Filipino Catholics urged to observe ‘no meat’ Fridays

As the Catholic Church ushered in its commemoration of the Lenten season, a priest called on the Filipino faithful to observe fasting and the penitential abstinence from meat “as part of self-denial in prayerful remembrance of the passion of Jesus Christ.”

In his homily on Ash Wednesday at the Our Lady of Veritas Chapel, Radio Veritas President Rev. Fr. Anton C.T. Pascual urged Filipinos to participate in the “No Meat Friday National Campaign,” saying abstinence from meat consumption has physical, spiritual, emotional, and environmental benefits.

“In this season of Lent, let us offer all Fridays throughout the year to make amends of our personal sins and the sins of mankind which we are called upon in union with Christ Crucified through our continued abstinence from meat,” said Pascual, who also serves as the executive director of Caritas Manila.

As per the Canon Law, the law of abstinence requires a Catholic 14 years of age until death to abstain from eating meat on Fridays in honor of the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday.

Aside from spiritual benefit, Pascual said eating less meat would improve one’s health as he urged Catholics to do works of charity “from whatever resources they are able to attain from the penitential abstinence.”

READ: List of practical fasting practices

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal, in his pastoral letter for Ash Wednesday, also called on the faithful to do works of charity during the Lenten season.

“The Lenten season not only calls us to conversion, to what the prophet Joel calls as a “rendering of hearts” (Jl 2:13) – but it is also directs us to reflect o and to practice charity, “the very heart of Christian life.” Charity is, above all, to be exercised in our dealings with our neighbors.  Thus, it requires a generous disposition to perform concrete good works, and also, a genuine concern for those who are needy and who suffer,” Tagle said.

READ: Tagle: Focus on God’s word, not chatter

Catholics all over the world ushered in the Lenten season on Wednesday with the imposition of ashes on their foreheads, a reminder of human frailty, mortality, and repentance. Lent, a season of fasting and prayer, leads to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday. IDL/rga