Author Topic: Abstinence Rules on Friday (Read 1850 times)

stevusmagnus · « **on:** September 02, 2011, 09:29:37 AM »

Out of curiosity, are there any feast days throughout the year where, if they fall in Friday, we are dispensed from the abstinence requirement?

I didn't think so, but thought I'd ask. For instance, today is the Feast of Pope St. Pius X. Does this affect Friday abstinence at all? I feel like celebrating his feast, as he was my favorite Pope for obvious reasons, but I'm not sure that's proper.

Thanks.

Pyrrhos · « **Reply #1 on:** September 02, 2011, 11:48:29 AM »

Quote

Canon 1250 § 4. Diebus dominicis vel festis de praecepto lex abstinentiae, vel abstinentiae et ieiunii, vel ieiunii tantum cessat, excepto festo tempore Quadragesimae, nec pervigilia anticipantur; item cessat Sabbato Sancto post meridiem.

I.e., only on feasts of precepts, the law of Friday abstinence ceases - Lenten Fridays excepted.

The New Code of Canon Law (c. 1251) says that abstinence and fasting does not bind on solemnities (whatever this is), including Lenten Fridays.

Today is the feast of St. Stephen King of Hungary, by the way.

parentsfortruth · « **Reply #2 on:** September 02, 2011, 12:16:59 PM »

My calendar says that tomorrow is the feast of Saint Pius X.

stevusmagnus · « **Reply #3 on:** September 02, 2011, 01:15:48 PM »

Quote from: Pyrrhos

Quote
Canon 1250 § 4. Diebus dominicis vel festis de praecepto lex abstinentiae, vel abstinentiae et ieiunii, vel ieiunii tantum cessat, excepto festo tempore Quadragesimae, nec pervigilia anticipantur; item cessat Sabbato Sancto post meridiem.

I.e., only on feasts of precepts, the law of Friday abstinence ceases - Lenten Fridays excepted.

Feasts of Precepts? What does that mean in practical terms?

Sorry, the Feast of St. Pius X is tomorrow, you both are correct.

Pyrrhos · « **Reply #4 on:** September 02, 2011, 01:33:16 PM »

These are the Holy Days of obligation, in the US:

Circuмcision, Ascension, Assumption, All Saints, Immaculate Conception, Christmas and all Sundays of the year.

TKGS · « **Reply #5 on:** September 02, 2011, 04:15:41 PM »

Quote from: Pyrrhos

These are the Holy Days of obligation, in the US:

Circuмcision, Ascension, Assumption, All Saints, Immaculate Conception, Christmas and all Sundays of the year.

If any of these fall on a Friday, that Friday is not a day of abstinence.

These dates would apply only in the United States. In other countries, the days that are Holy Days of Obligation would likewise not be days of abstinence if they fall on a Friday unless if falls in Lent. Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence no matter what.

Note that the abstinence is not dispensed, i.e, it is not a special permission to eat meat on those days. Because of the Feast Day, the day itself is not a day of abstinence.

This is clearly explained in the 1917 Code of Canon Law, Canon 1252 § 4.

The only dispensation I know about was granted by, I think, Pope Pius XII (though it could have been Pius XI). Catholics in the United States have a papal dispensation to eat meat on the Friday following the American Thanksgiving Day holiday. The letter of the dispensation is not specific to the eating of leftover turkey, but clearly that was the intent. I do not have a copy of this dispensation as I found it on a reputable internet site though I did not copy it nor do I remember on what site I found it. I have heard Society priests echo the dispensation, so, unless it was a forgery, I accept the dispensation with thanks.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #6 on:** September 02, 2011, 07:01:59 PM »

Quote from: parentsfortruth

My calendar says that tomorrow is the feast of Saint Pius X.

Thank God you pointed that out!!!

Thank you-I was too cheap to get a calendar this year and it has not paid off at all.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #7 on:** September 02, 2011, 07:03:06 PM »

I think some places get a dispensation on St. Patrick's Day? ?

parentsfortruth · « **Reply #8 on:** September 02, 2011, 07:18:29 PM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

I think some places get a dispensation on St. Patrick's Day? ?

We've gotten it in Green Bay (ya know, 'cause it's green, and there are lots of Irish folks, including my husband, up here.)

