Community Chat

[azterry!]

On 3/13/2014 dmod nj said:

On 3/13/2014 terrier3 said:

On 3/13/2014 blackbirdraven said:

this is what I found.................<em>To sum up those requirements, Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. In addition, all Catholics 14 years old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent</em>.............................................raven

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/lent/lentrules.aspx

But if you are Catholic in Buffalo, NY, the bishop gives a dispensation to eat corned beef and cabbage at the annual Friday before St. Patrick's Day lunch at the Irish Center - even if it is a Friday in Lent (I kid you not!)

Same thing in this area, terrier. I thought it happened everywhere.

Same thing where I grew up in the midwest.

[Alter Ego]

On 3/13/2014 muttmom said:

On 3/13/2014 violann said:I believe a diocesan dispensation may be granted anywhere, at the discretion of the bishop.

When we were children a school field was a big deal. Frequently they fell on Fridays. Our parish priest gave dispensations.

I was at a charitable event for a Catholic school and we were informed that we had special dispensation too. I'm not a particularly good catholic, but I do try to adhere to no meat on Friday's during lent. I was relieved as I wasn't allowed to choose my meal (pre-planned when the table was purchased and everyone was given chicken.)

[hennypenny]

When I was a child we had a live in nanny. She was Catholic so we all ate fish on fridays to honor her religion.

[straykatz]

On 3/13/2014 terrier3 said:

On 3/13/2014 straykatz said:

You can learn something new everyday...I grew up thinking it was every Friday.

When I was growing up it WAS every Friday, 52 weeks a year.

But after Vatican II, that changed to just Lent and Advent Fridays.

Supposedly, the custom of fish on Friday started in the Middle Ages, to promote the fishing industry in Italy.

Thanks Terrier...I feel better now..I didn't know it changed ...was almost thinking my mother forced fish upon us every Friday for no good reason....LOL

[JustJazzmom]

I heard it was to support the fishing industry in Portugal at that time.

[RedHeadedWench]

Not eating meat on Friday is a sacrifice and has nothing to do what day of the week Jesus died for our sins....it is to remember that sacrifice.

Back in the middle ages, eating meat was given up totally during Lent, as a matter of fact, the reason behind "Fat Tuesday" was to eat up all the meat and goodies in your house prior to Ash Wednesday. In certain countries (diocese) the money you would have spent on meat...would have been given to the poor.

[Krimpette]

I always operated under the assumption that you fasted on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (nothing between meals and only one main (preferably lighter)) meal on those days and that Fridays were meatless during Lent. Even though I'm well beyond the age range, I still try to observe. (I never heard about meatless Fridays during Advent. That's new to me.)

[qvcaddition]

Wasn't that changed years ago in the 60's that you could now eat meat on Fridays. Raised as a Catholic, my grandmother made polenta and fish on Fridays, but in the 60's the then Pope said it was now OK for Catholics to eat meat on Fridays. Read first Timothy Chapter three verses three thru five. As you can tell here, I have not been a Catholic for years, God Bless those that are, no offense, just too many man made rules. I am a bible student and a lot of people don't believe the bible either, so to each their own.

[gloriajean]

There isn't a rule about meatless Fridays in Advent, just Lent. I remember growing up it was every Friday of the year, and yes, on the Fridays outside of Lent if we are eating meat, there should be some other kind of sacrifice then, because Jesus died for us on Friday.

[KathyPet]

Growing up catholic in the 50's meat was prohibited on all Fridays. I guess changed to only during Lent by Vatican 2.