Author Topic: Vegetarian meat on Friday (Read 1949 times)

Alex · « **on:** August 22, 2009, 02:55:04 AM »

There is chicken paremesian dish at a restaurant I frequent that is 100% vegetarian - it is made from tofum I believe. It looks and tastes like the real thing. There are vegetarian hamburgers and other foods that do not contain any meat but taste close to the real thing. Am I permitted to give my grandmother such a dish on Fridays? I wouldn't eat these dishes myself since I consider it cheating the Friday rule. But my grandmother has dementia and doesn't even know what day of the week it is. By giving it to her, she would still technically be following the No Meat on Friday rule.

SJB · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2009, 09:46:00 AM »

Quote from: Alex

There is chicken paremesian dish at a restaurant I frequent that is 100% vegetarian - it is made from tofum I believe. It looks and tastes like the real thing. There are vegetarian hamburgers and other foods that do not contain any meat but taste close to the real thing. Am I permitted to give my grandmother such a dish on Fridays? I wouldn't eat these dishes myself since I consider it cheating the Friday rule. But my grandmother has dementia and doesn't even know what day of the week it is. By giving it to her, she would still technically be following the No Meat on Friday rule.

What is fleshmeat is defined by the Church. Something that is not fleshmeat is not fleshmeat. There is no reason to worry that something that is not fleshmeat might violate the rule. You may choose to exclude these foods as well, but there is no basis to apply your personal choice to anybody else.

The Friday abstinence is not even universal; some countries were exempted. Laborers could also be exempted from this rule.

Matthew · « **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2009, 12:37:32 PM »

If she has dementia, can she even merit by such sacrifices? I would think it's the same thing as letting your children have meat on Friday -- only feeding children meat would be worse than feeding meat to a senile person of advanced age -- because in the case of children, you'd be forming the habit of eating meat on Fridays, and they will soon achieve the age of reason (God willing), whereas someone in the Autumn of life has only the next life to worry about.

Matthew

clare · « **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:17:26 PM »

Quote from: SJB

What is fleshmeat is defined by the Church. Something that is not fleshmeat is not fleshmeat.

And the Church has been known to be flexible on it too. My mum was talking about some country where the people depend on one particular animal in their diets, and the Church re-defined it, so they could still eat it on Fridays. I don't know the exact details, but perhaps someone else will.

spouse of Jesus · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2009, 08:30:07 PM »

Is it fine if a healthy adult man who doesn't have a dispensation uses this food on fridays or at Lent? It is vegan, but the fact that it's tastes like meat destroys the whole purpose of mortification.

Telesphorus · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2009, 10:32:21 AM »

Quote from: spouse of Jesus

It is vegan, but the fact that it's tastes like meat destroys the whole purpose of mortification.

It doesn't truly taste like meat.

Friday abstinence is more a matter of discipline than mortification.

Matthew · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2009, 11:17:12 AM »

Mortification and discipline are closely related concepts. I doubt most people could distinguish between them.

Matthew

Telesphorus · « **Reply #7 on:** August 29, 2009, 11:25:58 AM »

Quote from: ChantCd

Mortification and discipline are closely related concepts. I doubt most people could distinguish between them.

Matthew

What I mean to say is that it is not difficult most of the time. Some duties are difficult, some are easy. We are not required to do things the hard way.

We fulfill our duty by not eating meat. We do not have to give up fish though.

To me, mortification means that there is a degree of severity in the practice. For example, going to Sunday Mass does not strike me as a duty that is mortifying. Not eating meat on Friday strikes me as a discipline, a duty, but not an act of mortification. Whereas fasting is an act of mortification. (certainly for most people)

clare · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2009, 11:59:32 AM »

Quote from: Telesphorus

Quote from: spouse of Jesus
It is vegan, but the fact that it's tastes like meat destroys the whole purpose of mortification.

It doesn't truly taste like meat.

Friday abstinence is more a matter of discipline than mortification.

Also, I know of vegetarians who obviously don't eat meat anyway, and who love fish, and having to abstain from meat on Friday is no mortification for them.

And they do not have to do anything else instead.