Meatless Fridays throughout the year may return to the United States

[Richard320]

Let us hope so.

It seems like whenever an alternate is given to anything it gets abused. Time for some clear-cut direction from the Bishops. Maybe they’re finally learning to stop overestimating people.

 

[Saints_Alive]

I’m all for meatless Fridays for penance, but some parish fish frys resemble a gluttonous feast. Beer and delicious fried food doesn’t seem too solemn.

 

[SwizzleStick]

I don’t eat meat on any Friday throughout the year now. That is how I grew up. We have to do a Friday penance each week, that didn’t change, so that is the penance I choose.

 

[Rence]

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but are you subtly implying that it is not penitential at all - that it was or is all business?

I’m saying that when it was instituted, there wasn’t the Fish Keg (Chicago), Fish’n Chips, Capt D’s, Red Lobster, Pizza Hut and 100s of other restaurants offering meatless treasures, or convience foods such as mac and cheese, cereal in boxes, pasta with marinara sauce, etc. I don’t think it’s as much as a sacrifice today due to the many varied and convenient food choices available. Even a buffet of fruits, vegetables with nuts and dips sounds … non-penitential … to me. Not eating meat on a particular day is as much a penance eating meat on a particular day. And unlike the days in which this was instituted and fishermen sold fish, there is a plethora of choices including high end fish choices at many supermarkets. No, I don’t think it’s a penance anymore. It may take something thinking for some people, but really, how hard does one have to think to replace meat for one day? Pancakes with syrup for dinner anyone? Don’t forget the powdered sugar and whipped cream

 

[Rence]

Rence, this is not true. It is anti-Catholic propaganda.

Of course it is

 

[Cath4life]

Personally, I started doing this penance voluntarily about a year ago. This lady at daily mass mentioned that she always did this and I was so taken by this perpetual penance. I love to eat and this was a way to offer sacrifices for my family. I have also given up wings and ribs. It was very hard at first and then it got easier. I try not to eat beef as much as possible as well. It CAN be done!!!

 

[garn9173]

I’m all for meatless Fridays for penance, but some parish fish frys resemble a gluttonous feast. Beer and delicious fried food doesn’t seem too solemn.

What’s wrong with that? We aren’t Baptists, nothing wrong with beer.

I grew up with no meat only on Friday’s during Lent and as a returned Catholic, let me tell you what, this past Lent was really hard. It would be really hard to go without a mushroom & swiss burger or a supreme pizza every Friday night at my Elks Lodge if this were to happen.

 

[YoungTradCath]

I’m all for meatless Fridays for penance, but some parish fish frys resemble a gluttonous feast. Beer and delicious fried food doesn’t seem too solemn.

Ah! I agree! And you are from Kentucky, which is exactly the place I was thinking of when I recalled fish fries from my childhood! I’ve been to many there. I do remember them as being quite gluttonous, yes. But this needn’t be the way they be.

 

[billcu1]

I don’t particularly think it would be that beneficial. Making it clear that some form of penance/sacrifice is required every friday, yes, I think that is a great idea and can be hugely beneficial. Abstaining from meat? I grew up doing that, and still try to do it today, but just out of respect for the tradition, is not actually a sacrifice for me at all. What is a sacrifice is not snacking, or eating smaller/plainer meals, eating burnt food or something, not eating meat just isn’t a big deal, and no, I’m not a vegetarian.So my take on it? They should avoid giving a specific action, such as abstaining from meat, as the necessary sacrifice, (although there is nothing wrong with highly suggesting it because of the great tradition of the Church throughout the ages, to be in solidarity with those Catholics who lost their lives over this practice) but instead it should be made crystal clear that it is mandatory to perform some form of sacrifice on Fridays and so to turn Friday’s into a day of penance.

I wouldn’t mind to see meatless fridays during lent but the whole year? I don’t think it’s necessary.

B

 

[coachdennis]

My old maid Aunts loved meatless Fridays because they ate shrimp or lobster rolls.

I loved it as a kid because it usually meant kraft macaroni and cheese.

Penance really didn’t enter our mind. And yes, we had the good nuns in a Catholic school BEFORE Vatican II!

