Once and for all...should we abstain from meat on ALL FRIDAYS?

[JKirkLVNV]

Dear JKirk,

Yes I’m sure, for it was on last night. Maybe if you doubt my word, you can catch it for yourself next Friday about the same time, just before the rosary. **Please don’t misunderstand me, I don’t doubt your word. I just wondered about how they expressed the Church’s teaching as you related it in your post. We aren’t ordered to eat fish, we’re simply ordered to abstain from meat (on Fridays in Lent and on Ash Wednesday). **

.

 

[whatevergirl]

Hi Whatevergirl,

I hope you did not misunderstand Jimmy Akin, that there is no binding obligation to do another penance if one eats meat on Friday. That’s where I misunderstood EWTN also, for they insist it is necessary.

As my priest told me, it is “desirable” out of love for Our Lord in keeping remembrance of His death on that day. Maybe this is why it is not spoken of in our parishes, because it is no longer required of us in the USA. My mistake was believing the wrong people, who were probably well-intentioned but misinformed, and that’s why I went to confession … just in case there was venial matter, and also to ask the priest.

It seems like the station is anxious to promote piety on Fridays, and that’s not all bad, but I am upset that they made it seem lawful. I was getting a scruple over it.

Yes, I agree with you that it is really a praiseworthy practice to go to Mass on Friday, so much better than avoiding meat or doing a minor penance.

thank you for that…I guess I was still confused. But, this post clears it up…so it is NOT binding…interesting…why does EWTN promote something different than that–afterall, that channel is stationed in the U.S. so they should be following the Vatican doctrine…I wonder what Fr Corapi would say on the matter??

You know what might be a very good thing to do…I was just thinking this…reading the stations of the cross…or watching The Passion once per month on a Friday. Reliving the actual sacrifice, in nothing other than hearing and seeing it…will bring a stir in us…an aching…that draws us again, closer to Christ.

Thoughts??

 

[whatevergirl]

JKirkLVNV:
I saw the same commercial. Basically, there are two businessmen having lunch (on a Friday) The one guy orders a hamburger…and the other orders a fish sandwich. The other businessman who ordered the burger says…‘why are you ordering fish?’ And, the guy says…‘It’s Friday.’ The other guy replies…‘but we don’t have to do that…’ (I might have the details wrong…Rykell can help me, right? ) And…the guy replies…'Yes. It’s something that we should do, etc…" Something to that effect.

Then–the screen goes black…and flashes the statement…“It’s our Catholic faith…” another screen aftre that…“Let’s live it!”

So–what do you make of that???

 

[Rykell]

Hi Whatevergirl,

Here is the revealing part of the document in Jimmy Akin’s article:

The bishops were so concerned to avoid the impression that they were gutting the practice of penance that if they were creating an alternative obligation then they could not have failed to underscore this point. It would have been the most crushing rejoinder to their potential critics if they had said something like, “Though we have terminated the obligation to abstain, the faithful are nevertheless bound to perform a penance of their choice on Fridays and thus the Catholic practice of Friday penance remains in place even though the form the penance takes is now left to the determination of the individual.”** The fact that the bishops nowhere say this or anything like it strongly indicates that it was not** the bishops’ intent to create an alternative obligation. Calling attention to the alternative obligation by frankly stating it would have utterly invalidated the criticism the bishops were most concerned to avoid.

I don’t understand EWTN’s reasoning, but I know they are a very conservative group and sometimes take these positions that confuse the faithful.

 

[Rykell]

Basically, there are two businessmen having lunch (on a Friday) The one guy orders a hamburger…and the other orders a fish sandwich. The other businessman who ordered the burger says…‘why are you ordering fish?’ And, the guy says…‘It’s Friday.’ The other guy replies…‘but we don’t have to do that…’ (I might have the details wrong…Rykell can help me, right? ) And…the guy replies…'Yes. It’s something that we should do, etc…" Something to that effect.

