Hot dog! Friday abstinence may be coming back, and this 'old Catholic' is ready to...

[Michie]

...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.

Continued- Hot dog! Friday abstinence may be coming back, and this 'old Catholic' is ready to embrace it...

 

[Eirlysa]

I hate this thing. I mean, I don't hate *it* - it's a good practice - but I always forget. You folks across the pond should definitely have it, too, though, then we can all of those I FORGOT IT'S FRIDAY AND ATE MEAT, AM I IN MORTAL SIN type-posts, but that'd be more of a CAF thing, I guess.

 

[Anhelyna]

Some of us have never had to worry about forgetting - it's just normal practice for Eastern folk - and we include Wednesdays in it too

OH and no meat doesn't mean you can eat any fish you want - no meat means no fish with a back bone and a face as well as no beef , chicken or any meat product.

 

[judechild]

It'd be easy to forget at first, but it would get easier.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

That IS a CAF type of question! LOL!

I hate this thing. I mean, I don't hate *it* - it's a good practice - but I always forget. You folks across the pond should definitely have it, too, though, then we can all of those I FORGOT IT'S FRIDAY AND ATE MEAT, AM I IN MORTAL SIN type-posts, but that'd be more of a CAF thing, I guess.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

The history behind abstaining from meat on Fridays goes back to the days of the last and final crusade.

In order to keep the Holy Land opened, the Pope had the entire Church abstain from meat on Fridays, and offer it to God for the Holy Land to remain open to Christians.

It held, ironically until the 1967 three day war in Israel when the penance was lifted, and all Hades broke loose in Jerusalem.

It's a good idea except that the reason it was lifted was that Catholics were being gouged by inflated fish prices.

However, with the price of fish these days, you can just imagine what it will be like if the Church returns to the Friday Abstinence.

Jim

 

[MikeK]

I try to avoid meat on Fridays all year, it is easier for me than trying to remember another penance to perform in its place.

 

[AMDG]

The history behind abstaining from meat on Fridays goes back to the days of the last and final crusade.

In order to keep the Holy Land opened, the Pope had the entire Church abstain from meat on Fridays, and offer it to God for the Holy Land to remain open to Christians.

Jim, it goes back farther than that. Anhelyna had it right. There was a fast on Friday *AND* on Wednesday. Don't know when the Wednesday fast "went away". Know that I grew up knowing about that Friday Fast (yes, my father never wanted me to be a "mackeral snapper" but God had other ideas). Followed the Friday Fast growing up, even when Vatican II relaxed it to allow the Bishop to subsitute another "penance" besides "meatless Fridays."

Anyway, I'll be happy to have the Friday abstainence back. And maybe we can get the Lenten Fast back and perhaps the fast on Ember days too.

 

[LoAmmi]

OH and no meat doesn't mean you can eat any fish you want - no meat means no fish with a back bone and a face as well as no beef , chicken or any meat product.

What kind of fish are you allowed to have?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Jim, it goes back farther than that. Anhelyna had it right. There was a fast on Friday *AND* on Wednesday. Don't know when the Wednesday fast "went away". Know that I grew up knowing about that Friday Fast (yes, my father never wanted me to be a "mackeral snapper" but God had other ideas). Followed the Friday Fast growing up, even when Vatican II relaxed it to allow the Bishop to subsitute another "penance" besides "meatless Fridays."

Anyway, I'll be happy to have the Friday abstainence back. And maybe we can get the Lenten Fast back and perhaps the fast on Ember days too.

There was a fast, but the abstinence mandate, was from the last Crusade.

Either way, there are mother's burning in hell for accidentally cooking a meat dinner, but once they realized their mistake, served it anyway rather than throw it out.

Jim

 

[TheOtherHockeyMom]

How come the Church considers fish to be not meat? It causes lots of confusion for my mom figuring out what to cook me.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

How come the Church considers fish to be not meat? It causes lots of confusion for my mom figuring out what to cook me.

Because fish flesh is not from a mammal or poultry.

Also, you should drink chilled white wine wit it.

Jim

 

[LoAmmi]

How come the Church considers fish to be not meat? It causes lots of confusion for my mom figuring out what to cook me.

It could be related to how the Torah does not seem to consider fish to be a meat. "Meat" had to be slaughtered a specific way in the Torah whereas fish did not.

 

[AMDG]

There was a fast, but the abstinence mandate, was from the last Crusade.

Either way, there are mother's burning in hell for accidentally cooking a meat dinner, but once they realized their mistake, served it anyway rather than throw it out.

Sincerely doubt it. Observing abstinance was obedience--not making things difficult. Accidents happen and if a mother accidentally cooked a meat dinner on Friday, but realized it before serving, it was simply saved for the next day. (She would only have to warm up the "planned overs".)

Look, I've lived under the abstinance rule--even when my mother had to cook meatless for us and meat for my father. It *can* be done. It wasn't as difficult as you let on.

 

[Needing_Grace]

As long as it doesn't have to be fish, I'm fine. I cannot stand fish.

Puke, barf, wretch, ew.

 

[Tigg]

Some of us have never had to worry about forgetting - it's just normal practice for Eastern folk - and we include Wednesdays in it too

OH and no meat doesn't mean you can eat any fish you want - no meat means no fish with a back bone and a face as well as no beef , chicken or any meat product.

"...no fish with a back bone and a face..." I am at a loss. Would you kindly name one or two? TY

 

[Sarcalogos Deus]

Some of us have never had to worry about forgetting - it's just normal practice for Eastern folk - and we include Wednesdays in it too

OH and no meat doesn't mean you can eat any fish you want - no meat means no fish with a back bone and a face as well as no beef , chicken or any meat product.

What does face mean in reference to a fish? Catfish don't have a face do they?

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

Does this mean we can force vegetarians to eat meat on Friday.

I mean,

fair is fair.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I'm a vegetarian, easy bro!

Does this mean we can force vegetarians to eat meat on Friday.

I mean,

fair is fair.

 

[Azureknight 773]

Meatless Fridays? Uh oh! Good as it may be but then it takes practice for that.