Can I eat meat on Lenten Fridays?

Question

I know that a long time ago Catholics didn't eat meat on fridays, full stop. But obviously now that tradition has been replaced with another form of penance i.e. extra prayers. However my nan tells me thats its forbidden for us Catholics to eat meat on fridays and Ash Wednesday in Lent...however another family friend has told me it's only Good Friday and Ash Wednesday, not all fridays???

Answer 1

No but you can eat chicken.

Answer 2

I live in Ireland which is pretty catholic, people here eat meat on Friday's even during Lent, unless you are super religious (though on Good Friday it is still common for most Catholics to abstain from meat). The thing about it is- the idea behind not eating meat was to sacrifice something, nowadays not eating meat is hardly a sacrifice when we have an abundance of all sorts of other things.
If you want to do something for lent try raising money for charity, there are loads of Lenten campaigns, you could do a 24 hr fast or just donate some time or money.

Answer 3

I hadn't heard about this until this year but yes, apparently you’re REQUESTED not to eat meat on Fridays in lent. Obviously, it's up to you if you do it, because it's not a command it's something people are ASKED to do to help them, and yes it's the idea that you experience some sacrifice. The reason it's not all days is that then you can experience the contrast and Friday is the day that Jesus died... plus I think you may find other religions do have certain foods they don't eat on certain days, and even rules such as menstruating women not touching food, so basically that person is wrong. We all follew different things. What about Ramadan and not eating in daylight hours? And to the (perhaps) other Christians who say you don't need a middle man, yeah ok, we know you don't need one but it's in our nature to have leaders and certain traditions and routines help people in most things that they do, I bet your life is FULL of routines. We do make our own judgements on things as well, we're not robots. Many churches may follow a fast collectively, it builds support and community, which is why we’re all asked to. The idea is not that you’ll be damned for not fasting, it’s just an aid to worship. Come on, get a grip and learn to respect people's beliefs and stop criticizing, what's it going to do to you anyway?

Answer 4

Good Friday and Ash Wednesday are fast and abstanace days hence no meat should be eaten.

For the other Fridays in Lent it depends on how strict you want to be. I think eating meat on a Friday in Lent is still not the done thing (fish, however, is ok) but i know many Catholics who don't follow this.

Answer 5

You can eat meat whenever you want. Unless you believe that it's immoral to exploit and kill other living creatures, in which case you shouldn't eat it at all.

Did your nan or anyone else ever bother to explain to you why some Catholics believe you shouldn't eat meat on Fridays? Doesn't it bother you that the whole Lent prohibition makes no sense? Why should you eat meat some days and not others? At least Jews and Muslims are forbidden from eating certain foods ALL the time. What's the point in not eating meat on SOME days? If the animal isn't killed to be eaten on Good Friday, it'll be killed to be eaten on another day. So respect for non-human species can't be the reason.

I am not a vegetarian, BTW.

Answer 6

As Catholics we are asked to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays during Lent. We are also asked to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

We are not required to abstain from eating meat on all Fridays, and haven't been for quite awhile.

Answer 7

There are 2 issues which you're able to do, a million) Take her aside and tell her that meat isn't allowed in the time of Lent and which you may desire to try this to do what Jesus did while he fasted for 40 days. 2) If she insists which you consume the beef, locate yet another skill of self sacrifice in the process the Lenten season. you apart from mght could decide for to seek for suggestion out of your community priest and tell him of your predicament

Answer 8

Our Lady of Fatima appeared in 1917 to remind us of just how important and necessary prayer,penance and sacrifice is for the salvation of all souls. She said “Pray, pray very much and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell because there are none to sacrifice themselves and pray for them.” (August 19, 1917).

So what is the Church teaching on sacrifices and penance with regard to this all-important time in the Liturgical Year? Currently, it is very simple — one must fast and abstain from meat on only two days of the year, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. (Deliberately failing to adhere to this results in Mortal Sin which completely separates us from God until we are reconciled by a good confession.)

Abstaining from meat is for all Catholics who have reached the age of reason, usually seven years of age; fasting is for persons between the ages of 21 and 59, unless health prevents this. Also on all Fridays during Lent (and indeed the whole year), one must do some form of penance if one does not abstain from meat.

Fasting means having only one full meal and two smaller snacks which together should be less than a full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted; but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, may be taken any time on a fast day.

Our obligation is to adhere to what the current Church laws are. However, when we consider that by 1917 the status of the world in the eyes of God had so deteriorated, and the eternal loss of souls had reached such great proportions, that the Holy Mother of God came to warn and remind us of the importance of prayer, penance and sacrifice, then perhaps we should reconsider our obligation.

What were the Church laws regarding fasting and abstinence during Lent in 1917 when Our Lady came to Fatima? Abstinence from meat was every Friday of the year and also Ash Wednesday. In addition to total abstinence from meat on the aforementioned days, there was also partial abstaining from meat (meat only once a day, at the main or full meal) on all the days of Lent except days of complete abstinence. On Sundays, no abstinence or fasting is required. During Lent every day except Sunday was a day of Fast.

Contrary to what many of us have been told in the past regarding the reason for these laws, the laws of fasting and abstinence were instituted by Holy Mother the Church precisely to help us do penance. Recognizing how weak her children are, the Church instituted these laws to help us achieve the goal for which God created us – Heaven.

Answer 9

Eating a Clementine with seeds?

Answer 10

Eat meat whenever you like. You do not need a middle-man between you and God to tell you what God wants. Do what you feel like doing.

Answer 11

You can eat what you want, its only mans words that has set the rules, if you are going to do it right then don't eat meat full stop.