People, please, please, please :banghead: stop thinking that the years before Vatican II were the “golden years” of Catholicism in America. It was not perfection! People did things out of rote and mindlessness as they do today.

Don’t be fooled into thinking just because there was more “control” of outward behavior, the interior was stronger or more developed!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

If obligatory Friday abstinence is restored year-round, I would expect some real benefits to many Catholics: another weekly reminder of our Faith, another tie bonding us together regularly, and another public witness to non-Catholics.

I don’t eat meat on Fridays by choice. If the bishops try to impose it, my guess is that it will be yet another failure in the Church.

The bishops have wasted our financial capital by paying out billions of dollars in lawsuits.

The bishops have wasted our political capital by trying to unseat Obama and “protect” traditional marriage. (Just how many of those races did they win?)

Now they’ll waste what’s left of our spiritual capital by trying to impose Friday abstinence. Studies show that a third or less of Catholics attend Mass each week. I think we can assume that the 2/3 who skip Mass will probably ignore Fridays as well. Out of the whopping 1/3 of Catholics who go to Mass, some will ignore the bishops deliberately and some will just forget it’s Friday. A handful will have their peanut butter or tuna fish and will feel righteous. Others will see the Church as even more irrelevant.

If the bishops want to do something, how about finding ways to prevent the huge number of divorces among Catholics? How about finding ways to attract people to Mass? How about leading us in loving our neighbors as ourselves?

 

[sedonaman]

… Abstaining from meat? I grew up doing that, and still try to do it today, but just out of respect for the tradition, is not actually a sacrifice for me at all. …

Right. Where is the sacrifice in eating lobster instead of steak?

What is a sacrifice is not snacking, or eating smaller/plainer meals, eating burnt food or something, not eating meat just isn’t a big deal, and no, I’m not a vegetarian. …

I fast for four hours beginning at 8am [or thereabouts] on Friday mornings. If anyone thinks it is easy, I invite them to try it. One can always say extra prayers, too.

 

[garn9173]

I don’t eat meat on Fridays by choice. If the bishops try to impose it, my guess is that it will be yet another failure in the Church.

Several generations of Catholics in the US have grown up with no meat on Fridays only during Lent. If this were to happen, I don’t see it going over very well.

 

[Richard320]

If the bishops want to do something, how about finding ways to prevent the huge number of divorces among Catholics? How about finding ways to attract people to Mass? How about leading us in loving our neighbors as ourselves?

I think they are. And one of the things is to make Catholicism different from the rest.

Engaged Encounter gets a lot of (name removed by moderator)ut from the tribunals - and they try to break a couple up. It ain’t written out that way anywhere in the syllabus, but after you’ve been through it, you know. They want to start a good fight, raise doubts, cancel doomed marriages before they begin.

We’ve tried hootenanny Masses to make it relevant and attractive. It didn’t work - the evangelicals and snake-handler Protestants do it a lot better. Attendance is still dropping.

We’ve relaxed the rules on so much and it didn’t keep people hanging around.

How about some esprit de corps, then? It works for the Marines, doesn’t it? They’re tougher than the rest, yet the still get plenty of volunteers. It works for the Orthodox Jews. It works for the Orthodox Christians. It even seems to work with groups like SSPX.

Let’s make things different and challenging!

 

[pete_29]

Of course it is

Prove it isn’t.

 

[Armor_of_Light]

:imsorry: Erm… I would be one of those Catholics… Penance every Friday? Time to do some research. As to this, I think it would be a pain fora bit, but would eventually become second nature; and even if it doesn’t, it’s to bring me closer to God, so I’m all for it ^^

Yes…it’s usually mentioned from the pulpit before the hand-holding.



I crack me up!

 

[amsjj]

I don’t eat meat on Fridays, and also fast for the seminarians I sponsor.

Count me among those who never got the message about the Friday penance! I’ve wondered why, growing up, I only heard the “you don’t have to abstain from meat anymore,” but not the second part, “put another penance in its place.” It was only when I started reading on my own that I found out about it.

In my experience, it’s a way of sharing the Faith; by it people know I’m Catholic and discussions have begun from this starting point, so I think it’s a good possible point for the New Evangelization.

