Posted on 02/28/2006 10:01:19 AM PST by NYer
The National Conference of Catholic
(American) Bishops - NCCB
The vast majority of Catholics today do not know that there is an existing obligation to abstain from meat on all Fridays of the year. While it is true that the Code of Canon Law allows for the substituting of another penitential practice, authorized by the NCCB, one has not been defined. As a consequence the abiding custom of the Church has been set aside. Neither bishops nor priests, with rare exception, inform the faithful of their obligations. Laxity and indifference have become the rule throughout most of the American Church in all matters of faith and morals. The congregations are being led straight into Hell.
Laxity and indifference are particularly notable in relation to human life. As the value of life expands in its deterioration, the bishops continue their practice of public posturing. As noted in the news article following the quotations from the Code of Canon Law, the bishops are now consideringg the possibility of reintroducing that which is, in essence, already the existing law of the Catholic Church.
If the average Catholic were asked if they abstain from meat on Fridays, they would say no. If asked what penitential practice they have substituted in place of not eating meat, they would commonly say none.
Bishops, and the priests in their jurisdictions, have long neglected to teach about the obligatory requirement of either abstaining from meat on all Fridays of the year, or of substituting another observance. They have sinned by omission. It should be noted that even Pope Paul VI's variance in Paenitemini of 17 February, 1966 did not abrogate (terminate) the obligation to at least substitute another form of penitential practice.
The bishops are proposing to possibly have Catholics -- do what they were commonly supposed to be doing anyway (NOTE: Most Catholics no longer believe in condemnatory sin and consequently do not go to obligatory confession when in grave sin. It is probable that today there are more Catholics with non-Catholic beliefs than there are Protestants.) -- express their concerns in regard to abortion and euthanasia by abstinence (not eating the meat of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fowl). This might to some seem an improvement to expressing the need for prayer in regard to the multitudes of innocent people daily being slaughtered by Godless people. During the seven month period of time intervening between making the proposal to discuss and actually possibly discussing the proposal their will have been between one-half million and over five million people legally murdered in America. Obviously they do not consider this to be a matter of grave concern.
What else could be said or done?
Perhaps just because it's better than never fasting at all?
The significance of Fridays, of course, is in commemoration of the Passion.
A KVJ mistranslation. The Greek word simply means "foods".
And the reference is to certain Gnostic groups, which forbade marriage (for all of their members) and had various strange rules about foods, some of which were thought to be salvific and others of which were thought to damn a person.
But thanks for the classically misunderstood verse of Scripture posted as an anti-Catholic troll. We've never seen that one before. Really. Not.
I believe the intention of all this sort of thing is to put aside some of the things "of the world" to help us focus on what's most important.
Tomorrow we'll fast and abstain from meat. If we spend all day moaning and groaning to ourselves, then we've really missed the point. If all the little hunger pangs and changes in our daily routine turns our hearts and minds more intently toward Jesus, it is a gain for us. If we only do it because "we gotta", we miss an opportunity. Plus, we do it together.
Check out the Orthodox sometime. They do some real heavy duty fast and abstinence during Lent. We Latins are pretty lightweight in discipline compared to them.
LOL . . . I sure am going to miss this place - starting tomorrow I'm giving up FReeping for Lent.
I grew up around three Catholic families and knew very well of their "meatless Fridays" but was too young at the time to understand, though their kids didn't understand any more than I did, they just hated fish and mac&cheese and really envied me during Lenten Season when I ate ice cream.
Well, good luck with that. I'm still trying to decide between red meat, tobacco, or my sobriety. FWIW- the wife is lobbying heavily for one or both of the first two.
Owl_Eagle(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
Heh. sounds very much like my sunday school instruction when I was a child--totally vapid.
Now THAT is sacrifice!
I just skimmed through this earlier thread. It seemed pretty good.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1586939/posts
We are imitating the Master - remember when he went to the desert and fasted? It is a small way to imitate him and by so doing remember the redemption he purchased for us so that we might be inspired to lead lives in accord with the abundant grace bestowed upon us.
I think your question is disingenuous. You could have figured the answer to your question quite easily on your own.
Our clergy do all our mediation and contemplation.
We don't have to pray.
We don't have to think.
We just pay enough money and "shazam" we get into heaven.
Its kind of like being saved.
It's such a sweet deal.
Good question. Here's the closest I can find:
Now the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy and having their conscience seared, forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful and by them that have known the truth. -- I Timothy 4:1-3
We live and die by the hierarchy.
If I did not have a priest telling me what to and when, I think I would just freak out.
I can't be bothered with any "personal relationship with Christ" business.
If my priest can't do it for me, I am not interested.
Enter the glycemic index and the Atkins diet. We all eat more chicken than we did 10 years ago. Anyway, it seems to me that now when adults have to have pizza, in the back of their heads they're thinking, "that's enough carbs for today. No dessert."
Now people hear this information and it sticks with them, and guess what? No meat's a sacrifice again!
I myself am a weak-willed person --- poorly disciplined ---and I find it difficult to fast. In fact, just thinking of fasting makes me visualize tacos, barbecued pork ribs, creamy vanilla ice-cream with Hershey's chocolate syrup, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting: you see the problem.
I have always found it a little easier (not easy, but a little easier) to fast when:
(1) It's obligatory. I can't so easily weasel out of it by saying, "Oh, I'll fast tomorrow. Besides, my Atkins diet counts as a fast. Besides, I fasted this morning and I felt a little weird, so I NEED that ham & cheddar hot pocket..." Obligatory helps.
(2) Other people are fasting at the same time. When you're not eating meat, it really helps if nobody in your family is nuking hotdogs in the microwave. The solidarity (and relative lack of temptation) when everbody in the household is on the same page, spiritual-discipline-wise, counts for a lot to a shilly-shallying sinner like me.
OF COURSE you've gotta be praying when you're fasting. Think about Christ fasting. Good Lord, if even He had to fast ---- He who was perfect ---
No doubt there are other "medicines" besides fasting which can help you focus your mind of repentance and prayer--- but it's always a good idea to find out what medicine your Doctor takes...
>>LOL . . . I sure am going to miss this place - starting tomorrow I'm giving up FReeping for Lent<<
Me too! And the Catholic Answers forums. Last year I spent too much on Ebay but missed the whole Terri Schinder death brewhaha.
God works in mysterious ways.
You didn't look very hard, did you?
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