Why is it a mortal sin for Catholics to eat meat on Good Friday?

[JAW642]

I initially asked this question on May 30, 2009, in the AAA Forum.
I have never seen it posted and I have yet to receive any type of answer.
So I am trying it here in the Moral Theology Forum.

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Why is it a mortal sin for Catholics deliberately to eat meat on Good Friday?

Why is it NOT a mortal sin for Catholics deliberately to eat meat on every other Friday of the year?

Why does the first instance grievously offend God, while the second instance does not offend Him?

From JAW642 on Monday June 08, 2009 at 02:45 PM Eastern Time ]

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[regression]

I’m not sure how fast questions asked in the AAA get answered, so your question may still be in the queue.

However, I found this which might help:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=67830

And, the current rule is to not eat meat on Ash Wednesday and all Friday’s (including Good Friday) in Lent.

 

[Cristiano]

…Why is it NOT a mortal sin for Catholics deliberately to eat meat on every other Friday of the year?..

Can you please give a reference to this? I assume that you are talking about eating meat and not offering any other sacrifice (where allowed by the Bishop) .

 

[budgie2]

It is really and truly a matter of conscience whether or not you fast and certainly is not a mortal or even venial sin to skip. Very few people here abstain from meat on Fridays. I have gone through periods of fasting and periods of not fasting. I think it’s useful to give up something to be in solidarity with those who have less. You could also give up a meal and give the money to charity. Catholics are asked to fast in order to remember the day that Christ was crucified.

A mortal sin is a very grave sin and destroys the soul according to the Pocket Catechism. We don’t say that everything is mortal sin.

 

[regression]

It is really and truly a matter of conscience whether or not you fast and certainly is not a mortal or even venial sin to skip. Very few people here abstain from meat on Fridays. I have gone through periods of fasting and periods of not fasting. I think it’s useful to give up something to be in solidarity with those who have less. You could also give up a meal and give the money to charity. Catholics are asked to fast in order to remember the day that Christ was crucified.

A mortal sin is a very grave sin and destroys the soul according to the Pocket Catechism. We don’t say that everything is mortal sin.

Did you read the answer in the AAA section I linked to? That says it is a mortal sin if you deliberately and intentionally turn away from the Church. So if the Church says you are to abstain and you decide not to, that is a mortal sin. Or at least that is how I read it…

I’m not sure where you are, but growing up in Baton Rouge, LA, every Catholic I knew didn’t eat meat on Fridays (and Ash Wednesday) during Lent. I guess I was luck to grow up in that environment.

 

[kage_ar]

It is really and truly a matter of conscience whether or not you fast and certainly is not a mortal or even venial sin to skip.

Budgie -

Your statement is not in line with the teaching of the Church.

Catholics are bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

We are bound to not eat meat on Fridays during Lent.

We are bound to do some act of pennance on the other friday’s during the year should we choose to eat meat on those Fridays.

It is grave matter to break the Church laws, and can be mortal sin if done with full knowledge and intent.

I will post the links to the Canon Law.

 

[Della]

Why is it a mortal sin for Catholics deliberately to eat meat on Good Friday?

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2043 The fourth precept (“You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church”) ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.85

Why is it NOT a mortal sin for Catholics deliberately to eat meat on every other Friday of the year?

It is not a mortal sin if refraining from eating meat is not prescribed by one’s bishop–the penance is still prescribed, but it may take another form, one the bishop may prescribe.

Why does the first instance grievously offend God, while the second instance does not offend Him?

The only “grievous sin” is not performing the penance prescribed by one’s bishop, whatever that may be. In some dioceses refraining from meat is still prescribed and in others it isn’t. It isn’t the eating or not eating of meat that is the issue, but that of performing or not performing the prescribed penance for that day/season.

I hope that helps you.

 

[kage_ar]

Canon Law:

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P4O.HTM

CHAPTER II.

Days of Penance

Can. 1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.

Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

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.

Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

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.

 

[1ke]

Why is it a mortal sin for Catholics deliberately to eat meat on Good Friday?

It is a sin to disobey the laws of the Church. Church law requires Catholics to abstain from meat on Good Friday.

Why is it NOT a mortal sin for Catholics deliberately to eat meat on every other Friday of the year?

Catholics are also required to abstain from meat on every Friday of Lent, on Ash Wednesday. Additionally, Catholics are required to abstain from meat on every Friday during the year, or choose another penance in its place.

Why does the first instance grievously offend God, while the second instance does not offend Him?

Disobedience offeds God.

 

[Coles_Law]

It is indeed a matter of obedience. Jesus Christ empowered his Apostles to bind and loose (Mt. 18:18), and the bishops are the successors to the Apostles. The only way we know that we know Christ is to keep his commandments. (1 Jn 2:3) That means keeping his Church’s commandments, too, for we are to live in imitation of the Apostles (Phil. 3:17), who are made our pastors and teachers to equip us for building up the body of Christ (Eph 4:11-12) and have made known the manifold wisdom of God through the Church (Eph. 3:10).

