2006-09-27 12:06:12 · 5 answers · asked by euli 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Catholic Church follows the Biblical practice of Jesus Christ and the Jews in setting aside days where the entire Church fasts and prays as one in a attitude of constant renewal.
Fridays were chosen because Jesus died for us on Good Friday.
Fasting is one of the three methods of interior penance along with prayer and almsgiving.
With love in Christ.
2006-09-27 17:40:14 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Do. Catholics do. Or at least should.
There is a big difference between Roman Catholics and American Catholics. American Catholics are big pansies who need dispensation from all that hard stuff like fasting and abstinence.
Catholics traditionally abstain from meat on Friday in honor and of the sacrifice Jesus made, dying for our sins. Our own little sacrifice in kind. Some also abstain on Wednesday in honor of the day he was accused but that is not part of the Catechism (ie, big book of Catholic rules...)
American Catholics who are ignorant of their faith will tell you Vatican II did away with abstaining on Friday. This is incorrect. It was later that American Catholics were given dispensation. That means they were allowed to not do it. But it is still an important part of Catholicism.
There are 12 days of Holy Obligation. American Catholics are so lazy we've done away with most of them. We have 5 left and three of those are moved to Sunday so we don't have to go out of our way during the week.
Hmph...
2006-09-27 19:24:08 · answer #2 · answered by Max Marie, OFS 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All I know is that it was part of Vatican One as a way of showing reverance to God. Other rules of Vatican One that changed were things like masses said in Latin and how long you must fast before taking Eucharist. Now, Catholics can eat meat on Fridays (except during Lent) if they want to.
2006-09-27 19:18:55 · answer #3 · answered by sister steph 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is one of the 5 precepts of the Church - observing days of fasting and abstinence of the Church - it ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepares us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instinct and freedom of heart. (catechism 2043 page 494)
after all Christ did for us, to abstain from meat - back in the day - was a huge self sacrifice and something people did to try to offer something back. it's just a very small self sacrifice that is offered.
BTW - we don't refuse, it's a choice.
2006-09-27 20:06:57 · answer #4 · answered by Marysia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus gave so much up for us and it being a church rule you followed it, It was important to me to follow my Churches rule and to give up meat on Friday was so little to ask of me.
2006-09-27 19:25:32 · answer #5 · answered by lennie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