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MicheleQ
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| Posted: Oct 15 2010 at 4:31pm | IP Logged
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It's late Friday which means a lot of people won't be here until Monday but I am trying to figure this out and hope someone can shed some light.
I thought, according to Canon Law, that although we were no longer required to abstain from meat on Fridays throughout the year (outside of Lent), we did still have to perform some sort of penance on Fridays.
But Yesterday someone pointed out this article at Catholic Answers that says the although we are exhorted to it, it is not required.
Honestly I did not know this as I was told by several priests that [some form of Friday penance] was required.
While I personally have no problem simply carrying on our family practice of abstaining from meat on all Fridays my issue is that I publish a calendar/planner that now includes Friday Abstinence reminders on it. Now I am wondering if that's right.
Here's another Jimmy Akin link about it.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
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Michele Quigley
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Oct 15 2010 at 4:59pm | IP Logged
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Michele,
I hope Jenn or Mary can chime in...I don't have time to read the links right now, but I wanted to link Father Hardon's definition of Friday Abstinence from his Catholic Dictionary.
Emphasis mine...
Quote:
FRIDAY ABSTINENCE. Traditionally refraining from meat on Friday in commemoration of Christ’s passion and death. The custom was prevalent among Christians from the first century. It was extended to Saturday in the West at an early date. In 1966, Pope Paul VI issued the apostolic constitution, Paenitemini, declaring that the “substantial observance of Fridays as days of penance, whether by abstinence or in other ways,” is a grave obligation (Norm II, 2). Since then, the new Code of Canon Law explains what the duty to abstain (and fast ) now means:
“All Fridays through the year and the time of Lent are penitential days and times throughout the universal
Church” (Canon 1250).
“Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to
be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be
observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ” (Canon
1251).
“All persons who have completed their fourteenth year are bound by the law of abstinence; all adults are
bound by the law of fast up to the beginning of their sixtieth year. Nevertheless, pastors and parents are to see
to it that minors who are not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are educated in an authentic sense of
penance” (Canon 1252).
“It is for the conference of bishops to determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence and to
substitute in whole or in part for fast and abstinence other forms of penance, especially works of charity and
exercises of piety” (Canon1253). |
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So...if I'm reading that correctly, Pope Paul VI calls it a grave obligation, but that is before the new code of canon law was issued. It would seem the conditions are relaxed somewhat with the new code of canon law and exhort is the term I've heard used before. I hope to read through the articles you linked later. I'm sure Jenn or Mary would have more info on this.
As someone that uses the Family Centered Press calendar, I appreciate the Friday abstinence reminders since I plan out my menus on the calendar. My 2 cents.
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lamamaloca
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| Posted: Oct 15 2010 at 5:00pm | IP Logged
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Honestly, I think the "required to" vs "exhorted to" is just getting nitpicky. Friday is universally a day of penance, and Catholics ought to remember it in some way by penance, yes? That isn't in question. I think Jimmy Akin's opinion is definitely in the minority here, although I usually find him to be reliable.
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CrunchyMom
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I think it is a very "American thing" to be legalistic about this issue as Jimmy Akin is in that article. I remember reading it in the past and thinking the same thing. To me, the "American thing" is this idea that we don't "have to" to things that aren't explicitly required and are very hung up on technicalities. In other words, the letter of the law is often considered more so than the spirit of the law.
It seems clear to me that the Church still WANTS us to offer a Friday penance. Is it under pain of sin? Not my call. But, I think that the exhortation and the history of the tradition in the Church is definitely strong enough and clear enough that your "Friday Abstinence" reminder is not in anyway misleading and is definitely in keeping with Church teaching.
I mean, you also include pious practices like the traditional days in which to say the individual mysteries of the rosary. We aren't REQUIRED to say the rosary, and if we do say it, we can say whichever set we want, but it is still a good reminder in keeping with Church tradition. I like having them there.
Just my two cents.
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JennGM
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Michele, the small print verbiage of Akin makes my head hurt.  Looking over the terms of the US Bishops, we are obligated for the extra penance on Friday, but abstinence from meat under pain of sin on Fridays outside of Lent has been lifted.
Does anyone else read it that way?
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lapazfarm
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JennGM wrote:
Michele, the small print verbiage of Akin makes my head hurt. Looking over the terms of the US Bishops, we are obligated for the extra penance on Friday, but abstinence from meat under pain of sin on Fridays outside of Lent has been lifted.
