OT: Am I a Bad Catholic?

[RN01]

I hope I don't start a huge debate here and I'm almost scared to post this but I'm just wondering what other people think. Am I a bad Catholic if I eat meat on Fridays during lent? I go to mass every sunday, am involved in a lot of things at church but I just can't get into the "no meat on fridays". Just wondering what other Catholic's think.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Yes, you are bad and must do 10 hail Mary's, 20 our Father's and go to confession monthly.

You know that the Church says we are not to eat read meat but it is your relationship with God that matters the most. Not what the Church says that makes you a "good Catholic". JMO.

 

[sherabby]

I stick with the no meat on Ash Wed and every Friday in Lent. My son however is going to have a rough time as he gets older. He is allergic to dairy so no mac/cheese, pizza etc. He is also allergic to fish..all fish incl shell fish. Peanuts are another allergy so no PBJ sandwiches. Now sure what we are going to do for him.

 

[jakenjess]

I actually thought that wasn't a requirement anymore but I do get confused sometimes! I stick to no meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. No, I don't think you're a bad Catholic!

 

[VAN]

Not sure what your issue is. Unless you are allergic to eggs, fish, dairy you have lots, and lots of other choices for those dates. Would think that your being stubborn about not following the guidelines would be what makes me think that your devotion the the Catholic faith is suspect. I would not, however, go so far as to claim that you are a "bad Catholic." Have that discussion with the priest at your lenton reconcilation session.

Aside from that, if you are choosing to go against the Catholic guidelines of no meat ... what are you doing by way of a scrafice to make up for it.

Again, you should be having this discussion in the confessional.

 

[VAN]

Additionally, Ash Wednesday is a day of "fast and abstinance" ... not JUST no meat.

 

[pooh4evr]

Not a bad catholic at all - I always felt that if having a hamburger on a Friday puts me over the edge then I am in trouble anyway! how about meatless spaghetti, or cheese ravioli, with a salad and bread,or fettuchini mmmmmm- there are lots of choices.

 

[mejkjj97]

I don't think you are a bad Catholic. I also eat meat and i was always brought up with not always giving something up for Lent but doing more to help out others during this time. Something I should be doing all the time but we did more volunteer work at the local food pantry or giving my allowance to a local Food bank etc.
We did give things up but in the end, I got more out of the other things we did.

 

[DOPEYLUVER]

The Catholic church is pretty strict in its rules. You aren't allowed to pick and choose what you want to follow. Birth control is also not allowed, but many/most/whatever choose to ignore that rule as well.

So are you a bad Catholic? Yup, just as I am for ignoring the birth control rule. Are you a bad person or a bad Christian, I doubt it.

 

[JimR24]

I consider myself a "recovering Catholic".

No, you're not a bad catholic. I was born and raised Catholic but came to my senses and got married away from the Catholic chruch and now my kids are going to be raised Methodist. It doesn't matter to me what church people practice in. I've seen horrible people that come frm all religons.

 

[VAN]

Let's see - didn't the Pope just communicate to Nancy Pelosi that you can't be a cafeteria Catholic (picking and choosing).

Your post sounds like you want to purposely eat meat on Fridays even though you are well aware it is against the lenton rules. In that case, I think it is a sin. If you ate meat because you honestly forgot (and God knows), then it is not.

Again, God is not going to take a poll to see who is good or not when judgement day comes. That is between you and God (not the people on the Disboards) ... and, if you are a practicing Catholic, you can get your answer from the Priest in the confessional.

 

[brymolmom]

I don't think the OP is doing it to intentionally sin, it sounds to me like OP just doesn't necessarily agree with that stipulation. And, while I agree that the Church does encourage some sort of sacrifice during Lent - the exact reasoning of that sacrifice being no meat likely isn't based on the Church itself, but on economics at one point in history. So really, I can see the OP maybe not agreeing with that Church rule.

And as to the cafeteria thing...I am a good Catholic and I firmly believe that God gave us such big brains so that we don't let people just dictate our actions - we get to think about it and decide what is the smart choice for ourselves. I think the Church guides us to make decisions that are 'right' and 'good' and 'thinking of others'. But my God knows that I am not going to agree 100% with everything that is said/taught/decided by my Church (and anyway - depending who is preaching - a lot of the messages are different anyway - here again, due to the brain inside the individual that God gave him).

 

[cogero]

no I don't consider you to be a bad Catholic if you don't eat meat. I know lots of people who go to church every week who are bad catholics and bad christians. I think it is more of how you live your life everyday.

I try to eat fish every friday during lent but if I eat a hamburger I am not going to the hot place I may go there for other things but not for the meat thing

 

[RumpleMom]

Not eating meat on Fridays during Lent is not biblical based.

