Saint who broke fast or abstinence to cook pheasant

[Digitonomy]

I remember reading a few months ago about a saint who while at her convent or abbey was observing a day of fasting or perhaps abstinence from meat for Lent or a similar penitential occasion.

A group of hunters affiliated with the house returned from their hunt with pheasant. The future saint immediately began preparations to cook and serve the bird. When challenged on this decision, she said “Lent is Lent, but pheasant is pheasant!” In other words, God has seen fit to provide this meal for us today, and we shouldn’t waste it simply because of slavish obedience to rules. (The lack of refrigeration in that era might have been a factor).

I always thought she went over the line when I heard the story, but it is at least a cautionary tale against scrupulosity.

Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find the story again, so the above is just my recollection. Does anyone know which saint this was?

 

[Bookcat]

Such would not be the approach to take…

(no matter if the story is true or not…etc).

We are to observe the Lent penance.

Even canonized Saints can misjudge something.

Such would not be a cautionary tale against scrupulosity (scrupulosity has nothing to do such a tale).

Can it happen say that say one is starving has has only meat to eat? and it it is not possible to eat something else for that day? sure. …but that is not the norm…

 

[JamalChristophr]

St Teresa of Avilla

She scandalized people when they came upon her teaching the nuns in her convent to dance. When they received a donation of pheasant on a fast day, she instantly cooked them up for all to feast upon. "Let them think what they like, she said. “There is a time for penance, and there is a time for pheasant.”

happycatholic.blogspot.com/2005/10/st-theresa-of-avila.html

 

[Bookcat]

St Teresa of Avilla

She scandalized people when they came upon her teaching the nuns in her convent to dance. When they received a donation of pheasant on a fast day, she instantly cooked them up for all to feast upon. "Let them think what they like, she said. “There is a time for penance, and there is a time for pheasant.”

Perhaps. She would not have disobeyed the Church in matters of Fasting.

Remember too that a community can have “more days” as a religious community (for the community not the Church) which a superior could perhaps mitigate or dispense with…(she was the superior…).

I repeat what I noted above.

 

[Edmundus1581]

St Teresa of Avilla

She scandalized people when they came upon her teaching the nuns in her convent to dance. When they received a donation of pheasant on a fast day, she instantly cooked them up for all to feast upon. "Let them think what they like, she said. “There is a time for penance, and there is a time for pheasant.”

happycatholic.blogspot.com/2005/10/st-theresa-of-avila.html

Thanks for finding the source!

If I recall, St Teresa was known for harsh penance on herself. It’s interesting that she either mitigated it for her (weaker) sisters, or even mitigated it for herself rather than be ungrateful for gifts.

 

[JamalChristophr]

I wonder how easy it was to keep meat back in the 1500’s. This would be a practical consideration, too.

 

[utah_rose]

I wonder how easy it was to keep meat back in the 1500’s. This would be a practical consideration, too.

I believe it would have been difficult to keep this meat fresh, so the better way would be to eat it rather than throw good food away. Remember how the Pharisees admonished Jesus disciples for gathering and eating grain on the Sabbath?

And yes, I believe too that the fast days proscribed at the conent perhaps would have been stricter. Maybe every day! So the head of the convent would have been able to lift this for a good reason, and maybe she herself didn’t eat it.

 

[pianistclare]

Many of the convents were very strict…sometimes achingly so. St. Francis himself admonished St. Clare for being too hard…he insisted she not sleep on the floor and to actually use a pillow. He thought she could do no good work if she was ill from no sleep. She grudgingly acquiesced.
We shouldn’t look upon these stories as an excuse to forego requirements. Nor should we go to extremes, but the Church is clear on what she expects of us for our own enrichment and piety.
We should strive to follow the rules and do so in humility. It’s only a few times a year.
We can surely manage after what the good Lord did for us.

 

[Digitonomy]

St Teresa of Avilla

Thank you!! That was really bothering me.