Thank God it's Friday......Fish , Chips and Mushy Peas

Back in the 1950s , when , under threat of mortal sin , we were obliged to abstain from meat , our school dinner was fish , chips and mushy peas . It was the favourite meal of the school week , and was devoured with lashings of tomato ketchup . It was certainly no penance , far from it .

Then in the 1966 in his Apostolic Constitution of Paenitemini , Pope Paul VI authorised Bishops' Conferences to replace the obligation of Friday abstinence from meat with other penitential practices .

So we started eating meat on Fridays , but most Catholics I know never got round to adopting an alternative mode of penance .

Then in May 2011 the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales re-introduced the expectation that all Catholics able to do so should abstain from meat on all Fridays of the year, effective Friday, September 16, 2011.

Now I don't think many take much notice of that expectation . But I do , and this afternoon I will be calling at the local chippy for fish , chips and mushy peas .

Now this is no penance for me , yet Jesus does assume that his followers will fast , and at the present time fasting plays a very little part in my spirituality .

It's time for me to change ......"But when you fast......" (Matthew 6:17) .