This Prayer Campaign now has its own site: http://peaceifwepray.blogspot.com
Monday, March 05, 2007
Friday, March 02, 2007
Why Do Catholics Abstain From Meat During Lent?
I have always wondered this?! Why do Catholics abstain from meat during the Lenten Season? I have further wondered: is fasting an actual requirement of Canon Law, of the Catholic Church?
I've asked several Catholics the above question and most all of them replied that they fasted because "it is the Law of the Church." Some said they do fast in order to be reverent of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us by dying on the cross. Others said they fasted because it is inconvenient and reminds us that we need to put God first.
Well here follows my deep dive into what the Catholic has to say on the matter:
This was the main focus of my original post:
"2) Fasting and abstinence is not part of Canon Law. In fact, Pope Paul VI, in an Apostolic Constitution titled: "(1966) Paul Apostolic constitution on Fasting and Abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church," clearly stated that fasting and abstinence from meat was to be voluntary --except for the Holy Days of obligation of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday."
He (Pope Paul VI) went to further indicate that he "hoped fasting and abstinence would be replaced by prayer and works of charity."
Looking for further clarification, I initially searched the Vatican website, however, I found the site to very cryptic with no specific information readily available. That is to say their search feature was not very forgiving, you had to have very specific criteria. So, I did a general search on Google and it turned up several Wikipedia Links. Then, I used the information from these search to refine my search criteria on the Vatican website.
Doing a subsequent search on the actual Vatican website, I was able to verify the information given on Wikipedia. Here is the most useful link that I found on the Vatican website, with respect to recent policy on fasting in the Catholic Church:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19660217_paenitemini_en.html
Warning: This stuff reads like stereo instructions! But if you power through it, you will see that most of the information found on Wikipedia pages was, in point of fact, correct.
There actually is such a thing as an "Apostolic Constitution" and Pope Paul VI did make a speech to the lay people of the church entitled "APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION PAENITEMINI OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF PAUL VI ON FAST AND ABSTINENCE." Furthermore, this address was made in 1966: "Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, February 17, 1966, the third year of our pontificate."
If you scan down to Chapter III, of the above, most of the relevant and detailed information pertaining to "fast and abstinence for the lay people" can be found here. The first two chapters are mainly philosophical and they set the context for the third chapter.
In short summary, from this chapter it seems abundantly clear that Pope Paul VI sees a triad of: 1) Prayer, 2) Fasting & Abstinence, and 3) Charity as essential to purifying oneself and making oneself worthy of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us by His death on the cross for our sins.
Furthermore, he sees each of these three aspects as being equally important. While the words "voluntary" are used with respect to fasting and abstinence, however, it is still somewhat unclear to me, upon first reading, if Fasting & Abstinence are truly voluntary for all Catholics? I will have to read this passage again for further clarification.
Other websites also verified the following information from my original post:
"1) Fasting and abstinence during Lent is a tradition dating back to the earliest history of the Catholic Church. Originally fasting and abstinence from meat was supposed to be every single Friday, but it gradually evolved to only during Lent."
So perhaps I've helped to clarify the matter a bit for you with my above research? If not, feel free to pick up where I left off and leave some notes on your own findings. I would truly love to hear from you!
In conclusion, I'd like to know:
Q: What do other religions do during Lent? Which religions observe Lent?
If you belong to another religion and know answers to these questions please leave me a comment. Thanks in advance for the info!
P.S. Here are my original sources for information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paenitemini
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostolic_Constitution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting_and_Abstinence_in_the_Roman_Catholic_Church
I've asked several Catholics the above question and most all of them replied that they fasted because "it is the Law of the Church." Some said they do fast in order to be reverent of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us by dying on the cross. Others said they fasted because it is inconvenient and reminds us that we need to put God first.
Well here follows my deep dive into what the Catholic has to say on the matter:
This was the main focus of my original post:
"2) Fasting and abstinence is not part of Canon Law. In fact, Pope Paul VI, in an Apostolic Constitution titled: "(1966) Paul Apostolic constitution on Fasting and Abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church," clearly stated that fasting and abstinence from meat was to be voluntary --except for the Holy Days of obligation of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday."
He (Pope Paul VI) went to further indicate that he "hoped fasting and abstinence would be replaced by prayer and works of charity."
Looking for further clarification, I initially searched the Vatican website, however, I found the site to very cryptic with no specific information readily available. That is to say their search feature was not very forgiving, you had to have very specific criteria. So, I did a general search on Google and it turned up several Wikipedia Links. Then, I used the information from these search to refine my search criteria on the Vatican website.
Doing a subsequent search on the actual Vatican website, I was able to verify the information given on Wikipedia. Here is the most useful link that I found on the Vatican website, with respect to recent policy on fasting in the Catholic Church:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19660217_paenitemini_en.html
Warning: This stuff reads like stereo instructions! But if you power through it, you will see that most of the information found on Wikipedia pages was, in point of fact, correct.
There actually is such a thing as an "Apostolic Constitution" and Pope Paul VI did make a speech to the lay people of the church entitled "APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION PAENITEMINI OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF PAUL VI ON FAST AND ABSTINENCE." Furthermore, this address was made in 1966: "Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, February 17, 1966, the third year of our pontificate."
If you scan down to Chapter III, of the above, most of the relevant and detailed information pertaining to "fast and abstinence for the lay people" can be found here. The first two chapters are mainly philosophical and they set the context for the third chapter.
In short summary, from this chapter it seems abundantly clear that Pope Paul VI sees a triad of: 1) Prayer, 2) Fasting & Abstinence, and 3) Charity as essential to purifying oneself and making oneself worthy of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us by His death on the cross for our sins.
Furthermore, he sees each of these three aspects as being equally important. While the words "voluntary" are used with respect to fasting and abstinence, however, it is still somewhat unclear to me, upon first reading, if Fasting & Abstinence are truly voluntary for all Catholics? I will have to read this passage again for further clarification.
Other websites also verified the following information from my original post:
"1) Fasting and abstinence during Lent is a tradition dating back to the earliest history of the Catholic Church. Originally fasting and abstinence from meat was supposed to be every single Friday, but it gradually evolved to only during Lent."
So perhaps I've helped to clarify the matter a bit for you with my above research? If not, feel free to pick up where I left off and leave some notes on your own findings. I would truly love to hear from you!
In conclusion, I'd like to know:
Q: What do other religions do during Lent? Which religions observe Lent?
If you belong to another religion and know answers to these questions please leave me a comment. Thanks in advance for the info!
P.S. Here are my original sources for information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paenitemini
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostolic_Constitution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting_and_Abstinence_in_the_Roman_Catholic_Church
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Follow-up: Tomb of Jesus Found?
Regarding my post on 3/27/07: Tomb of Jesus Found?
3/1/07 Chris Rosebrough wrote a comment that leads to his website: you will find it at extremetheology.com. Here Chris eloquently discusses the tomb that is the subject of the upcoming James Cameron film. Well written. Good reading. Check it out!
3/1/07 Chris Rosebrough wrote a comment that leads to his website: you will find it at extremetheology.com. Here Chris eloquently discusses the tomb that is the subject of the upcoming James Cameron film. Well written. Good reading. Check it out!
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