MEATLESS FRIDAYS and the Official Church Law (Surprise!)

Life Enterprises Unlimited ^ | Father David C. Trosch

[NYer]

MEATLESS  FRIDAYS

and  the

Official  Church  Law

---

The National Conference of Catholic
(American) Bishops - NCCB

Studies Returning
Meatless Fridays

---

       The vast majority of Catholics today do not know that there is an existing obligation to abstain from meat on all Fridays of the year. While it is true that the Code of Canon Law allows for the substituting of another penitential practice, authorized by the NCCB, one has not been defined. As a consequence the abiding custom of the Church has been set aside. Neither bishops nor priests, with rare exception, inform the faithful of their obligations. Laxity and indifference have become the rule throughout most of the American Church in all matters of faith and morals. The congregations are being led straight into Hell.

       Laxity and indifference are particularly notable in relation to human life. As the value of life expands in its deterioration, the bishops continue their practice of public posturing. As noted in the news article following the quotations from the Code of Canon Law, the bishops are now consideringg the possibility of reintroducing that which is, in essence, already the existing law of the Catholic Church.

       If the average Catholic were asked if they abstain from meat on Fridays, they would say no. If asked what penitential practice they have substituted in place of not eating meat, they would commonly say none.

       Bishops, and the priests in their jurisdictions, have long neglected to teach about the obligatory requirement of either abstaining from meat on all Fridays of the year, or of substituting another observance. They have sinned by omission. It should be noted that even Pope Paul VI's variance in Paenitemini of 17 February, 1966 did not abrogate (terminate) the obligation to at least substitute another form of penitential practice.

       The bishops are proposing to possibly have Catholics -- do what they were commonly supposed to be doing anyway (NOTE: Most Catholics no longer believe in condemnatory sin and consequently do not go to obligatory confession when in grave sin. It is probable that today there are more Catholics with non-Catholic beliefs than there are Protestants.) -- express their concerns in regard to abortion and euthanasia by abstinence (not eating the meat of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fowl). This might to some seem an improvement to expressing the need for prayer in regard to the multitudes of innocent people daily being slaughtered by Godless people. During the seven month period of time intervening between making the proposal to discuss and actually possibly discussing the proposal their will have been between one-half million and over five million people legally murdered in America. Obviously they do not consider this to be a matter of grave concern.

What else could be said or done?

1. Strongly remind Catholics of their obligation to oppose evil.
   
2. Start instructing Catholics of the sinfulness of voting for pro-euthanasia, pro-abortion, and pro-sodomite political candidates at all levels of government.
   
3. Remind people that works (Mat. 25:45-46 & James 2:10, 14, 17) are the required evidence of the faith that is needed to get into Heaven, and that apathy and indifference are condemnatory.
4. Tell Catholics to pray and/or protest at all hospitals and clinics that terminate innocent human life from the instant of conception to natural death.
   
5. Tell Catholics that if they are not able to act as stated above that they can write letters of protest to government officials, or articles to editors of newspapers.
   
6. Encourage the fainthearted that at least they should protest the selling or showing of pornography at book stores, video stores, grocery stores, movie theaters, etc.
   
7. Start church committees to help people get active in opposing evil and to associate them with someone of like mind so that they can act at least in pairs.
8. Remind Catholics that cowards do not enter Heaven -- EVER.
   

---

The  CODE  of  CANON  LAW - Original Latin Text copyright 1983 Liberia Editrice
Vaticana, Vatican City – Book IV The Sanctifying Office of the Church

Chapter II

DAYS OF PENANCE

Can. 1249  All Christ's faithful are obliged by divine law, each in his or her own way, to do penance. However, so that all may be joined together in a certain common practice of penance, days of penance are prescribed. On these days the faithful are in a special manner to devote themselves to prayer, to engage in works of piety and charity, and to deny themselves, by fulfilling their obligations more faithfully and especially by observing the fast and abstinence which the following canons prescribe.

Can. 1250  The days and times of penance for the universal Church are each Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can. 1251  Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Can. 1252  The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

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.

(Emphasis has been added.)                Canon Law Society of America: Text & Commentary

[DTwistedSisterS]

Just a clarification.

Who are these guys:
The National Conference of Catholic
(American) Bishops - NCCB

I've heard of the USCCB, but not of the NCCB.

Just wondering.

