Meatless Fridays? What is the real rule?

[STJOMO]

I’m confused. For years (decades, actually), I was under the impression that Catholics could eat meat on Fridays, according to Vatican II. Then, a couple of years ago, an aunt (orthodox) told me that that was not true. She said that the rules stated that the rules allowed Catholics to eat meat on non-Lent Fridays if they performed a corporal work of mercy. Since then, my family has been going meatless on Fridays.

What, once and for all, is the rule regarding abstinence on Fridays outside of Lent? I can’t seem to find anything in the Catechism about it.

 

[Jim_Blackburn]

Jimmy Akin addressed this issue in his blog on July 1. (scroll down)