrine or Church Dogma – which are considered to be infallible teachings of the Church and can NOT be changed.

Instead “Not eating meat on Fridays during Lent” is a Church PRACTICE. A “Practice” is a rule established by the Church to help the believer walk the straight and narrow path. It can be changed, evolved, or abandoned.

 

[mrs_abbott]

Instead “Not eating meat on Fridays during Lent” is a Church PRACTICE. A “Practice” is a rule established by the Church to help the believer walk the straight and narrow path. It can be changed, evolved, or abandoned.

So no sin attached if you choose NOT to abide by that practice?

 

[LilyM]

On a practical level - EVERY Friday, in many areas (and it depends on the local bishop/bishops) is what is called a ‘penitential day’ in honour of Christ who was crucified on a Friday.

This means we are either encouraged or obliged to do SOME extra act of penance/self denial - or charity or prayer - every Friday. For some this takes the form of not eating meat. The discipline used to be that Fridays were meatless for EVERY Catholic everywhere, but has been changed in the vast majority of places.

The poster on this thread obviously chooses this form of penance and was wondering at what point on a Friday night the obligation ceases.

 

[Aureole]

Catholics are to abstain from eating meat on every Friday (CIC 1251). Since the new day starts at midnight, Catholics could eat meat then. Why anyone would stay up past midnight to eat meat I don’t know.

 

[yeshua]

The concept comes from the Eastern Tradition, where abstaining from meat, dairy and olive oil is practiced on Wednesdays and Fridays of every week. This is found in the Eastern Catholic and Easter Orthodox churches. From those churches with Syriac origins, the day begins at sundown the night prior (similar to Judaism) and ends the following sundown. As such, fasting occurs from Thursday night at sundown until Friday night at sundown, and the same concept applied on Wednesday.

There is no sin associated with not practicing this tradition, it is introspective expression of spirituality.

 

[mrs_abbott]

There is no sin associated with not practicing this tradition, it is introspective expression of spirituality.

Thanks for answering that for me. Why is it taught like we MUST obey it though?

 

[LilyM]

You have to read Canon 1251 in light of Canon 1253 though -

**“Can. 1253 ** **The Episcopal Conference **can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it **can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, **especially works of charity and exercises of piety.” (my bolding)

The Bishops (Episcopal) Conference of the US and that of Australia have both exercised this option. I’m not sure about Canada, though I would think they have done so too. You might want to check.

Some people stay up until midnight because they really miss eating meat

And if it’s Canon Law then indeed we must obey, which is why it’s taught as such.

 

[yeshua]

Thanks for answering that for me. Why is it taught like we MUST obey it though?

Abstinence (what you call fasting) or abstaining from meat, dairy, olive oil, is not required to be obeyed, it is a personal means for finding spiritual understanding. It comes from the eastern perspective that a reduction or abstraction from the whole can show our purest intentions, form. Abstaining allows for one to strip away a dependency and recollect on Christ and his role in our lives, amongst other spiritual needs. This is especially important during Great Lent. Note: not all Eastern Christians practice abstaining (fasting) to the fullest degree, it is a very personal matter.

The Western tradition takes this and uses it in a different manner. Obviously, it simplifies the practice and defines it as, rather, a sacrifice in remembrance of Christ. Whereas abstinence in the Eastern tradition is a year round practice, fasting in the Western tradition is primarily for Lent, and since the season is the most holy in the year, there is much emphasis on sacrificing something of yours for Christ sacrificed all for us. Whichever tradition you adhere to is fine.

mrs_abbott, I would assume that your experience in “MUST obey” is a result of the emphasis used by spiritual community or priest. I hope this helped!

Peace and Christ with you.

 

[Aureole]

The Bishops (Episcopal) Conference of the US and that of Australia have both exercised this option. I’m not sure about Canada, though I would think they have done so too. You might want to check.

I neglected to mention the option for the Episcopal Conference for two reasons: 1) Abstaining from meat on Friday is the traditional and normative sacrifice and 2) Canon 1253 was just underneath in my link and I wasn’t sure if the U.S. did take the option (Though I had my suspicions). Thanks for clarifying that LilyM.

Abstinence (what you call fasting) or abstaining from meat, dairy, olive oil, is not required to be obeyed, it is a personal means for finding spiritual understanding.

yeshua, I wonder if you could clarify something for me. The fourth precept of the Church tells us that we must observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church (CCC 2043). Since Canon Law tells us that every Friday is a day of abstinence, wouldn’t this require us to abstain every Friday?

 

[yeshua]

yeshua, I wonder if you could clarify something for me. The fourth precept of the Church tells us that we must observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church (CCC 2043). Since Canon Law tells us that every Friday is a day of abstinence, wouldn’t this require us to abstain every Friday?

If the Church tells you that every Friday is a day of abstinence, then yes, every Friday. Yet I find this not in practice, and it is not mentioned in New Advent as well.

