Non-Lenten Fridays in US

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After reading another thread I have a bit of confusion. Ok so I know we are asked to either abstain from meat or perform another penance of our choice on all non-Lenten Fridays throughout the year. But I was under the Impression that this was voluntary and no longer binding under pain of mortal sin. So if on non-Lenten Fridays you did absolutely no penance then, while not ideal, it was not a mortal sin. Could someone kindly clear this up for me please?
 
As far as I am aware it is venial to do no penance. Good Friday and ash Wednesday would potentially be a different story.
 
I did not know there was a penitential practice of some kind on non Lenten Fridays in the US, that is new to me. I know of the Ash Wednesday and Fridays of Lent to not eat meat but I’ve grown post Vatican 2 where the no meat Fridays was reduced to Lent only.
 
Convert_in_99 said:
After reading another thread I have a bit of confusion. Ok so I know we are asked to either abstain from meat or perform another penance of our choice on all non-Lenten Fridays throughout the year. But I was under the Impression that this was voluntary and no longer binding under pain of mortal sin. So if on non-Lenten Fridays you did absolutely no penance then, while not ideal, it was not a mortal sin. Could someone kindly clear this up for me please?
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You are correct.
 
This question has come up from time to time.

From the “Ask an Apologist” forum:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=58&highlight=fast+abstinence

I’ll admit it’s not completely clear whether only the abstinence from meat is no longer binding under penalty of sin or the obligation is no longer binding under penalty of sin, period.

Looking at the apologist’s reply and looking at what the apologist italicized and capitalized in the quote from the bishops’ statement, I’d assume that the obligation is no longer binding under penalty of sin, period.

I still honor the obligation and I either abstain from meat or pray an additional five decades of the Rosary.
 
MissRose73 said:
I did not know there was a penitential practice of some kind on non Lenten Fridays in the US, that is new to me. I know of the Ash Wednesday and Fridays of Lent to not eat meat but I’ve grown post Vatican 2 where the no meat Fridays was reduced to Lent only.
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CCC 1438 The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice. These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works).
 
Convert_in_99 said:
After reading another thread I have a bit of confusion. Ok so I know we are asked to either abstain from meat or perform another penance of our choice on all non-Lenten Fridays throughout the year. But I was under the Impression that this was voluntary and no longer binding under pain of mortal sin. So if on non-Lenten Fridays you did absolutely no penance then, while not ideal, it was not a mortal sin. Could someone kindly clear this up for me please?
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The US norm dates back to November 18, 1966 norms of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCBB) on penitential observance for the Liturgical Year, which continue in force since they are law and are not contrary to the 1983 code of canon law (see CIC canon 6). That the norms state voluntary penance was shown in the NCCB document in 1983, The Challenge of Peace:
298. As a tangible sign of our need and desire to do penance we, for the cause of peace, commit ourselves to fast and abstinence on each Friday of the year. We call upon our people voluntarily to do penance on Friday by eating less food and by abstaining from meat. This return to a traditional practice of penance, once well observed in the U.S. Church, should be accompanied by works of charity and service toward our neighbors. Every Friday should be a day significantly devoted to prayer, penance, and almsgiving for peace.

usccb.org/upload/challenge-peace-gods-promise-our-response-1983.pdf
 
Rather than focus on the minimum why not pick a penance that you can do and go ahead and do it every Friday.
 
Convert_in_99 said:
After reading another thread I have a bit of confusion. Ok so I know we are asked to either abstain from meat or perform another penance of our choice on all non-Lenten Fridays throughout the year. But I was under the Impression that this was voluntary and no longer binding under pain of mortal sin. So if on non-Lenten Fridays you did absolutely no penance then, while not ideal, it was not a mortal sin. Could someone kindly clear this up for me please?
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Yes, every Friday is a day of penance. The penance is obligatory, not voluntary.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

See also canon 1253

Can. 1253 The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast.

The form that the penance might take is voluntary. The universal norm is to abstain from meat, however (in the U.S.) an individual is free to substitute his own choice of penance in its place, this without any need to consult a pastor or confessor or anyone else.

The U.S. bishops did not do away with the obligation of Friday penance. That is beyond their authority. They can substitute, they cannot eliminate.

Failing to do some form of penance on Friday is not a mortal sin; if anything it would be venial. It would be a sin of omission, but one that would depend on circumstances.
 
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