Year-round meat abstinence on Fridays?

[akela135]

Agreed, Nearly everyone in my parish (FSSP) fits this description. I hope that the NCCB does so, but I cannot see them doing so fully, without someone halfway do-if-you-wish-to measure, out of fear of the inevitable press coverage that would result. Imagine what those headlines would look like:

U.S. Bishops Turn Clock Back Nearly Fifty Years
Bishops ban meat on Fridays
Benedict XVI gets his way with U.S. bishops
U.S. Catholics to go back to old ways
Bishops say "it’s a sin to eat meat–sometimes’

While I headline like this is possible have you heard of “Meatless Mondays”? It is a new environmental trend that even Oprah is behind. It involves not eating meat on Mondays to lessen the amount of animals in the meat industry; part of the whole “cows create methane that destroys the ozone” environmental problem. I think that given the fact saving the environment is a very popular trend right now that if this came into effect that people might put a positive spin on it. “Pope reinstates classic rule to protect the environment” I think it has the potential to at least look good from an environmental stand point. I know the issue as far as the Church is concerned is not environmental in nature but since it would line up with that political agenda it might make some anti-Church people more friendly to the Church as an unitended consquence.

 

[IrishRush]

Eating on a Friday a leftover meal from the previous Tuesday could be penance enough. I also thought that the Church gave an exemption for leftover meatloaf because, instead of considering it meat, considers it building supplies (e.g. a brick).

:clapping:

 

[fred_conty]

Copycat.

Can’t be too much of a good thing.

 

[fred_conty]

Someone mentioned about Mondays being promoted for avoiding eating meat to save the environment. Why don’t they do this on Friday?

The reason we do something special on Fridays is that is the day our dear Saviour died to make up for your and my sins. And as a token of our affection for him we offer this.
I think it makes a difference whether we do it cheerfully or regretfully. If for no other reason we could offer it up for our family to help them whom we love.

Just a thought.

 

[PJM]

=Big_Feet;9020160]I heard that the USCCB was mulling the idea of bringing back the requirement for year-round abstinence from meat on Fridays in the United States. Has anyone else heard about this possibility?
I know some, even many, still do observe this particular discipline of the Friday fast, but not all of us do. I am curious if anyone has any links to articles on this discussion.

The Bishops in the UK recently have reinstated it; my wife and I do it as well as others that I know of.

God Bless,
Pat

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Eating on a Friday a leftover meal from the previous Tuesday could be penance enough. I also thought that the Church gave an exemption for leftover meatloaf because, instead of considering it meat, considers it building supplies (e.g. a brick).

:clapping:

Cristiano,
I have to agree with IrishRush, I practically fell out of my chair laughing at your comment. That said, I am a chef, and have been told that my meatloaf is a “slice of heaven” that is even better cold!!

 

[Inego_de_Loyola]

The Bishops in the UK recently have reinstated it; my wife and I do it as well as others that I know of.

God Bless,
Pat

I think they are simply reemphasizing and explicating it. According to canon law all Christians are bound to do so, and while the bishops may allow an option for other types of penance in it’s stead, they would need an indult from the pope for their territory to be completely exempt.

 

[A_G]

I haven’t heard of this, but if it becomes a requirement to abstain from meat on all Fridays, I’m all in!

 

[Inego_de_Loyola]

I haven’t heard of this, but if it becomes a requirement to abstain from meat on all Fridays, I’m all in!

Can someone please confirm that my posts are showing up on everyone else’s computer?

 

[Big_Feet]

Can someone please confirm that my posts are showing up on everyone else’s computer?

you are showing.

 

[ProVobis]

That said, I have never understood how this is a penitent act, and if I eat the leftover meatloaf from Tuesday night, I am committing a mortal sin?

All eating should be enjoyable but it’s the act of obedience that’s the issue. Adam and Eve could eat all they wanted but had to practice abstinence too.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

All eating should be enjoyable but it’s the act of obedience that’s the issue. Adam and Eve could eat all they wanted but had to practice abstinence too.

I understand the sin is one of “disobedience”, not in the eating of the meat.
For me, it’s a “letter” vs. “spirit” thing.

