How did you think she learned the wrong teaching on meatless Friday, do you think she read it in the Bible? No, she learned it from her parents and nuns, and her friends, so if they were all wrong, you do have a communication problem.
She had never missed a Sunday Mass, so why wasn't it taught from the pulpit until they knew everyone understood? How much time do you think the priest spent educating them?
Uninformed Protestants do not show their ignorance of the church teachings by doing works; they simply do nothing, which is probably better since they have no false sense of security.
What I'm saying is, don't be discouraged, you're doing good, but don't be afraid to say I made a mistake, and will be more careful next time.
Also, you got into all this by defending the church when I said meatless Friday was a tradition with no Biblical backing, and a useless law, and that is still true.
Well, I guess we are all have hair triggers when it comes to our wives. Again, I meant no offense (frankly I presumed that for an ex-Catholic, not being a very good Catholic would be a good thing).
I believe that I have stated on more than one occasion that this is a failing of the Church, not of your wife or other similar ex-Catholics. If those posts were not addresses to you, I'll say it here again: If people come away from the Lenten celebration with the impression that it's just a bunch of rules to follow to avoid sinning and going to Hell, than the Church has failed that person, other Catholics have failed and the parents have failed (presuming they intended to raise their child Catholic - and don't go assuming that I'm insulting her parents. If you consider raising her Catholic a bad thing, than they did a good thing by that failure). I do disagree that Protestant churches are substantially different (as evidenced by that study that is being commented on here) but what good is there for us to argue that one church's failings are "less worse" than anothers. Collectively we are doing a lousy job. This is a challenge to the people on this board since I suspect that we generaly take our faith(s) more seriously than the average Christian and it is an indictment against us.
Also, you got into all this by defending the church when I said meatless Friday was a tradition with no Biblical backing, and a useless law, and that is still true.
I agreed that it is a tradition, and that there is certainly nothing in the Bible about meatless fridays (although I seem to remember something about not giving people of weaker faith a hard time about not eating meat :-)). I disagree that it is a useless law. We (I) spent too much of our days away from the things of God. I work in a bank and might go all day just doing my job. At least during Lent (or at other time of fasting) I have a continuing reminder of His sacrifice by this tiny little thing I do in rememberance. My quite times are wonderfull (except when the kids don't understand "quite" time), but I am more united to Christ by this simple rule. I think it is one of the Church's better ideas.