Thanks.

[Daffy]

"those infidel Douay-Rheims translators"

I don't know. Compare your contribution:

Now the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy and having their conscience seared, forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful and by them that have known the truth. -- I Timothy 4:1-3

with the actual Douay-Rheims translation: (subtitled "Lying teachers")

Now the Spirit expressly says that in after times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of devils, 2 speaking lies hypocritically, and having their conscience branded. 3 They will forbid marriage, and will enjoin abstinence from foods, which God has created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by the faithful and by those who know the truth.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Realizing how hard it was to remember to do penance on Fridays, my hubby and I decided to go back to the meatless Fridays. I like it because the need to do something different reminds us why we are doing it - to commemorate Jesus' sufferings, and keep them fresh in our minds.

These little signs are (or ought to be) signals to ourselves and others of our personal committment.

And that is a good thing.

[Conservative til I die]

Precisely what does "meatless Fridays" have to do with the teachings of Christ?

Why not troll elsewhere?

[Conservative til I die]

Does that mean that if Catholics "sacrifice" the eating of meat on Fridays, desserts during Lent, etc. that they have a better relationship with Jesus Christ? Or do people get used to abstaining this or that during proscribed times decided upon by the Catholic hierarchy and do it as a rule without ever spending time daily in prayer and actually asking God's for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, as well as forgiveness for one's sins; daily Bible Study and meditation on the message that they have just read?

I'm not trying to be contentious here,

Baloney.

[Conservative til I die]

Our clergy do all our mediation and contemplation. We don't have to pray. We don't have to think. We just pay enough money and "shazam" we get into heaven. Its kind of like being saved. It's such a sweet deal.

On another note, fasting helps me to worship Mary and the rest of the Holy Square better.

[Conservative til I die]

Of course, real fasting is NOT EATING AT ALL -- a far cry from this convenient food-group-specific practice, which is more similar to the Muslim 'fasting' during Ramadan wherein they can eat all they want after dark.

Feel free to fast how you feel works best and makes you more of a macho man.

[bornacatholic]

He established the Catholic Church to teach in His name

[bornacatholic]

Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and giving alms. It includes all you suggest but much more. It includes Communion/Eucharist. And there is nothing that better establishes a personal relationship with Jesus.

His Body and Blood builds upon and transforms our nature making us partakers of His Divine Nature

2 Peter...By whom he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature: flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world

*Your good nature can be perfected by the Grace of Jesus in the Sacramental System in the Church Jesus established as His Ark of Salvation.

Have a Blessed Lent, brother

[Sloth]

Odd. Is there more than one version of the Douay-Rheims? All of these sites concur with what I posted:

http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=1ti+4:3&version=rhe&context=1&showtools=1
http://catholicfirst.com/thefaith/bible/1timothy.cfm
http://www.drbo.org/chapter/61004.htm
http://www.biblehelpsonline.com/lp-douay_rheims_1899/1Timothy.htm
http://www.greeknewtestament.com/christianisrael/douay/B54C004.htm
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bible/douayr.iTim.4.html?bcb=0

[Frank Sheed]

Dude, you are on a roll!

F

[NYer]

my hubby and I decided to go back to the meatless Fridays. I like it because the need to do something different reminds us why we are doing it - to commemorate Jesus' sufferings, and keep them fresh in our minds.

And that is precisely the spirit in which this abstinence was developed. It is such a small share in the sufferings of our Lord - a gnawing reminder of what He accomplished for us as well as a grateful acknowledgement.

[Nihil Obstat]

The USCCB used to be the NCCB. Changed the name about 5-10 years ago.

[bert]

Will this mean the return of tha Baloot boys to the streets of Manila?

Every Friday you could hear their cries....Baaaloooot! BaaaLooot!

Balot is a ready to hatch chick which though meat is an egg and legal on Friday in heavily Catholic Manila.

[Frank Sheed]

Nice post, NYer! I've given up meat again too for the past several years when I finally actually read the entire discipline of the NCCB (which was totally ignored). A cheese sandwich on Fridays and the fish or veggies on Friday night sure focus my mind on the memorial of Good Friday! So do the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

F

[NYer]

Any Catholic who doesn't take time to pray every day, though -- not just during Lent but all year -- just plain isn't doing it right.