It was instituted last year by the bishops of England and Wales. Here’s their post on their web site:
Friday Penance
catholic-ew.org.uk/Home/News-Releases/2011/Friday-Penance/(language)/eng-GB
with a Q&A at the end.

Father Z’s blog also has discussion on this:
wdtprs.com/blog/2012/11/oldie-poll-should-the-us-bishops-implement-meatless-fridays-during-the-whole-year/

take care,
amsjj

+++
Jesus, God and man,
imprisoned by love in Thy most holy Sacrament,
have mercy upon us.

• Blessed John Henry Newman, December 22, 1851

Tú y yo sabemos por la fe que oculto en las especies sacramentales está Cristo,
ese Cristo con su Cuerpo, con su Sangre, con su Alma, y con su Divinidad,
prisonero de amor.

• San Josemaría Escrivá, 1 junio 1974

… Our Lord Himself frequently said; and it is recorded as an Apostolic tradition from Him
by St. Justin the Martyr. He says ‘Jesus often said, “They who are near Me are near a fire”’.

• Abp. W. B. Ullathorne, August 1st 1886

 

[ProdglArchitect]

I think they are. And one of the things is to make Catholicism different from the rest.

Engaged Encounter gets a lot of (name removed by moderator)ut from the tribunals - and they try to break a couple up. It ain’t written out that way anywhere in the syllabus, but after you’ve been through it, you know. They want to start a good fight, raise doubts, cancel doomed marriages before they begin.

We’ve tried hootenanny Masses to make it relevant and attractive. It didn’t work - the evangelicals and snake-handler Protestants do it a lot better. Attendance is still dropping.

We’ve relaxed the rules on so much and it didn’t keep people hanging around.

How about some esprit de corps, then? It works for the Marines, doesn’t it? They’re tougher than the rest, yet the still get plenty of volunteers. It works for the Orthodox Jews. It works for the Orthodox Christians. It even seems to work with groups like SSPX.

Let’s make things different and challenging!

I actually agree with this. Making things easier isn’t the route to go. People seem to inherently know that anything worth having is worth working for (at least those not addicted to the welfare state >_>) Personally, it is the fact that there are these restrictions, limitations and requirements that lend some level of credence to the Church for me (besides, you know, the 2000 years plus of history, study, philosophy and advancement). It’s not like the OSAS crowed, who think they only have to say some words and suddenly they’re set for life; that’s not dedication or love, that’s simplicity and, quite frankly, a stupid concept of worship.

Christ gave his life for us, all but one of the Apostles died martyrs, and a myriad of other saints and holy men sacrificed their lives for the Truth. This is a religion built on sacrifice. Of course, this is all easier stated than lived, and I know that I am going to have a hard time picking up more of the traditional aspects of our faith, but I definitely intend to try.

Anything worth having is worth working for, and there’s nothing more “worth having” than an eternity with our Creator. I personally feel that the Church would benefit from reinforcing this notion of sacrifice, and making sure that all of the parishioners know about it. Maybe we wouldn’t see a good return with this generation, but I think it would do wonders for us with the future generations.

Yes…it’s usually mentioned from the pulpit before the hand-holding.



I crack me up!

Because knowing is half the battle!

 

[centurionguard]

What’s wrong with that? We aren’t Baptists, nothing wrong with beer.

I grew up with no meat only on Friday’s during Lent and as a returned Catholic, let me tell you what, this past Lent was really hard. It would be really hard to go without a mushroom & swiss burger or a supreme pizza every Friday night at my Elks Lodge if this were to happen.

nothing wrong with beer.

Correct; there’s nothing wrong with beer…“within moderation”.

I know some have mentioned Beer on Good Friday.
Even though it is permissable I still find it a cheat IMHO, naturally because for the most part its so enjoyable to many. It surely doesn’t curb any lust of the five senses.

 

[MidnightSun12]

God bless Cardinal Dolan and the bishops, I absolutely support bringing back the madatory Friday abstinance and I hope Canada does the same!

I think great penance is needed for the times that we are in right now and whenever we deny ourselves we are helping our Lord to carry the cross that has been made heavy by the many great sins of our society today!