Hi again, Whatevergirl,

Yeah, that’s about right, except I really zeroed in on the penance part because that’s where I had my hang-up. I can’t quote it verbatim, but the fellow insisted that we are to perform one if we do not abstain from meat.

 

[whatevergirl]

Hi again, Whatevergirl,

Yeah, that’s about right, except I really zeroed in on the penance part because that’s where I had my hang-up. I can’t quote it verbatim, but the fellow insisted that we are to perform one if we do not abstain from meat.

yes yes yes…you are right…I can’t recall it either. My husband’s rolling of his eyes over the commerial, must have been distracting me. LOL!!! I said to him, if this is something we should abide by, then we should. (another eye roll ensued)

I definitely think that I will be conscious of this special, solemn day…I feel robbed though, that I didn’t know about it sooner!!! I mean…according to EWTN, it’s not an option. I recall that the guy said…‘it’s something that we think we don’t have to do anymore, but we do.’ something like that??? do u remember?

 

[DiscerningDave]

What is the reason for it being meat? I have always thought it was due to the fact that meat, traditionally, in the older days was 1) easier to get than seafood and 2)was considered a luxery item. Maybe I am wrong, so please correct me.

However, here is South Louisiana, seafood is our preferred food. I would much rather eat fried catfish, boiled shrimp, boiled crawfish, crab and shrim gumbo, shrimp and corn soup, crawfish etouffee, etc…then eat beef, pork, or any kind of meat. So, would some other pennance be preferred?

 

[mommyof4]

What is the reason for it being meat? I have always thought it was due to the fact that meat, traditionally, in the older days was 1) easier to get than seafood and 2)was considered a luxery item. Maybe I am wrong, so please correct me.

However, here is South Louisiana, seafood is our preferred food. I would much rather eat fried catfish, boiled shrimp, boiled crawfish, crab and shrim gumbo, shrimp and corn soup, crawfish etouffee, etc…then eat beef, pork, or any kind of meat. So, would some other pennance be preferred?

In my humble opinion, we should respect the spirit of the law, which is sacrafice. If it is NOT a sacrifice to give up meat, then do something else. For me, having hot dogs and mac & cheese (cough, gag, sputter, yuk)! at home is more of a sacrifice than going out and having a good fish dinner.

 

[LilyM]

I’m so glad there’s none of this confusion here. For the last few years our priests (at least in my diocese) have been making it clear that every Friday IS a penitential day, no ifs ands or buts!

 

[mommyof4]

I wish ours would say one way or another. I had not ever heard of that until some thread mentioned it a few months ago. Ever since then, I have been “trying” to do something on Fridays, such as go to adoration, say an extra rosary, read the bible, give up some food or something like that. I haven’t been perfect about it. Like I said in my earlier post, I have a feeling that subbing the latte for the pop yesterday wasn’t the most sacraficial thing I have ever done!

 

[whatevergirl]

I wish ours would say one way or another. I had not ever heard of that until some thread mentioned it a few months ago. Ever since then, I have been “trying” to do something on Fridays, such as go to adoration, say an extra rosary, read the bible, give up some food or something like that. I haven’t been perfect about it. Like I said in my earlier post, I have a feeling that subbing the latte for the pop yesterday wasn’t the most sacraficial thing I have ever done!

That’s cute.

 

[kevathaide01]

Only if you want to. All fast and abstinence is a very personal sacrifice.

We should observe Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

 

[whatevergirl]

Only if you want to. All fast and abstinence is a very personal sacrifice.

We should observe Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

hi kevathaide;

what do you make of replacing the abstinence part of it with something ‘to do’? (ie praying extra Rosary…attending a weekly mass, etc…??)

 

[kevathaide01]

My idea is that as it is a personal sacrifice, you may do any combination of all the things mentioned. There are no rules. What do you think?

 

[whatevergirl]

aaahhh…how can we all be Catholics, saying different things on this? I will follow Fridays from now, as pentitential days…but, it seems like there is not a unanimous feeling on it here…and if not here…then our fellow Catholics roaming out in the world, are probably conflicting too…

It should be something that the Pope hands down…no matter what Diocese you’re in. Why should one Diocese follow something, than another?

