Dispensation from abstinence

I am referring to the Lenten observance of not eating meat on Fridays of Lent and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Historically, when the Church required Catholics from eating meat, it was understood that since meat was a daily need in those days especially in Europe abstaining was to be taken as a form of self-sacrifice.

Now it has become common practice to ask Church authority to dispense people from this form of self-sacrifice by replacing it with another form. What form? By saying prayers.

What are these prayers that can be a practice without which a person would suffer or experience difficulty like eating meals without your favorite and seemingly indispensable meat menu?

A serious reply can be the saying of the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Mysteries of light of the Holy Rosary. Or – attending Holy Mass. Or, and this my personal advice – making the Way of the Cross.

Now suppose these forms are not difficult but are a delight? So, take another, like not opening the TV set, using the mobile phone, zero gossip for a day, etc. etc.

So, when on a Friday of Lent you want to celebrate a birthday, graduation, foundation anniversary party, etc. etc. and you need a lechon or steak, you can do any of the prayer forms mentioned in the paragraph above.

I am trying to clarify here this Church teaching because some people think that One Our Father and One Hail Mary are sufficient to replace abstaining from meat. I don’t think so.