To be sure I would personally at least participate in a Friday evening vigil Mass for St. Joseph or Evening Prayer I (combined with a vigils Office of Readings in the evening) before I would begin to shoehorn fasting requirement considerations into my liturgical day. To me, the question of whether one can eat meat on Friday (during Lent or not) in light of liturgical celebrations is whether we are actually in the spirit of the day itself. Rejoicing about being able to eat a burger during basketball is not exactly honouring St. Joseph or the solemnity of the occasion. Honouring the Saint, participating in the holiness and sanctity of the liturgical day and "feasting" by breaking a fast is the key I think.
Personally, I think that the spirit of observation and piety would encourage (even outside of Lent, but especially during Lent), fasting and abstaining on the vigil of the solemnity, including after its liturgical beginning in the evening, and then joyously feasting with the coming of the day.
This would have been a great time to talk about the Cannon 1251 and how it states "every Friday" and how the 1966 Pastoral Statement on Abstinence and Fasting limited that to during Lent. I was unaware of this before that, although we are not required to abstain from meat, we are required to do some kind of penitential act every friday, per the pastoral statement. I think that might be a good thing to add! Great article as always though, I truly appreciate the Pillar!
It seems just a tad bit ridiculous considering how lax our fasting laws in the modern Latin Rite Church are. This seems to be a case of "...the written law inflicts death, whereas the spiritual law brings life." If we don't understand why we fast, we'll try to fulfill the law while completely missing the point.
In the Diocese of Yakima we received a few inquiries, including from a family who wanted to have a festive meal Friday night to honor St. Joseph (not possible Saturday night due to work obligations). So we granted a dispensation throughout the diocese, following the example of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, which noted also the proximity of St. Patrick's Day. We also suggested making a donation to a local food bank. In one parish where I made the announcement, I also said we could probably abstain from eating meat every day, if we wanted to, and I heard someone say with enthusiasm, "That's what I do!"
I am always amazed at discussions about abstinence. It’s not like we’re being coerced into choosing between eating and NOT eating. The only proscription concerns eating flesh from chickens, cows, sheep, pigs or birds. There is almost an infinite number of foods that fall outside these restrictions. And it’s ONLY. ONE. DAY. Why are there always those who want to see how much they can get away with? How they can bend the rules? How they can skirt the law? Instead, why can’t we embrace the practice – follow it in the manner that was intended?
For the sake of your Canadian readers, here is the law in place in this country, put forth in Decree No. 8 from the CCCB (official document no. 535, issued 14-05-1985):
"In accordance with the prescriptions of c. 1253, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops hereby decrees that the days of fast and abstinence in Canada are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Fridays are days of abstinence but Catholics may substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day."
The official CCCB commentary in the Complementary Norm to the 1983 Code of Canon Law states further (#4, page 101):
"Fridays are penitential days. However, instead of observing the universal law of abstinence from meat on Fridays, Catholics may substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day. The decree of the Episcopal Conference does not specify which particular acts of piety or charity are to be performed on Fridays; this is left to each Catholic to determine."
Lenten Fridays are not treated differently from other Fridays during the year and so a Catholic in Canada may have that steak on Friday, March 18, but he or she must substitute another act of charity or piety. (Basically, do *something* to commemorate the immeasurable sacrifice of our Lord made on that day of the week.)
To be sure I would personally at least participate in a Friday evening vigil Mass for St. Joseph or Evening Prayer I (combined with a vigils Office of Readings in the evening) before I would begin to shoehorn fasting requirement considerations into my liturgical day. To me, the question of whether one can eat meat on Friday (during Lent or not) in light of liturgical celebrations is whether we are actually in the spirit of the day itself. Rejoicing about being able to eat a burger during basketball is not exactly honouring St. Joseph or the solemnity of the occasion. Honouring the Saint, participating in the holiness and sanctity of the liturgical day and "feasting" by breaking a fast is the key I think.
Personally, I think that the spirit of observation and piety would encourage (even outside of Lent, but especially during Lent), fasting and abstaining on the vigil of the solemnity, including after its liturgical beginning in the evening, and then joyously feasting with the coming of the day.
This would have been a great time to talk about the Cannon 1251 and how it states "every Friday" and how the 1966 Pastoral Statement on Abstinence and Fasting limited that to during Lent. I was unaware of this before that, although we are not required to abstain from meat, we are required to do some kind of penitential act every friday, per the pastoral statement. I think that might be a good thing to add! Great article as always though, I truly appreciate the Pillar!
It seems just a tad bit ridiculous considering how lax our fasting laws in the modern Latin Rite Church are. This seems to be a case of "...the written law inflicts death, whereas the spiritual law brings life." If we don't understand why we fast, we'll try to fulfill the law while completely missing the point.
In the Diocese of Yakima we received a few inquiries, including from a family who wanted to have a festive meal Friday night to honor St. Joseph (not possible Saturday night due to work obligations). So we granted a dispensation throughout the diocese, following the example of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, which noted also the proximity of St. Patrick's Day. We also suggested making a donation to a local food bank. In one parish where I made the announcement, I also said we could probably abstain from eating meat every day, if we wanted to, and I heard someone say with enthusiasm, "That's what I do!"
I am always amazed at discussions about abstinence. It’s not like we’re being coerced into choosing between eating and NOT eating. The only proscription concerns eating flesh from chickens, cows, sheep, pigs or birds. There is almost an infinite number of foods that fall outside these restrictions. And it’s ONLY. ONE. DAY. Why are there always those who want to see how much they can get away with? How they can bend the rules? How they can skirt the law? Instead, why can’t we embrace the practice – follow it in the manner that was intended?
For the sake of your Canadian readers, here is the law in place in this country, put forth in Decree No. 8 from the CCCB (official document no. 535, issued 14-05-1985):
"In accordance with the prescriptions of c. 1253, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops hereby decrees that the days of fast and abstinence in Canada are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Fridays are days of abstinence but Catholics may substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day."
The official CCCB commentary in the Complementary Norm to the 1983 Code of Canon Law states further (#4, page 101):
"Fridays are penitential days. However, instead of observing the universal law of abstinence from meat on Fridays, Catholics may substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day. The decree of the Episcopal Conference does not specify which particular acts of piety or charity are to be performed on Fridays; this is left to each Catholic to determine."
Lenten Fridays are not treated differently from other Fridays during the year and so a Catholic in Canada may have that steak on Friday, March 18, but he or she must substitute another act of charity or piety. (Basically, do *something* to commemorate the immeasurable sacrifice of our Lord made on that day of the week.)
I always enjoy the explainers, helps me to better understand and appreciate all the church brings to my life.