Posted on 04/23/2009 9:57:33 AM PDT by NYer
Okay, technically, Catholics in the US are only allowed to dispense from the year-round Friday abstinence from meat if they substitute a comparable penance for it ... but in practice, the vast majority of Catholics have forgotten to even do this.
Bishop R. Daniel Conlon, however, has dispensed with the substituting ... and has instead brought back the simple Friday abstinence from meat in his diocese. I especially respect that he ties this sacrificial abstinence to witnessing for the unborn and providing them with concrete assistance:
"I am inviting the Catholic people of the Diocese of Steubenville to resume the practice of abstaining from meat on all Fridays throughout the year, but with a twist. I am asking that this be not only a penitential practice but also an experience of prayer and service. This can happen by connecting abstinence with our witness to the sacredness of human life. (In another section he says: Abstinence can also be service if we eat simple meatless food and donate the financial savings to the poor or to pro-life efforts.)
... The resumption of year-round abstinence in the Diocese of Steubenville will begin after this coming Easter, one week after Good Friday (April 17). Although the practice will not be a requirement of law, and failing to keep it will not constitute a sin, I hope every one who is old enough to receive Holy Communion and well enough to come to church will take it seriously. Our parishes, schools and organizations should provide meatless food at their Friday activities.
... the present challenge to the people in our diocese is not really radical. It is a call to what many if not most of us have put aside. And it is a way for us, like the apostles, to give up a little food and help Jesus feed the world."
Bishop Conlon, of course, placed the above mandate within a very well-crafted pastoral letter, which he had read before or at the end of all the Masses in his diocese on the weekend of March 28/29. His catechetical office has also followed-through and provided education materials for school-age children.
What a wonderful idea - and it need not be limited to Catholics living in the diocese of Steubenville, either! Their fine witness, and the words of their bishop, can inspire us to do the same.
Question: From what do vegetarians abstain on Friday?
he should just let them choose what they wish to abstain from on Fridays....many love fish these days and it is no sacrifice at all.
Good idea. Maybe it will be a trend.
Col 2:16
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]:
From what do vegetarians abstain on Friday?Carnal knowledge.
1 Tim 4:1-5
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and COMMANDING TO ABSTAIN FROM FOODS which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
I think the whole Friday abstinence thing was brought about, at first, for economic reasons:
The Church wished to assist the fishing industry!
Seriously, I am often defending the Church against Catholic bashing, on these threads, but I do not completely buy into the fasting issues. Mainly because I forget all the time, life is too hectic, I am often on the road for my business, and drastic changes in diet tend to cause me some digestive problems.
Do you feel religiously obligated to eat meat every day?
I have no idea what vegetarians do ... perhaps one will show up and tell us.
As for liking fish ... that would be me.
The Friday Abstinence is still a pennance ... for one thing, it’s a constraint ... for another, there are plenty of ‘penitential’ fish dishes: tuna casserole comes to mind. If even that is insufficiently penitential for someone, nobody says you have to eat fish.
All of us engaged in the same penitential act also serves as a sign of unity.
Finally, I note that someone already has the “Irrelevant Scripture Generator” fired up. I recommend ignoring it. YMMV.
I highly recommend a Chickpea Dish! For me, penance is making the meals my family wants (and cleaning up after them) instead of what I want (toast).
2) Personal weakness (forgetting, hectic life, whatever) is to be overcome, not pandered to.
3) Those with legitimate medical issues should request a dispensation from their pastor.
“Do you feel religiously obligated to eat meat every day?”
No. I am just pointing out that the Bible says we aren’t supposed to forbid certain foods.
What like hummus or something? I like that, too. Problem is, there aren't too many legitimate foods that I don't like ... if prepared properly.
That’s true. However, it’s also not relevant to a personal decision to deny *oneself* something for one day.
As I mentioned above, I find preparing and cleaning up meat meals all the time to be much more penitential than doing without meat - as most of the world does most of the time, anyway.
Is this Steubenville ohio?
ONe of my Nam buds was from there, he never quit
reminding me that Steubenville is the birth place of...
Dean Martin.
Jim McClain this one is for you.
Hummus, salads, soup, casserole, chickpeas with noodles, peppers, and tomato ... one could live on nothing else. Fish isn’t worth the cost and trouble, when one is landlocked.
That's been the status quo for my entire lifetime. Unfortunately, no one bothered to tell me until I found out a few years ago.
People heard "you don't have to abstain from meat" and never heard the "but you have to do something penitential on Fridays."
I'd rather have a rule for all, so all understand.
Define "landlocked". Seriously. Ever had a mess of fresh-caught, pan-fried sunfish?
There's nothing even remotely "penitential" about that!
“Landlocked” includes “not near a farm pond.”
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