[Tax-chick]

we must partially blame ourselves for allowing this holy time of year to be overshadowed by a drunken, over-indulgent, high-jacking of our own celebration

Why must we? The author's welcome to blame himself, if it makes him feel better, but I have absolutely no responsibility for debauchery that became traditional, in some subcultures, long before I was born.

[Salvation]

**On the Fridays outside of Lent the U.S. bishops conference obtained the permission of the Holy See for Catholics in the US to substitute a penitential, or even a charitable, practice of their own choosing. Since this was not stated as binding under pain of sin, not to do so on a single occasion would not in itself be sinful. However, since penance is a divine command, the general refusal to do penance is certainly gravely sinful.**

 

I wonder how may U. S. Catholics actually do the act of pentitence to substitute for abstaining on Fridays during the entire year??