Thursday, December 7, 2006
Abstain From Meat Today

Since tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and it is also Friday, the traditional Friday abstinence should not be observed tomorrow. There should never be abstinence on a solemnity. What? You didn't realize that abstaining from meat or doing another act of penance was still required? It is.

Code of Canon Law:
Canon 1251: "Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the episcopal conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday."

Canon 1253 provides an exception to the rule - and, perhaps, an explanation for the cultural shift: "The episcopal conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety."
So, be sure to abstain from meat today if you can. Tomorrow is a celebration.

6 comment(s):

del_button December 7, 2006 at 8:51 AM
Layla said...

Thanks for this post, Moneybags! It would not have occurred to me to move this week's abstinence up (it's been one of those weeks when I just can't look a day in advance -- end of the semester rush). Thank you for the reminder!

del_button December 7, 2006 at 10:33 AM
EC Gefroh said...

Mahalo for the reminder MB!

del_button December 7, 2006 at 3:09 PM
Staying in Balance said...

Aaaaaa! Shoot! I should have read this before I had lunch!!!

del_button December 7, 2006 at 6:34 PM
Anonymous said...

I've been eating meat today as well! I won't eat anything for the rest of the day, which unfortunately isn't very long...

del_button December 7, 2006 at 6:56 PM
Anonymous said...

Oh well, I ate meat today too but I'll know better next time! Anway, my priest (a good orthodox man) told me that you can eat meat but then it is required that you sacrifice something else (like say sugar) or do something (like pray an extra rosary). God bless you!

del_button December 7, 2006 at 9:27 PM
Anonymous said...

Really, cool. I didn't eat any meat today but that was a coincidence.

I'll make sure to eat meat tomorrow and think of some other penance. I'm sure I can think of something!

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