Meat on friday?

[Evanescence]

Hey, didn't Catholics use to teach that you shouldn't eat meat on friday?

what is the story of this and how come it changed?
was it ever a Catholic Doctrine?

Thanks

Evanescence

[SleepyGuy]

Its still an obligation, but you can do some other kind of penance in its place. A lot of people are lax about it though.

some of the things you can do that is suggested is going to penitential rite during mass on friday, alms giving, fasting, works of mercy, charity, sacrifices, mortification, ect

http://www.usccb.org/dpp/penitential.htm this link gives you some ideas.

[Mike Dye]

My wife and I abstain from meat on friday almost all of the time. If we find at times another penance is better we will do that, ie...Aunt Jenny spent all day cooking our favorite pot roast for dinner on Friday I will do something else.
Mike

[Lorrie]

I don't eat meat on Friday's year round.

Here's a link to a recent thread I did on the subject:

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=67714

[Sanctus]

Fridays during lent still must be "meat-less" other Fridays are days of pennance....the pennance is left up to you but abstaining from meat is still a laudable pennance.

[Evanescence]

Yes but wasn't the Catholic church once strict on this issue but now isn't so strict about meat on friday anymore?

Our critics think this is one of our "changed doctrine"

Evanescence

[Lorrie]

Originally Posted by Evanescence

Yes but wasn't the Catholic church once strict on this issue but now isn't so strict about meat on friday anymore?

Our critics think this is one of our "changed doctrine"

Evanescence

Didn't Vatican II change this?

[SleepyGuy]

Its not changed. Its still there. I think what happened, just personal opinion, is that interpretation on this may have changed. Maybe less emphasis on this pratice as well. But its still an obligation.

The US Bishops allowed for subsituting it with other forms of penance. I dont know what bishops do in other parts of the world though.

Edit: Abstaining from meat is still given 1st priority, but its not the only perscribed means. You should see what the bishops in Australia say about it.

[William Bradley]

In our house, we prefer to abstain from meat on Fridays. We are cognizant that other forms of Penance are available and at times have utilized them. We understand that the emphasis on Friday is Penance and remembrance of our Lord's crucifixion. In the changing of this discipline, the Church sought to educate us about the purpose of this discipline. When an abstinence from meat results in a dinner of swordfish, lobster and shrinp, can this meal be approached as penitential?

Our critics in speaking about changed doctrine have always confused doctrine with disciplines as some would confuse salvation with redemption. In some cases, simple dialogue might resolve the issues and in other cases, one just has to realize that the confusion is nothing more than an unsubstantiated cheap shot.

[harinkj]

Abstaining from meat on Fridays is something I like.

- Katherine

[mosher]

Originally Posted by Lorrie

Didn't Vatican II change this?

No

[MarkPerz]

Abstaining from meat on Fridays is not, nor has it ever been, "doctrine". It is a discipline, or a custom, as a means of worship specific to honoring our Lord's crucifixion.

[msproule]

The disciplinary "change" came with the 1983 revision to the Code of Canon Law. The individual Bishops' conferences are given the authority to determine what form of Friday penance is best for their region. Typically this is abstinance, but some other act may replace it.

See Canons 1249-1253.

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by Evanescence

Yes but wasn't the Catholic church once strict on this issue but now isn't so strict about meat on friday anymore?

Our critics think this is one of our "changed doctrine"

Evanescence

It was never a Doctrine. The particulars of fasting practices are, and remain a discipline.

[Lorrie]

Originally Posted by mosher

No

OK.