What's considered an appropriate penitential substitute if a US Catholic accepts the USCCB's indult for Friday abstention?

[Gnarwhal]

This is an ongoing conversation on Reddit about whether we're supposed to abstain from meat year-round or just during Lent. All of us responded that technically we (those of us in the US and Canada) are only allowed to abstain from meat on Fridays if we substitute another form of penance. My question is, what's an appropriate level of penance? Like is there some generic recommendation the USCCB has made over the years? One respondent said "[they] just pray more" which seemed minimal to me relative to the discomfort and inconvenience I think a lot of folks experience if they actually just went through with abstention. Shouldn't the substitute penance give about the same level of discomfort and inconvenience? As in, that's sort of the point, right? To make us pause and think about why we're doing those things, offer things up to God, pray, maybe spend some extra time in adoration, etc.

What do you think?

 

[zippy2006]

only allowed to abstain from meat on Fridays

I think you meant to say, "...only allowed to abstain from abstaining from meat on Fridays..." (Or something to that effect.)

Maybe skip morning coffee. Or no non-water liquids. Skip a meal. No TV. Something like that?

 

[RileyG]

Great question! It’s a shame I never actually practiced this, even though I was very much aware of it! Eeek!

 

[Michie]

I was taught that we really only need to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays during Lent. The catch is we must find some alternative penance to do. A charitable work, spending time in prayer, etc

I did run across this:

This qualification strongly suggests that, though Friday is a day of penance, it is not one on which all of the faithful are legally bound or bound under pain of sin to do penance; nevertheless, “those who seek perfection” will do penance on the day.

Is Friday Penance Required?

Everybody knows that Catholics in the United States no longer have to abstain from eating meat on most Fridays. But are they legally required to do anything on a typical Friday?

www.catholic.com

 

[zippy2006]

@Michie, here is the question of the OP: "What is an adequate penitential substitute for abstaining from meat?"

 

[Michie]

@Michie, here is the question of the OP: "What is an adequate penitential substitute for abstaining from meat?"

Ugh! Misread and multitasking. That was asked in my RCIA class and the answer is pretty much the same. Extra prayer time, charitable works, volunteering somewhere, but it is left up to the person’s own discernment was my understanding. I think it would be best to consult your priest to hash it out. I don’t think the level of discomfort is something to consider. Of course those of a certain age or health issues are under no obligation to fast at all whether they consume meat or not.

 

[Gnarwhal]

I think you meant to say, "...only allowed to abstain from abstaining from meat on Fridays..." (Or something to that effect.)

Maybe skip morning coffee. Or no non-water liquids. Skip a meal. No TV. Something like that?

HA! You're right, talk about word salad. I need to stop multitasking... those are some good substitutes. Still deprivation of things we like, can use those moments when we want them to focus on why we're abstaining.

Great question! It’s a shame I never actually practiced this, even though I was very much aware of it! Eeek!

It's never too late if your health permits it. I had practiced no-meat Fridays for about a year and I think it did a lot for keeping my faith fresh and active. After I met my wife and started moving around a bunch it's one of those things that I stopped doing just cause it felt more practical not to. But the consequence for me is I felt a few shades of stagnation set in. That's not necessarily the case for everyone, that's just how it impacted me.

I was taught that we really only need to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays during Lent. The catch is we must find some alternative penance to do. A charitable work, spending time in prayer, etc

I did run across this:

This qualification strongly suggests that, though Friday is a day of penance, it is not one on which all of the faithful are legally bound or bound under pain of sin to do penance; nevertheless, “those who seek perfection” will do penance on the day.

Is Friday Penance Required?

Everybody knows that Catholics in the United States no longer have to abstain from eating meat on most Fridays. But are they legally required to do anything on a typical Friday?

www.catholic.com

This is an interesting points in the article:

The fact that the bishops don’t say this or anything remotely like it indicates that it was not the bishops’ intent to create an alternative obligation. Calling attention to the alternative obligation by stating it would have invalidated the main criticism that the bishops were most concerned to avoid.​

We may not know until we enter eternity, but I wonder if that'll ever be considered a bridge too far. To essentially dispense with an obligation that has a purpose, without intending any substitute. Since this was the USCCB and not an ecumenical council or any kind of papal proclamation I wonder if it'll ever be scrutinized by the Vatican in the future and perhaps overruled?

 

[WarriorAngel]

I think the advice is only for if you must eat meat give up something that you love. Sweets, alcohol, cigarettes, whatever is hard as a substitute.
The rule of abstaining from meat never changed.

 

[WarriorAngel]

I think a good example would be an invitation to a banquet or something similar celebrating an occasion but they’re only serving meat.
Skip dessert or a habit you like.

So as not to proclaim that you are in fact abstaining from meat consumption and it’s all you have available.

 

[concretecamper]

Why not just abstain from meat on Friday all year?

 

[RileyG]

Why not just abstain from meat on Friday all year?

Too bad it changed. I should pick up this practice.

 

[RileyG]

I think you meant to say, "...only allowed to abstain from abstaining from meat on Fridays..." (Or something to that effect.)

Maybe skip morning coffee. Or no non-water liquids. Skip a meal. No TV. Something like that?

I could never skip coffee. I would be so exhausted. TV is how I relax.

I know.

Excuses, excuses.

God, forgive me, a sinner.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Why not just abstain from meat on Friday all year?

Or every day

 

[WarriorAngel]

It never changed.
I was told that so many times I checked it out a few times.

Every Friday is abstinence of meat - unless you have no other option.
Then abstain from something else.

 

[RileyG]

Or every day

I don’t think I could ever be vegetarian. I love chicken too much, lol

 

[RileyG]

It never changed.
I was told that so many times I checked it out a few times.

Every Friday is abstinence of meat - unless you have no other option.
Then abstain from something else.

Not even in the United States?

 

[WarriorAngel]

Not even in the United States?

No where.

The Friday abstinence never ended.
Been checking since my kids were in elementary school.

A rumor happened

 

[RileyG]

No where.

The Friday abstinence never ended.
Been checking since my kids were in elementary school.

A rumor happened

That’s news to me. Sadly, so many have been poorly catechized.

 

[concretecamper]

From what I remember, the US Bishops petitioned Rome to allow an alternate presence on Friday. As it happened, Rome granted the change but the Bishops evidently never promulgated an alternate presence or did it in such a lack luster way it never took hold

 

[RileyG]

From what I remember, the US Bishops petitioned Rome to allow an alternate presence on Friday. As it happened, Rome granted the change but the Bishops evidently never promulgated an alternate presence or did it in such a lack luster way it never took hold

Thanks for the info! I wonder if this is the same in other countries.