From New Advent:
“In the United States of America all the days of Lent; the Fridays of Advent (generally); the Ember Days; the vigils of Christmas and Pentecost, as well as those (14 Aug.) of the Assumption; (31 Oct.) of All Saints, are now fasting days.”

So, in this case, fasting is required these days. Again, I do not know why the Canon say one thing and it is practiced and encouraged as practice otherwise. I would suggest you consult your local RC priest. The Eastern Catholics abstain anyway, according to Holy Tradition. I hope this helped.

 

[Aureole]

Thanks yeshua, I think I understand what New Advent was saying. It says that those days are fasting days while the Code of Canon Law states all Fridays of the year are abstinence days. I’m not certain about the East but in the West there’s a difference. It’s not a case of saying different things then.

 

[corvidae]

I have always been told that it was a sin, especially on fridays during lent. This is because it is directly disobeying legitimate Church authority.

In the same regard, the Church is not infallible on the order of the mass, but to directly disobey would be a sin. To intentionally change the mass without the ok of legitimate authority, you would be directly disobeying the Church that God instituted as the authority.

A lone Raven

 

[yeshua]

Thanks yeshua, I think I understand what New Advent was saying. It says that those days are fasting days while the Code of Canon Law states all Fridays of the year are abstinence days. I’m not certain about the East but in the West there’s a difference. It’s not a case of saying different things then.

I see, wonderful, I am glad you have conclusion.

 

[StMarkEofE]

I see, wonderful, I am glad you have conclusion.

Fasting from meat was always a doctrine of the westernchurch until it changed after VatII. However, some still avoid the eating of any meat during all Fridays, but they are of the old school.

The intentional eating of meat on Friday was considered a Mortal sin but now it is not.

The main reason for Fasting is to remind us that flesh makes us weak and that we need spiritual strength which can be attained through the practice of fasting. Note I dont say that not fasting is a sin nor has it ever been a sin. But it is an opportunity for us as Christians to partake of a wonderful way of cleansing ourselves before the Christ and makes us more aware of his love and teachings. Fasting is a way of denying ourselves that which we crave for God’s sake. Not fasting we waste the opportunity to become closer to God.

 

[yeshua]

Fasting from meat was always a doctrine of the westernchurch until it changed after VatII. However, some still avoid the eating of any meat during all Fridays, but they are of the old school.

The intentional eating of meat on Friday was considered a Mortal sin but now it is not.

The main reason for Fasting is to remind us that flesh makes us weak and that we need spiritual strength which can be attained through the practice of fasting. Note I dont say that not fasting is a sin nor has it ever been a sin. But it is an opportunity for us as Christians to partake of a wonderful way of cleansing ourselves before the Christ and makes us more aware of his love and teachings. Fasting is a way of denying ourselves that which we crave for God’s sake. Not fasting we waste the opportunity to become closer to God.

Couldn’t have said it better myself! Except, in my tradition, abstinence and fasting are two different things, yet your fasting is my abstinence. A “fast” in my tradition is not eating from sundown to sunrise. God Bless.

 

[brotherhrolf]

Prior to V II and just after V II no Catholic ate meat on Fridays. I know I sure didn’t at home or at school. But to be honest, it was never a great sacrifice for us here in Louisiana. The closest I can come to a sacrifice was the lettuce and tomato po-boys served in my high school cafetria…and those weren’t bad either. It’s just not that difficult a thing to do and I try to not eat meat on Friday as a matter of course.

I went to a Catholic grade school before V II. On Fridays we had fish sticks or tuna salad or because we were in south Louisiana, seafood gumbo or shrimp creole. It was never a sacrifice for us even when my mother made us grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner.

In high school, I brought tuna salad sandwiches from home. If I had extra money, I’d get a shrimp poboy from school.

I try (given my diabetes) to fast on Fridays since none of us down here in Louisiana ever suffer on Fridays…we didn’t suffer when all Fridays were meatless and we don’t suffer now.

 

[Andruschak]

I’m just a little bewildered.

I read in a thread about eating meat after midnight on Friday…

Okay, can someone explain this to an “up-and-coming” Catholic from the Protestant Church?

Peace be with you,
Brian

It used to be the practice that Catholics were required to abstain from meat on ALL fridays. However, in the USA, abstaining fro meat is now only required on Fridays during Lent. On all other Fridays, you MAY substitute some other form of penance.

In my case, as a 62 year old RCIA Candidate, I don’t want to bother with head-games as to what is sufficient penance… I just abstain from meat on all 52/53 Fridays of the year. My 3 cats are overjoyed at this, since it means that every friday they get a small treat of fish.

 

[KathleenElsie]

We abstain on all Fridays. This is a personal family decision. If we are in another families home and food is put out that contains meat we will eat it so as not to offend. Then we do another sacrifice for that week.