Here again, we are following the lead of our Lord and Savior who prayed to His Father for those who had been entrusted to Him. They, in turn, prayed for those entrusted to them down through these 2000 years. The forms of prayer are so beautiful and varied. For the past several months, I have been praying the Maronite Divine Office. Like the Jewish tradition it followed, it begins with the evening prayers of Ramsho and culminates with the morning prayers of Safro . These include the praying of Psalms and readings from Scripture.

It only takes 20 minutes to follow these beautiful prayers. They put a smile on my face in the morning and enfold me with their warmth in the evening.

[NYer]

I sure am going to miss this place - starting tomorrow I'm giving up FReeping for Lent.

Now see here! I can understand the motivation - denial of something pleasurable - but you could not have picked a worse time to absent yourself from FR. During Lent, the postings are often spiritual in nature, drawing you closer to God. It's your call - and other have done this as well - but, trust me :-) - Lent is when we pull out all the spiritual stops and try to rouse christians in their Lenten practices.

You may want to check in periodically to see if there are any important posts such as the pope's Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Last year when JPII was so ill, it fell upon the shoulder of (then) Cardinal Ratzinger to lead the stations. When he reached #9, his comments drew instantaneous media attention. This is what he said:

* * * * *

Via Crucis, Scuola Veneta - Sec. XVIII Cattedrale - Padova NINTH STATION Jesus falls for the third time V/. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi. R/. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum. From the Book of Lamentations. 3:27-32 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when he has laid it on him; let him put his mouth in the dust - there may yet be hope; let him give his cheek to the smiter, and be filled with insults. For the Lord will not cast off for ever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. MEDITATION What can the third fall of Jesus under the Cross say to us? We have considered the fall of man in general, and the falling of many Christians away from Christ and into a godless secularism. Should we not also think of how much Christ suffers in his own Church? How often is the holy sacrament of his Presence abused, how often must he enter empty and evil hearts! How often do we celebrate only ourselves, without even realizing that he is there! How often is his Word twisted and misused! What little faith is present behind so many theories, so many empty words! How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the priesthood, ought to belong entirely to him! How much pride, how much self-complacency! What little respect we pay to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where he waits for us, ready to raise us up whenever we fall! All this is present in his Passion. His betrayal by his disciples, their unworthy reception of his Body and Blood, is certainly the greatest suffering endured by the Redeemer; it pierces his heart. We can only call to him from the depths of our hearts: Kyrie eleison – Lord, save us (cf. Mt 8: 25). PRAYER Lord, your Church often seems like a boat about to sink, a boat taking in water on every side. In your field we see more weeds than wheat. The soiled garments and face of your Church throw us into confusion. Yet it is we ourselves who have soiled them! It is we who betray you time and time again, after all our lofty words and grand gestures. Have mercy on your Church; within her too, Adam continues to fall. When we fall, we drag you down to earth, and Satan laughs, for he hopes that you will not be able to rise from that fall; he hopes that being dragged down in the fall of your Church, you will remain prostrate and overpowered. But you will rise again. You stood up, you arose and you can also raise us up. Save and sanctify your Church. Save and sanctify us all.   All: Pater noster, qui es in cælis: sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra. Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed libera nos a malo. Eia mater, fons amoris, me sentire vim doloris fac, ut tecum lugeam. * * * * * And this was before he was elected pontiff! Imagine this year!

[NYer]

I think there is an awareness of this coming back and I think we can thank Dr. Atkins.

Thanks but I give more credit to those catholics who seek to unite themselves to the suffering Savior.

[sassbox]

I know there's a lot of great stuff here during Lent - last year I helped out with the Roman station church threads. But this year I really need to do this. I've become a horrible procrastinator and the internet has played no small role in this. I need to spend more time on my schoolwork. I need to spend more time doing many other things besides surfing the internet.

Also sometimes coming on here is not fun but ends up upsetting me. I either get overly anxious and frustrated about things going on in the world that I can do nothing about myself (Iran, terrorism, the border, etc) or I become uncharitable in heart, if not in posting, towards certain other FReepers.

I will miss this place terribly, but it will be good to take a break for awhile and use the time to focus on other things. I'll be back at Easter, hopefully much more temperant in my internet usage by then!

[sassbox]

I've heard that the capibara is also OK to eat on Lenten Fridays. It is basically a giant hamster but it spends most of its time in the waters of the Amazon river.