A gaping hole has emerged in Catholic life with the disappearance of the Friday penance.  The Catechism (§1438) and the Code of Canon Law teach us that every Friday is a day of penance in honor of Our Lord’s Passion (unless a solemnity falls on that day). The US Bishops in 1966 did not abolishthe Friday penance, but merely stated that the oblig...

Should we abstain from meat on Fridays? The short answer is – yes. The longer answer is – you need to practice penance on Friday and can substitute something in place of abstaining from meat. Here’s the problem. The longer answer has practically destroyed the Friday penance in the United States. Many countries still practice mandatory abst...