During Lent, why is it that Catholics can eat seafood on Fridays but not meat like beef, pork, or chicken?!
Second, to quote Thomas Aquinas: "[Meat, eggs and dairy products] afford greater pleasure as food [than fish], and greater nourishment to the human body, so that from their consumption there results a greater surplus available for seminal matter, which when abundant becomes a great incentive to lust."
Answers: First, fish is not considered a "meat" the way the others are - this comes from Kosher law - fish is neither a meat nor a dairy, but a parve.
Second, to quote Thomas Aquinas: "[Meat, eggs and dairy products] afford greater pleasure as food [than fish], and greater nourishment to the human body, so that from their consumption there results a greater surplus available for seminal matter, which when abundant becomes a great incentive to lust."
It's been a strict thing for a LONG LONG time in the Catholic church, not to eat meat on Fridays and Ash Wednesday during Lent. For some reason, fish isn't considered meat like the others are. Why? I don't know. I think perhaps because they are sea animals, not land animals. But anyway that's how it is. I wish fish was considered meat because I hate fish! :)
because of ash wednesday. catholics such as me, do abstinence only during fridays. =)
I am Catholic to and we don't eat meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays because we are fasting.
Because God blessed fish for people to eat. Remember, Jesus made more fish and bread to give to people? Yeah well fish is ok to eat on fridays.
The Catholic Church and many other Christians Churches follow the Biblical practice of Jesus Christ and the Jews in setting aside days where the entire Church fasts and prays as one in a attitude of constant renewal.
By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert and in spiritual preparation for the celebration of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
This season of penance is an intense moments of the Church's penitential practice and are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and charitable and missionary works.
For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 1438:
http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/p...
For Lenten resources, see: http://www.usccb.org/lent/
With love in Christ.