LARobert[quote:xit04quw]A similar thing happened when Pope Paul VI relaxed the requirements for abstaining from meat on Fridays. He enouraged those who could maintain the old practice to do so, but for those who could not he commuted the abstaining from meat to some other act of mortification of the individuals choice to commemorate the great act of our Lord on Good Friday.[/quote:xit04quw]
I’m glad you brought this up. I’m amazed at how misunderstood this is. I know tons of Catholics who just say that “Oh, we can eat meat on Fridays” and stop there. When I explain to them that ALL Fridays are days of penance and the norm is to abstain from meat, but we can substitute some other form of penance but [b:xit04quw]are required [/b:xit04quw]to do something, they just blow it off and turn a deaf ear.

My son many years back was attending a Catholic school and when I asked if they served fish on Fridays, he said no. I quickly wrote a letter to the principal and quoted Canon Law and in two weeks they were serving fish.

I find a lack of this rule being preached from the pulpit. I only hear about it during Lent. And even at then it is never mentioned that we are to abstain from meat every Friday of the year not just Lent, but have the option of substituting some other form of penance.

My family still observes the meatless Fridays. I have mentioned it to many of my relatives and even one who is a deacon, but in one ear and other the other. :rolleyes: