Meatless Friday Question

[Petertherock]

I'm confused. Is this a Canadian thing or a trad thing? As far as I know, in the US the only days when abstinence is required are Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent. I regularly eat meat on Fridays during the rest of the year, and I'm not aware that there's anythign wrong with that. I think abstinence on regular Fridays might be suggested, but I'm pretty sure it's not required (at least not in the US). Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not being a wise guy here, just legitimately confused.

Abstinence from meat on all Friday's is the preferred form of penance. However, the Church allows you to substitute another act of penance if you wish. The mistake most people in the NO Church make is they think they don't have to do anything special on Friday's and it just is another day.

[SaintSebastian]

I think Mike's advice is based on previous  fasting laws.

Here's the current relevant canon law if you accept it:

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.  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.

According to the Canadian bishops, you can substitute something else, so you are not sinning if you still do some other penitential act.

I used to have a reproduction of a Catechism by St. Robert Bellarmine (with awesome woodcut illustrations) which listed all Wednesdays as a day of abstinance along with Fridays--this is still the case in some Eastern rites, I think. So these things have changed from time to time.

[Historian]

I think Mike's advice is based on previous  fasting laws.

Here's the current relevant canon law if you accept it:

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.  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.

According to the Canadian bishops, you can substitute something else, so you are not sinning if you still do some other penitential act.

I used to have a reproduction of a Catechism by St. Robert Bellarmine (with awesome woodcut illustrations) which listed all Wednesdays as a day of abstinance along with Fridays--this is still the case in some Eastern rites, I think. So these things have changed from time to time.

Okay. This is what I had read.

Thanks so much for clearing this up for me! Sometimes I can be a worry wart about these sorts of things. :)

[Tim]

Check the Diocese web site. They should have an explanation of what your Bishop requires of you on abstinence and fasting.
tim
 

[dark lancer]

I was wondering what the reason is for abstaining from meat on Fridays.  The quasi-heretical prayer group I was in all seemed to agree that the rule was established to "support the fisherman."

[Gladium]

I was wondering what the reason is for abstaining from meat on Fridays.  The quasi-heretical prayer group I was in all seemed to agree that the rule was established to "support the fisherman."

It is meant to make Friday a penitential day to commemorate the Crucifixion.

[dark lancer]

I was wondering what the reason is for abstaining from meat on Fridays.  The quasi-heretical prayer group I was in all seemed to agree that the rule was established to "support the fisherman."

It is meant to make Friday a penitential day to commemorate the Crucifixion.

But how does abstaining from meat accomplish this?

[Historian]

I was wondering what the reason is for abstaining from meat on Fridays.  The quasi-heretical prayer group I was in all seemed to agree that the rule was established to "support the fisherman."

It is meant to make Friday a penitential day to commemorate the Crucifixion.

But how does abstaining from meat accomplish this?

The same way fasting and abstinence bring us closer to God during Lent. It gives us a mortification that draws our minds to the events of our Lord's life.

[dark lancer]

I was wondering what the reason is for abstaining from meat on Fridays.  The quasi-heretical prayer group I was in all seemed to agree that the rule was established to "support the fisherman."

It is meant to make Friday a penitential day to commemorate the Crucifixion.

But how does abstaining from meat accomplish this?

The same way fasting and abstinence bring us closer to God during Lent. It gives us a mortification that draws our minds to the events of our Lord's life.

How would you explain this to someone who thinks that abstinence from meat on Fridays was a connivance to support fishermen and make life unnecessarily complicated?

[INPEFESS]

Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops:

We may also substitute other good actions for abstinence from meat. These could include . . . taking part in a service of worship with others . . .

???

:shame: