According to NPR, the alligator was officially sanctioned as a member of the seafood group three years ago after Jim Piculas wrote a letter to Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans asking to settle a debate among his friends. The Archbishop responded saying, "Yes, the alligator's considered in the fish family, and I agree with you God has created a magnificent creature that is important to the state of Louisiana, and it is considered seafood."
Now if only they could consider a hamburger a seafood, my Lenten Season would be much easier. lol. /sarc.
Those crazy Cajuns! Didn’t they do the same thing with nutria some years ago?
Basically, Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays in Lent [and all Fridays].
chicken, beef, ham, turkey -- are considered meats.
Sounds like if you want eat rattlesnake, you can...
And for the record, the purpose is the most minor form of fasting in remembrance of the day the Lord was crucified. Tertullian wrote some interesting stuff on the practice back in 208 AD (or so).
Muskrat was considered “fish” in a few Michigan dioceses back in the ‘30s.
The distinction has always been between warm-blooded and cold-blooded. Fish and reptiles being cold-blooded are not considered true flesh. The rational is that abstaining from meat is in memorial of the flesh and blood shed by our Lord. I guess it is some form of bloodism discrimination.
If alligator is seafood then Hippopotomous can’t be far behind...Them crazy Catholics...
I believe the answer lies in the original creation. Was the alligator created with the fish and birds or with the creepy crawly things the next day? Is whale meat fish or meat?