Meatless Fridays

Our Sunday Visitor ^ | 11/25/12 | Greg Erlandson

[marshmallow]

Hot dog! Friday abstinence may be back, and this ‘old Catholic’ is ready to embrace it

Want to feel old? Talk to anyone under the age of 50 about meatless Fridays. Odds are, they will have no memory of it. They will have no knowledge of why Catholics were called “mackerel snappers,” nor will they laugh at tired George Carlin routines about going to hell for eating a hot dog.

And they sure as heck won’t know why many restaurant chains still have their fish specials on Fridays.

But for all you youngsters, you might get ready: Friday abstinence may be coming back.

Once upon a time, children, Catholics abstained from meat on Fridays as a small act of penance. Not just Fridays during Lent, but all Fridays. Friday was the day of the Lord’s death on the cross, and throughout the year, not just on Good Friday, Catholics would commemorate that day in a special way. One still finds this practice in religious communities like monasteries, and the British bishops restored the practice last year.

In general, however, meatless Fridays disappeared after the Second Vatican Council, despite the fact that canon law (Canon 1251) still asks us to abstain from meat or other food on Fridays subject to the requirements of the local conference of bishops.

The irony is that of all the many changes when the Church windows were opened to the fresh wind of aggiornamento, this one may have been one of the more significant. It was a small act of penance that was thoroughly integrated into everyone’s lives.

Of course, not everyone did it with full consciousness of what it was intended to commemorate. For many, it just became a rule, and junior theologians like young George Carlin loved to debate whether eating a hot dog on........

[averagemo]

We were called “minnow munchers”.
Fridays at school were fish sticks, bean and enchiladas, but not meat. Same at home. Salmon loaf, tuna cassarole, no meat.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Unless you are in Los Angeles, where they are Meatless Mondays by decree of the City Council.

But seriously....THIS is what the Church leaders are concerning themselves with? Obama is marginalizing them, stripping away their rights, the flock is wandering astray, babies continue to be slaughtered at a horrifying rate....and they’re obsessing over the Friday dinner menu?

I think the problem is pretty clear here.

[KarlInOhio]

Even during Lent, the meatless rule is far too often followed in the letter rather than in the spirit. How much penance are you actually doing when you gorge yourself at a seafood restaurant's Crab-stravaganza on Friday?

[reg45]

I love fish, particularly sushi. However, I oppose the idea of not eating a particular thing on a particular day. It would seem to violate some economic principle by skewing demand.

[sassy steel magnolia]

Mrs Obummer wants us to have “meatless Mondays.” Catholics will bring back massive support for “meatless Fridays.” Rising grocery prices make “meatless meals” more of a norm on any day of the week. Meanwhile, for the cattlemen/ranchers, hay and feed costs are skyrocketing, and of course, taxes will go up for everyone. A lot of these ranchers will go out of business. Farmers are getting hit badly, too. So, we’ll be lucky to have any food on our tables. And, if you think you’ll grow a garden, they’ll be regulated, too. Some states even regulate rainwater use. We are doomed...

[elcid1970]

I remember Green Bay WI (70% Catholic at the time) when the diocese announced that frog legs on the menu were OK for Fridays.

Many excellent seafood restaurants in & around Green Bay in those days.

[cizinec]

YES! It’s about time.

I’m Eastern Orthodox and we normally fast on Wednesdays and Fridays from meat and dairy.

This came from the Jewish tradition at the time of Christ of fasting Tuesday and Thursday. The Christians shifted the entire week one day, fasting Wednesdays and Fridays with primary services on Sunday.

Our church has a fish fry during lenten seasons (40 days before Easter and 40 days before Christmas) and we usually get about 50%-75% older Roman Catholics who miss their own tradition.

I hope and pray that a return to your traditions will bring you closer to God and closer to us.

[wideminded]

Once upon a time, children, Catholics abstained from meat on Fridays as a small act of penance.

My family did this even though we weren't Catholic.

[Oratam]

I read a story from the 1950s from the Green Bay area (or was it Mich.?) That the local bishop declared groundhog (possibly muskrat) “not meat” under the spirit of the law.

[Morris70]

I alternate between salmon & pizza each Friday.
I eat salmon at-least twice a week because I like it.

[Cronos]

well, it’s not an either/or. They aren’t “concerning” themselves with this, but this is an additional initiative, an internal one — we fight the external enemy while purifying ourselves internally for the battle.

[gdani]

Meh. I’ve never been all that impressed with forgoing meat for a day here & there as a “sacrifice”.

[Former Fetus]

Growing up in then-Catholic Spain, I was taught that we were exempted from meatless Fridays (except during Lent) because of whatever contribution Spain made to some Crusade or another. It didn’t seem fair, but given that I hate fish, I never argued. I was in my early teens when I went to spend the Holy Week at my grandfather’s farm. I don’t remember if I was old enough to fast, but I do remember my grandmother proudly serving me a platter of my favorite seafood. I was shocked! I mean, that might have followed the letter of the law, but even a young girl like me could see that it didn’t go any farther. Not knowing what to do I ran from the house, got on my horse and disappeared until way after dark, when the cold brought me back to the house. I can see now how I hurt my grandmother’s feelings, and scared her half to death... I think that abstinence from meat is pointless UNLESS the people are educated about the reason behind doing it.

[Sacajaweau]

IIRC: Two hundred plus years ago, England aka the anglican church called for two fish days to help the fishing industry. I would say the Catholic Chruch pushed it a little further and made it a "sin" to eat meat on Friday.

I went to an all girl catholic high school and decided to "test" the law. I approached the Chaplin and said I had a problem...and showed him my bologna sandwich.

He blessed it and I ate it.

After that, I blessed any Friday meat I was about to consume. Saved the priest some time.

[Sacajaweau]

My inlaws didn't like fish. We had pancakes and french toast. BORING.........

Couldn't wait for smelt season to arrive.

[HerrBlucher]

Saying Our Fathers and Hail Mary’s is hardly penance either yet that is the typical penance for even mortal sins.

Maybe if people had to scrub the bathroom floors on their knees, or mow the lawn with a hand mower, or cut up firewood with an ax, as penance, they would think twice about sinning again. More likely though they would think twice about going to confession...:)

Regardless of all that, I am in favor of going back to meatless friday’s because even though it is not much of a sacrifice you still have to think about it and about why you are doing it. It is the thought that really counts.

[Secret Agent Man]

Under Obama, every day will become a “meatless Friday”.

[markoman]

Salmon and peas on toast.

The thought of it makes me gag.

[murron]

I grew up in New Orleans, so meatless Fridays weren’t much of a sacrifice for us. I remember many a Friday eating a delicious oyster po’boy sandwich or fried shrimp. Once in a while when my Mom and Dad were broke, we had green pea soup with tuna fish sandwiches, and I thought that that was delicious!