For the sake of your Canadian readers, here is the law in place in this country, put forth in Decree No. 8 from the CCCB (official document no. 535, issued 14-05-1985):
"In accordance with the prescriptions of c. 1253, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops hereby decrees that the days of fast and abstinence in Canada are Ash Wednes…
For the sake of your Canadian readers, here is the law in place in this country, put forth in Decree No. 8 from the CCCB (official document no. 535, issued 14-05-1985):
"In accordance with the prescriptions of c. 1253, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops hereby decrees that the days of fast and abstinence in Canada are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Fridays are days of abstinence but Catholics may substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day."
The official CCCB commentary in the Complementary Norm to the 1983 Code of Canon Law states further (#4, page 101):
"Fridays are penitential days. However, instead of observing the universal law of abstinence from meat on Fridays, Catholics may substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day. The decree of the Episcopal Conference does not specify which particular acts of piety or charity are to be performed on Fridays; this is left to each Catholic to determine."
Lenten Fridays are not treated differently from other Fridays during the year and so a Catholic in Canada may have that steak on Friday, March 18, but he or she must substitute another act of charity or piety. (Basically, do *something* to commemorate the immeasurable sacrifice of our Lord made on that day of the week.)
For the sake of your Canadian readers, here is the law in place in this country, put forth in Decree No. 8 from the CCCB (official document no. 535, issued 14-05-1985):
"In accordance with the prescriptions of c. 1253, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops hereby decrees that the days of fast and abstinence in Canada are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Fridays are days of abstinence but Catholics may substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day."
The official CCCB commentary in the Complementary Norm to the 1983 Code of Canon Law states further (#4, page 101):
"Fridays are penitential days. However, instead of observing the universal law of abstinence from meat on Fridays, Catholics may substitute special acts of charity or piety on this day. The decree of the Episcopal Conference does not specify which particular acts of piety or charity are to be performed on Fridays; this is left to each Catholic to determine."
Lenten Fridays are not treated differently from other Fridays during the year and so a Catholic in Canada may have that steak on Friday, March 18, but he or she must substitute another act of charity or piety. (Basically, do *something* to commemorate the immeasurable sacrifice of our Lord made on that day of the week.)
Hear hear!
Basically a non-issue for Canadians.