Does anyone else read it that way? |
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That's the way I read it as well.
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Trinity
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| Posted: Oct 16 2010 at 4:49pm | IP Logged
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lapazfarm wrote:
JennGM wrote:
Michele, the small print verbiage of Akin makes my head hurt. Looking over the terms of the US Bishops, we are obligated for the extra penance on Friday, but abstinence from meat under pain of sin on Fridays outside of Lent has been lifted.
Does anyone else read it that way? |
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That's the way I read it as well. |
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That is how I have understood it too.
I do try to abstain from meat on Fridays, so it would help if you include those reminders in the planner Michele. : ) Although I think my planner only shows Fridays during Lent as days of abstinence.
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: Oct 16 2010 at 5:47pm | IP Logged
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Trinity wrote:
lapazfarm wrote:
JennGM wrote:
Michele, the small print verbiage of Akin makes my head hurt. Looking over the terms of the US Bishops, we are obligated for the extra penance on Friday, but abstinence from meat under pain of sin on Fridays outside of Lent has been lifted.
Does anyone else read it that way? |
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That's the way I read it as well. |
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That is how I have understood it too. |
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Well then that's what I am going with --thank you. 
Trinity wrote:
| I do try to abstain from meat on Fridays, so it would help if you include those reminders in the planner Michele. : ) Although I think my planner only shows Fridays during Lent as days of abstinence. |
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It does but the planner I just finished (Jan -Dec.) will have it for all Fridays now (except solemnities) as will the Aug.-July planner next year. Oh and I am including it on my new calendar as well!
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LucyP
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| Posted: Oct 16 2010 at 5:59pm | IP Logged
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When I have confessed to eating meat and then forgetting another form of penance on Friday, the priests have all said it doesn't matter and isn't a sin.
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Trinity
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| Posted: Oct 21 2010 at 10:05am | IP Logged
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MicheleQ wrote:
Trinity wrote:
lapazfarm wrote:
JennGM wrote:
Michele, the small print verbiage of Akin makes my head hurt. Looking over the terms of the US Bishops, we are obligated for the extra penance on Friday, but abstinence from meat under pain of sin on Fridays outside of Lent has been lifted.
Does anyone else read it that way? |
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That's the way I read it as well. |
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That is how I have understood it too. |
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Well then that's what I am going with --thank you.
Trinity wrote:
| I do try to abstain from meat on Fridays, so it would help if you include those reminders in the planner Michele. : ) Although I think my planner only shows Fridays during Lent as days of abstinence. |
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It does but the planner I just finished (Jan -Dec.) will have it for all Fridays now (except solemnities) as will the Aug.-July planner next year. Oh and I am including it on my new calendar as well!
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That sounds good to me! I certainly could use the reminder each Friday. I always plan our dinners each week and include a meatless dinner for Friday. I always forget about planning lunch and have accidently eaten meat at lunch before on a Friday. 
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: Oct 21 2010 at 10:59am | IP Logged
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I have priests tell me many things that are definitely sinful are not sins and that I am being scrupulous about some things (when I know those things are sins for me because of what they lead to). Very sad....
However, on the original post:
*Fridays are days of penance of some sort - if not meat, then something else.
*We are all supposed to have spiritual fathers to direct us in our personal penances. This practice has fallen away and we are left playing this letter- vs spirit-of-the-law game. (I know that statement isn't helpful, but perhaps it helps puts some things into perspective?)
*From the earliest days of the church (via the Didache), Christians were to abstain from meat, animal products, and olive oil on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year; Lent and Advent (both of which lasted 40 days), as well as a few other weeks that are too detailed for this post. The details of these fasts and which days could be adjusted with guidance from spiritual directors.
*These days were eventually lifted as the use of spiritual direction diminished, so as not to burden the people. Eventually, we end up with Fridays during Lent are meatless (which originally included abstinence from all fish with backbones...) and Fridays during the year are to be a "chosen penance."
What is interesting is that historically, as the strict fasting was lifted, the idea of chosen penances was introduced. Where we currently "choose" something to give up during Lent, if you follow the original fasting rules, you don't have give up anything.
But that's getting legalistic  
Re: the calendar - definitely keep the reminder and each person can apply it appropriately.
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Topic: Friday penance?