 

[LemonAndLime]

I think they are simply reemphasizing and explicating it. According to canon law all Christians are bound to do so, and while the bishops may allow an option for other types of penance in it’s stead, they would need an indult from the pope for their territory to be completely exempt.

No, it is now obligatory for all uk Catholics.

 

[Batfink]

No, it is now obligatory for all uk Catholics.

Canonically speaking, this isn’t quite true. The English and Welsh Bishops would have needed to seek the recognitio of the Holy See and promulgate a General Decree in order to tell us all to abstain from meat. Instead they ‘ask’ us to do it, which simply means recommending it and publicising the fact.

I’m not saying we don’t have to abstain. Indeed, we should be obedient to our bishops’ wishes whether or not they have the force of law and it would be quite hard to justify refusing to comply with this, I’m merely saying it’s not ‘obligatory’ in the technical sense.

Umm, it’s also not binding on all UK Catholics, only the English and Welsh.

 

[WFS5801]

And even with the rules in place, and individual still has free will in the matter. It’s still done out of love for God and respect for His Church.

Abstaining voluntarily from meat is good – and so is abstaining from meat when mandated by the Church. The latter teaches obedience and humility (if nothing else) and these are also Christian attributes.

 

[YoungTradCath]

Canonically speaking, this isn’t quite true. The English and Welsh Bishops would have needed to seek the recognitio of the Holy See and promulgate a General Decree in order to tell us all to abstain from meat. Instead they ‘ask’ us to do it, which simply means recommending it and publicising the fact.

I’m not saying we don’t have to abstain. Indeed, we should be obedient to our bishops’ wishes whether or not they have the force of law and it would be quite hard to justify refusing to comply with this, I’m merely saying it’s not ‘obligatory’ in the technical sense.

Umm, it’s also not binding on all UK Catholics, only the English and Welsh.

And are the bishops of England and Wales sending the decree to get recognitio, or are they simply ultimately leaving it as is?

 

[Batfink]

And are the bishops of England and Wales sending the decree to get recognitio, or are they simply ultimately leaving it as is?

No, I think they realise that the people who will obey their ‘request’ are pretty much 100% the same people who would obey an order so they’re leaving it.

 

[akela135]

Someone mentioned about Mondays being promoted for avoiding eating meat to save the environment. Why don’t they do this on Friday?

The reason we do something special on Fridays is that is the day our dear Saviour died to make up for your and my sins. And as a token of our affection for him we offer this.
I think it makes a difference whether we do it cheerfully or regretfully. If for no other reason we could offer it up for our family to help them whom we love.

Just a thought.

I’m traditional Catholic and never eat meat on Fridays. Meatless Mondays is a secular environmental thing and has no religious affliation at all. I think they picked Monday for the MM combo. I only brought it up in light of the fact that people suggested that their might be a backlash among American non-Catholics if the old tradition was reinstated. I was merely saying that secular people want American’s to eat less meat to save the environment. That if the Catholic Church were to reinstate an old church tradition, that is designed to strengthen us spiritually while recalling the sacrifice of our lord, that the general public might not view it as “Catholic’s being crazy” and more like “Catholic’s being responsible”. I was also saying that fear of a backlash isn’t reason enough to avoid a change like this, especially because you might not see a backlash from the Non-Catholic groups on the account they might view it as a responsible descion and have more respect for the church, based soley on the environment. I doubt an Atheist will say “It’s good they are honoring their Savior” but an Atheist might say “It’s good the Catholic church is standing up for the environment, perhaps they aren’t as bad as I thought them before.” And sometimes it’s the small steps that make people want to reconsider their own beliefs.

 

[YoungTradCath]

No, I think they realise that the people who will obey their ‘request’ are pretty much 100% the same people who would obey an order so they’re leaving it.

But it is still binding, nevertheless, correct? Even though it is not specifically “law.”

 

[mattkubes]

Canonically speaking, this isn’t quite true. The English and Welsh Bishops would have needed to seek the recognitio of the Holy See and promulgate a General Decree in order to tell us all to abstain from meat. Instead they ‘ask’ us to do it, which simply means recommending it and publicising the fact.

Why would they need to seek this permission given that Friday abstinence is the universal norm set up in canon law? Aren’t they just saying that they’re no longer the exception to the rule?