Friday Fast

[geocajun]

So what's the deal with fish? Isn't fish a flesh meat?

Maggie, Jimmy Akin explains that here: http://www.cin.org/users/james/questions/q034.htm

 

[Maggie893]

Thanks Jason, I knew you'd have a good answer! Just the idea of insect meat was enough to clarify quickly!

 

[geocajun]

Thanks Jason, I knew you'd have a good answer! Just the idea of insect meat was enough to clarify quickly!

not my answer, I just know where to find em. I come up with very little on my own honestly... its safer that way

so you don't eat insect meat huh? wierd...
Did you know Locusts are the only Kosher insect?
I always thought that was cool, since John the Baptist ate Locusts.

 

[Maggie893]

Haven't had locust meat, no . I will say though that I've swallowed my fair share of black flies. Hiking during black fly season can be hazardous.

 

[AMDG]

EVERY Lent I go through a "what is permissable and what is not" thing regarding the fast. Fish, eggs, and dairy products are permissable--but what about gravy? And what about a meat flavoring ingredient? And does frying in lard count? (Do I REALLY need to find all-vegetarian beans and soups?--let's see can't make a shrimp etoufee or even minestroni soup because they contain chicken broth, can't make pinto beans because there's ham flavoring involved, can't have frijoles because they MAY have been fried in lard, etc., even clam chowder or egg-drop soup is suspect.) Then there's that one priest that made things worse for me when he said that technically eating a hot dog would not "break the Friday fast" because hot dogs are mainly filler and the percent of meat isn't enough to qualify hot dogs as meat. (I hope he was joking.)

It's sorta like "opening a door with a stick of dynamite" to be so very careful here. I'm starting to think that the only truly "safe" thing for the Lenten Friday fast is bread and water!

 

[Alexis OCA]

I'm starting to think that the only truly "safe" thing for the Lenten Friday fast is bread and water!

That certainly might keep us spiritually focused wouldn't it?

 

[Paul S]

Paul, read it carefully, the USCCB used choice language there so as to restrict the 'obligation' to Lent and Ash Wed. while leaving other Fridays as a recommended penance for those seeking spiritual perfect. They did not abolish the penance, but rather they changed its force.

Can they do that? Canon Law seems to give them authority to change the penance, but not to abolish it, so the US bishops wouldn't be allowed to get rid of it altogether.

Also, the "New commentary on the Code of Canon Law" does not state any legal obligation to do penance on Fridays outside of Lent and Ash Wednsday either since Rome ratified "One Penance and Abstinence".

I've never heard of this - is it available online somewhere? Is it saying that Rome got rid of the obligation to do penance on Fridays?

 

[geocajun]

Can they do that? Canon Law seems to give them authority to change the penance, but not to abolish it, so the US bishops wouldn't be allowed to get rid of it altogether.

The canon says: Can. 1253 The Episcopal Conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.

What they did was not abolish, but rather stipulated the way in which the USA will observe the 'obligation'. That is to say, we are obligated to observe the days of penance on Ash Wednesday, and the Fridays in Lent, but not obliged during other Fridays of the year. We are however, encouraged to voluntarily make every Friday a day of penance.

I've never heard of this - is it available online somewhere? Is it saying that Rome got rid of the obligation to do penance on Fridays?

its a resource for canon lawyers, in the United States. Rome only ratified the USCCB decision for the United States, not the world. Each "Episcopol conference" has the perogative to stipulate their own norms for fasting and penance.

 

[Carrye]

Geo, why can't I wear sackcloth and ashes when I'm fasting?

 

[geocajun]

Geo, why can't I wear sackcloth and ashes when I'm fasting?

Carrie, you can, in fact, I highly recommend that you do that

 

[Alexis OCA]

Geo, why can't I wear sackcloth and ashes when I'm fasting?

I think that the really dedicated would eat sackcloth and ashes.

 

[Carrye]

I think that the really dedicated would eat sackcloth and ashes.

Both low carb and penitential. Though high carbon.

 

[Paul S]

I think that the really dedicated would eat sackcloth and ashes.

But if it's made of animal hair, would it count as meat?

 

[Carrye]

But if it's made of animal hair, would it count as meat?

Not unless you're vegan.

 

[artnalex]

Geo,

Fr. John Hardon seemed to think that we are still required to do some penance on Friday, or risk grave sin. Over time, if we were to do nothing on normal Fridays, we would be sinning. You can read what he wrote at the Marian Cathechists website.


Also, here is an excerpt from an article entitled "Tradition of the Church: Friday Penance":

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops in their pastoral document of November 18, 1966 stated:

Catholics in the United States are obliged to abstain from the eating of meat on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays during the season of Lent. They are also obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday. Self-imposed observance of fasting on all weekdays of Lent is strongly recommended. Abstinence from flesh meat on all Fridays of the year is especially recommended to individuals and to the Catholic community as a whole.
The entire statement can be found in Canon Law Digest (CLD 6, 679--684).

​

The potentially misleading effect of this NCCB statement is that many Catholics erroneously believe that they are no longer obliged to perform Friday penance, even though this obligation remains in full force (by the superior authority of the Holy Father, the Pope, who has not abrogated the obligation of Friday penance). Many of the Catholic faithful, in practice, have misinterpreted the law of the Church and erroneously concluded that penance is no longer required on all Fridays.

What do you think? I am perplexed really, and have been for several years on this very subject.

 

[geocajun]

Geo,

Fr. John Hardon seemed to think that we are still required to do some penance on Friday, or risk grave sin. Over time, if we were to do nothing on normal Fridays, we would be sinning. You can read what he wrote at the Marian Cathechists website.


Also, here is an excerpt from an article entitled "Tradition of the Church: Friday Penance":



What do you think? I am perplexed really, and have been for several years on this very subject.

Art, if you read the documents I quoted above, all I can think is that Fr. Hardon (Rest his soul) wrote that prior to Rome ratifying "One fasting an penance" where the USCCB created the new norms for the USA.