Cole

 

[budgie2]

Budgie -

Your statement is not in line with the teaching of the Church.

Catholics are bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

We are bound to not eat meat on Fridays during Lent.

We are bound to do some act of pennance on the other friday’s during the year should we choose to eat meat on those Fridays.

It is grave matter to break the Church laws, and can be mortal sin if done with full knowledge and intent.

I will post the links to the Canon Law.

I know you dislike me from another link. I think Jesus in the Gospel was quite lenient on the issue of fasting and this brought dislike on him from the Pharisees.
Matthew 8:14-15
Jesus Questioned About Fasting

Then John’s disciples came and asked him "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?
Jesus answered "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

It is true that we are asked to fast as Christ has ascended to heaven and left us but he was still lenient on the issue of fasting when he was with us.

Luke 7:33-35
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and ‘sinners’”. But wisdom is proved right by all her children.

 

[marlo]

Everybody might have a correct answer but it depends on the situation.

All you need to do is consult your bishop or priest. In some countries, People are allowed to eat meat on fridays, (philippines and other spanish colonies) except Holy Friday, Ash wednesday. In some areas, even eating meat on Friday is allowed, it all boils down if the council of bishop approves it or the Pope himself gives the approval.

I know you dislike me from another link. I think Jesus in the Gospel was quite lenient on the issue of fasting and this brought dislike on him from the Pharisees.
Matthew 8:14-15
Jesus Questioned About Fasting

Then John’s disciples came and asked him "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?
Jesus answered "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

It is true that we are asked to fast as Christ has ascended to heaven and left us but he was still lenient on the issue of fasting when he was with us.

Luke 7:33-35
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and ‘sinners’”. But wisdom is proved right by all her children.

 

[lobster]

Why is it a mortal sin for Catholics deliberately to eat meat on Good Friday?

Because it is disobedience to the lawful authority of the Church.

Why is it NOT a mortal sin for Catholics deliberately to eat meat on every other Friday of the year?

Because eating meat is not an intrinsic evil, that being not always and everywhere a grave moral disorder.

Why does the first instance grievously offend God, while the second instance does not offend Him?

Because to disobey the Church is to disobey God Himself in the first instance. There are not many worse sins more offensive to God than direct disobedience. The Church has not forbidden eating meat in the second instance, therefore it is not a grievous sin in the second instance.

 

[Cristiano]

…It is true that we are asked to fast as Christ has ascended to heaven and left us but he was still lenient on the issue of fasting when he was with us…

That is why we must abstain on Fridays and we should not fast on Sundays.

 

[JACQUE_D]

I don’t eat meat at all on any Friday of the year, and I don’t allow my children to either. Fridays are fish days. I really wish my husband would abstain as well, but he refuses. H only abstains during Lent. This is a conflicting issue for us as parents. I can only pray that he sees what a small sacrifice this is and a good lesson in self discipline for our kids. I want the kids to learn to follow the Church teachings as closely as possible. It can’t hurt, can it?

 

[kage_ar]

I know you dislike me from another link. I think Jesus in the Gospel was quite lenient on the issue of fasting and this brought dislike on him from the Pharisees.
.

It is not about like or dislike - I do not know you.

It is dishonest to state things as Catholic teaching when they are not backed up by the official teaching of the Church. The Church is the Church, her laws are the laws that bind us. To state something contrary is to cultivate the seeds of protest, protest grows into rebellion and rebellion is sin.

Read the Canons, and then read the Bishop’s statement for the place where you live. You will then know what laws on fasting bind you.

 

[budgie2]

It is not about like or dislike - I do not know you.

It is dishonest to state things as Catholic teaching when they are not backed up by the official teaching of the Church. The Church is the Church, her laws are the laws that bind us. To state something contrary is to cultivate the seeds of protest, protest grows into rebellion and rebellion is sin.

Read the Canons, and then read the Bishop’s statement for the place where you live. You will then know what laws on fasting bind you.

My first loyalty is to Christ as a Christian therefore I read his teaching in the Gospel and also have a loyalty towards the Eucharist which I receive through the Catholic Church. However, the Church is the body of believers so I have respect for the Catholic Church and the Catechism.

 

[Nick_in_MB]

My first loyalty is to Christ as a Christian therefore I read his teaching in the Gospel and also have a loyalty towards the Eucharist which I receive through the Catholic Church. However, the Church is the body of believers so I have respect for the Catholic Church and the Catechism.

What do you mean as “respect?” As Catholics, we are supposed to follow the Catechism also.