Friday, April 17, 2020 –
As Catholics, we celebrate Easter for a season, but we also have eight days of solemnity: Easter Sunday through Divine Mercy Sunday (the Second Sunday of Easter). “The first eight days of Easter Time constitute the Octave of Easter and are celebrated as Solemnities of the Lord.” (GNLY, 24)
Since these days are elevated to solemnities, the Friday during the Octave of Easter “lifts” the Friday obligation to do some sort of penance, as determined by the conferences of bishops. I know, I know…you all are saying that Lent is over and there is no obligation to abstain from meat or do penance on Fridays anymore.
What if I told you that was wrong? At least when it is not a Solemnity.
“Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.” (Can. 1251)
There is, in fact, a statement called the “Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence” issued by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (precursor to the USCCB) on November 18, 1966. Read the statement HERE.
In an attempt to “clarify” things, they got a bit muddied. The gist, however, is that we are still to do penance on Fridays that are not Solemnities. The standard is still abstinence from meat, but this particular document does go into other forms of penance.
“In summary, let it not be said that by this action, implementing the spirit of renewal coming out of the Council, we have abolished Friday, repudiated the holy traditions of our fathers, or diminished the insistence of the Church on the fact of sin and the need for penance. Rather, let it be proved by the spirit in which we enter upon prayer and penance, not excluding fast and abstinence freely chosen, that these present decisions and recommendations of this conference of bishops will herald a new birth of loving faith and more profound penitential conversion, by both of which we become one with Christ, mature sons of God, and servants of God’s people.” (Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence, #28, November 18, 1966)
So have your meat and eat it too! It is the Friday in the Octave of Easter, which is a Solemnity. However, know that Friday penance is an ongoing thing, not just a Lent thing.
Saint Gemma Galgani, pray for us!