Help…Calgon… take me away.

 

[jmcrae]

Why are Fridays set aside rather than… well any other day.

Because it is the day of the Crucifixion.

Every Sunday is a “little Easter” in commemoration of Christ’s resurrection, and every Friday is a “little Lent” in commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

I always thought it was kind of a neat pun, that Jesus gave up His flesh for us on a Friday, so we give up flesh (meat) on Fridays in remembrance of this.

There are a lot of people who are confused about this issue, and I remember becoming very confused about it when I was in RCIA.

I wrote to my Bishop about it at that time, in order to get clarification, and he wrote me back and said to abstain from meat, but if abstaining from meat isn’t a penance for you (because you are a vegetarian, for example) then you can do a Friday devotion such as the Litany of the Sacred Heart, or the Stations of the Cross.

But he said you must either abstain from meat (if you are a meat eater, normally) or do some kind of penitential devotion. He said it is incorrect that penance itself is “optional” - we do have to do something - and the preference of the Church is that we normally would abstain from meat on Fridays.

When I discussed it with my priest, he said basically, use your head, and remember the law of charity - if someone goes to a great deal of effort to create a meal for you, and it contains meat, then, out of love for them, honour their effort and eat the meat, even though it’s Friday. But normally, we don’t eat meat on Fridays.

 

[Victorious]

Part of the Dominican discipline is to abstain from meat on Fridays. So I try to abstain from meat on Fridays – but there’s really nothing penitential for me about eating fish instead, because I LOVE fish (especially salmon).

 

[Pug]

Help…Calgon… take me away.

Exactly! It is frustrating to be unsure of a rule. It seems like it would be simple to clear small questions up, but it must not be, otherwise it would get cleared up.

Perhaps we need a thread:

Does the rule, “a doubtful rule does not bind,” still hold? (get it? hehehehe)

 

[Joysong]

Whatevergirl:

It should be something that the Pope hands down…no matter what Diocese you’re in. Why should one Diocese follow something, than another?

It is important to remember that the Pope does not legislate all disciplines, but this authority has been given to the Bishop in the Diocese to shepherd his flock. That may vary from diocese to diocese, so the bottom line is that we must adhere to whatever our own Bishop lawfully decides is to be the guideline for us.

I’m remembering recently where two different dioceses had received two different decrees, one that gave dispensation and the other did not. Depending where one lived and worshipped, you had to give submission.

The abstinence dispensation, as far as I know, pertains to the USA.

 

[whatevergirl]

Because it is the day of the Crucifixion.

Every Sunday is a “little Easter” in commemoration of Christ’s resurrection, and every Friday is a “little Lent” in commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

I always thought it was kind of a neat pun, that Jesus gave up His flesh for us on a Friday, so we give up flesh (meat) on Fridays in remembrance of this.

There are a lot of people who are confused about this issue, and I remember becoming very confused about it when I was in RCIA.

I wrote to my Bishop about it at that time, in order to get clarification, and he wrote me back and said to abstain from meat, but if abstaining from meat isn’t a penance for you (because you are a vegetarian, for example) then you can do a Friday devotion such as the Litany of the Sacred Heart, or the Stations of the Cross.

But he said you must either abstain from meat (if you are a meat eater, normally) or do some kind of penitential devotion. He said it is incorrect that penance itself is “optional” - we do have to do something - and the preference of the Church is that we normally would abstain from meat on Fridays.

When I discussed it with my priest, he said basically, use your head, and remember the law of charity - if someone goes to a great deal of effort to create a meal for you, and it contains meat, then, out of love for them, honour their effort and eat the meat, even though it’s Friday. But normally, we don’t eat meat on Fridays.

lol ok. you know what? i’m going to just not eat meat…AND do something sacrifical…whether it be my time reading Scripture more…getting up early to attend morning mass…baking a cake for my neighbor…I think for all that Jesus did for us, it’s the least I can do for Him.

ok.