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.
Do you feel religiously obligated to eat meat every day?
I believe he's talking about PETA here and not about a good priest who is requesting a sacrifice on one day to strengthen their faith and to give to the poor.
But in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses,
In stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labours, in watchings, in FASTINGS,
In chastity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned,
Paul was warning about those who would declare certain foods ritually unclean - not about the act of fasting.
Jesus ate meat, and Jesus fasted and abstained. Jesus declared that no food was unclean: but that is a different concept than fasting.
You have to remember that in the Mosaic code certain foods were unclean. This would be the background of much of Paul's audience. But Catholics don't believe that (e.g.) pork is unclean - but we believe that abstaining from rich food and fasting is an act of virtue.
The Church certainly does not command anyone not to receive the Eucharist (thanksgiving) who know the truth (Believe in the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass, the Body and Blood of Christ, with proper disposition as St. Paul commands in 1 Cor 11:27)
So the Holy Roman Catholic Church is in accordance with the teaching you have put forth from St. Paul.
Ahem......could I try to clarify?
This was written by St. Paul in view of the belief then held by the Jews and latterly even today held by certain other faiths that various foods are unclean. IOW, in and of themselves, they are unfit to be consumed and offensive to God.
The Catholic Church and the bishop of Steubenville in particular are not saying that meat is unclean nor offensive to God. We can eat as much meat as we like without transgressing any law. Rather, the bishop is saying that for one day per week, some form of penance and self-sacrifice is required. Seeing as meat is a food to which many are devoted and the consumption of which is greatly enjoyed, the Church chooses ,it as the preferred vehicle of self-denial.
Hope that you can see the difference.
That’s about Gnosticism, not about the sort of sacrificial fasting and abstinence that was always practiced.