 

[Sillyminny40]

It is not strict, it is flexible. Here is a wiki simple explanation (take it as is). Fasting means a diet NOT a deprivation. Our priest says go for it but not if it is a health issue for elderly, sick, children or allergies.

"Contemporary legislation is rooted in the 1966 Apostolic Constitution of Pope Paul VI, Paenitemini. He recommended that fasting be appropriate to the local economic situation, and that all Catholics voluntarily fast and abstain. He also allowed that fasting and abstinence might be substituted with prayer and works of charity.

Pursuant to Canon 1253, days of fasting and abstinence are set by the national Episcopal conference. On days of fasting, one eats only one full meal, but may eat two smaller meals as necessary to keep up one's strength. The two small meals together must sum to less than the one full meal. Parallel to the fasting laws are the laws of abstinence. These bind those over the age of fourteen. On days of abstinence, the person must not eat meat or poultry. According to canon law, all Fridays of the year, Ash Wednesday and several other days are days of abstinence, though in most countries, the strict requirements of abstinence have been limited by the bishops (in accordance with Canon 1253) to the Fridays of Lent and Ash Wednesday. On other abstinence days, the faithful are invited to perform some other act of penance."

Some people believe it was economic: "Originally the edict for the church came about over an economic condition. Fisherman apparently were having a hard go of it and to help it became a church law that no meat but fish was to be eaten."

“Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.” (Romans 14:3) The whole fourteenth chapter of Romans says that nobody has a right to judge another person based on what they choose to eat or not eat.

Someone mentioned EWTN and here is an answer from that site. Pretty good response.
Abstaining from meat on Friday during Lent
Question from on 02-11-2009:
Hello, Is abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent a Canon Law or is it particular to a country. For example, it would appear American Catholics are supposed to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent bust as far as I am aware, this is not the rule in Canada. Could you please clarify. thanks, John

Answer by Rev. Mark J. Gantley, JCL on 02-12-2009:
The term "canon law" refers to any law of the Church. So a bishop in a single diocese might issue a law, and that is "canon law." The bishops of a country might legislate on some matter, and that is "canon law."

I think that you are asking whether it is "universal law," i.e., law that applies throughout the world.

The Code of Canon Law permits the bishops of a given country to determine the discipline regarding refraining from meat on Fridays. Therefore, the discipline varies from one country to another. So it is not universal law.

I am not an authority but a "convert" who went through RCIA (13 yrs ago) which gives you correct information on the Catholic teachings rather than erroneous teachings from isolated religious. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[trennr]

YES...bad Catholic!!! Now go to your room.

Matt. 15:11..17,18 (NIV)

11 What goes into a man's mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’ ”
...
17 “Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’

I think what you refer to is more based on "tradition" than anything biblical...or Christian.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

Being Catholic has always been a struggle for me, but I do my best.

I am also on birthcontrol, although its for medical reasons.
I miss mass a few times a year because I choose a vacation during that time.
I use language that I shouldn't
I did have pre-marrital sex (honestly - how many of you haven't?)

I also have changed my beliefs in confession. Yes, I still go to confession yearly, but on a weekly basis I just go 1 on 1 with God.

When I was in grade school I was taught so stricktly that I think I have gone a little lax in my days. My faith is still strong & I hope my relationship is still good with God as well. No body is the perfect person or Catholic, but try your best to live by the rules & guidlines that are given.

Good luck & I will pray for you

 

[princessmom29]

If you do not believe that what the church is teaching is the right thing to do, why not find a church whose teachings are more in line with your personal beliefs. That as what I did as an adult. I was raised Baptist, and joined the Episcopal Church in adulthood because they are simply more in line with my own personal faith and see faith as a personal matter, not something to legislate. As such, fasitng and abstinence in Lent is strictly volintary. If it means something to you personally then do it. If it doesn't you are not gaining anything by following a rule set down by someone else just because you are told to.

 

[RN01]

If you do not believe that what the church is teaching is the right thing to do, why not find a church whose teachings are more in line with your personal beliefs. That as what I did as an adult. I was raised Baptist, and joined the Episcopal Church in adulthood because they are simply more in line with my own personal faith and see faith as a personal matter, not something to legislate. As such, fasitng and abstinence in Lent is strictly volintary. If it means something to you personally then do it. If it doesn't you are not gaining anything by following a rule set down by someone else just because you are told to.

I don't want to change churches. I am proud to be Catholic and I couldn't imaging being anywhere else. It's just where I fit in. It just when it comes to no meat on Fridays I just don't want to do it. I don't really have a reason. I would much rather go out of my way to do nice things for people then not eat meat on friday.

 

[RN01]

YES...bad Catholic!!! Now go to your room.

Matt. 15:11..17,18 (NIV)

11 What goes into a man's mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’ ”
...
17 “Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’

I think what you refer to is more based on "tradition" than anything biblical...or Christian.

This really says it all...