Cheryl · « **Reply #9 on:** September 02, 2011, 07:22:56 PM »

Quote from: parentsfortruth

My calendar says that tomorrow is the feast of Saint Pius X.

Thanks PFT, this is one feast day I can remember. Why? Because it's my birthday. The only other feast day I can remember is St Anne, the feast day of my patron saint. I'm bad at remembering dates. :confused1:

Cheryl · « **Reply #10 on:** September 02, 2011, 07:26:02 PM »

Quote from: parentsfortruth

Quote from: Elizabeth
I think some places get a dispensation on St. Patrick's Day? ?

We've gotten it in Green Bay (ya know, 'cause it's green, and there are lots of Irish folks, including my husband, up here.)

My husband's grandmother, straight from county Cork, said there was only
two kinds of people, those who are Irish, and those who wish they were. So dispensation on St Patrick's day sounds right to me.

parentsfortruth · « **Reply #11 on:** September 02, 2011, 07:31:02 PM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

Quote from: parentsfortruth
My calendar says that tomorrow is the feast of Saint Pius X.

Thank God you pointed that out!!!

Thank you-I was too cheap to get a calendar this year and it has not paid off at all.

There are a lot of "Catholic calendars" out there. The one I get right from Church. A parishioner has a printing business and does them every year. The only thing I can't stand about it, is that "Divine Mercy" day is on there, and the Saint Joseph "the workman" day is on there too.

Wonder why I don't like that last one? Because that sounds so communistic to call him that, and there are like, 3 other feasts Saint Joseph has during the year. I just observe those rather than this one.

Jim · « **Reply #12 on:** September 02, 2011, 08:49:34 PM »

I have the SSPX calendar right next to em. If I see that clear outline of a fish, I don't eat meat. Just a reminder to all, according to said calendar the 21, 23, and 24 are ember days, with Wed. and Sat. partial abstinence, and full for Friday.

I do not know how exactly things were from locality to locality before the Revolution, but here is what I think about these things and certain feasts. If anyone knows what the rules were, please correct me.

From diocese to diocese, or even town to town, feasts took on different significances. For example, last year I was in the village in Mexico where my paternal roots originate. The patron and even name of the city is San Miguel, and the main local church is the Church of San Miguel. I believe that if this feast were to fall on Friday (September 29), and I just happened to be there, I would be okay with eating meat, as it was a solemnity and maybe in pre-conciliar times the Archbishop of Guadalajara would dispense the obligation due to a local solemnity. BTW, the town is San Miguel de Tarimoro.

Here is the future Juan Jesus Cardenal Posadas Ocampo saying his first Mass in said Church of San Miguel, date unknownL

Anyways, with regard to St. Patrick, big cities like New York always get the dispensation if his feast falls on a Friday. In San Francisco, the same is true, and I follow it because I believe in the glory days before V2, the archbishop would grant a dispensation to the large number of Irish we have in the City. If I am ever informed to the contrary, I will accordingly adjust my views.

Of course, I also graciously appreciate the dispensation of H.H. Pope Pius XII the day after Thanksgiving, and enjoy my one grandma's ham, and my other grandma's turkey. :ready-to-eat: :ready-to-eat: :ready-to-eat:

Jim · « **Reply #13 on:** September 02, 2011, 08:56:45 PM »

I was also told that if one (such as a priest) has a particular devotion or attachment to a particular saint, and this saint's feast falls on a Sunday (and this is not celebrated), the Monday after it is permitted to celebrate his feast. Our particular priest is attached to St. Thomas due to his studying of Thomism at Catholic U. before the concilliar revolution, and the fact he was a Dominican before leaving that order for the secular priesthood. Many of us are also attached to the Angelic Doctor. So, last year his feast fell on a Sunday, so Father the very next day said his Mass of the Feast of S.T.A. on Monday.

I also have questions related to the one Steve posed. My two patron saints are Phillip and James, with that feast of May 11. If May 11 were to be a Friday, could I be dispensed by custom/tradition or even by my confessor. The same is also true if a birthday falls on a Friday, or some other particular important event. I will ask Father, and also see if there is an archdiocesan pre-concilliar ordo that states when dispensations, if any, would be made.