Meat and Fish during Lent

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Who decided that meat (is it red meat or any kind of meat) cannot be eaten during Lent? Why are we allowed to eat fish? Isn't fish meat the same as other meat? When were such things decided? In Mexico we have a tasty dish called MORONGA or SANGRITA, made with pork's blood and spices, does it fall under the category of meat?

Waiting for replies. Thank you.

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), March 08, 2001

Answers

-@-

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), March 08, 2001.

Dear Enrique:

HEre are the few things I know about meat in Lent. ANything warm- blooded is considered "meat." Fish is cold-blooded, so we can't eat it on Fridays. Additionally, I have heard that in the early Church, meat was a luxury and fish was the food of the poor, so eating fish instead of meat was a real sacrifice for rich people. I think that MOronga would count as meat. You could eat it on other days than Fridays, though.

-Hannah

-- Hannah (archiegoodwin_and_nerowolfe@hotmail.com), March 08, 2001.


Hi, Would hard-boiled eggs be considered meat?

Thanks~

-- Fayancie (fayancie@hotmail.com), March 08, 2001.


Jmj

No, Fayancie. Eggs are never considered meat. On days of abstinence, we may eat eggs in any form -- except in omelets with ham or bacon, of course!

Here are some quotations from the old Catholic Encyclopedia concerning the (Latin Rite) Catholic rules about abstinence from meat. (Enrique will find an answer here to his question about moronga/sangrita too.)

"Throughout the Latin Church the law of abstinence prohibits all ... from indulging in meat diet on duly appointed days. Meat diet comprises the flesh, blood, or marrow of such animals and birds as constitute flesh meat according to the appreciation of intelligent and law-abiding Christians. For this reason the use of fish, vegetables, mollusks, crabs, turtles, frogs, and such-like cold-blooded creatures is not at variance with the law of abstinence." All of these last-named, "non-meat" foods can be eaten at any time.

"Local usage, together with the practice of intelligent and conscientious Christians, generally holds a key for the solution of mooted [i.e., debatable] points in such matters, otherwise the decision rests with ecclesiastical authority."

"... the sick, the infirm, mendicants, labourers, and such as find difficulty in procuring fish diet are not bound to observe the law as long as such conditions prevail."

"[In the United States and in other nations where bishops have made similar rules, ...] Eggs, milk, butter, and cheese ... [are] permitted without restriction. ... The use of lard or drippings in preparing fish and vegetables at all meals and on all days is allowed ..."

St. James, pray for us.
God bless you.
John
PS: I have to caution anyone who may decide to read the old Encyclopedia's articles on fasting and abstinence. They are really the original (c. 1913) articles, which show the rules in effect at that time -- many of which have now been changed. (For example, Catholics were formerly obligated to fast and abstain on Christmas Eve.)

-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@desc.dla.mil), March 09, 2001.


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