I realize my weblog is becoming “Random Lenten Meat Musings” but all the same. I was reading Fr. Jim’s blog and he mentioned that on last Friday, March 19, was not a day of abstinence because it was the Solemnity of St. Joseph. I have heard that before but never with evidence and every priest I had talked to about it said abstinence was still the rule. Not to mention every calendar still had the little fishes on it.
Fr. Jim actually cites something- Canon 1251. Canon law states:
“Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.”
In short, if it’s as simple as it seems, since Friday was a Solemnity, that overrides the Friday abstinence. Now I wonder if the US Bishop’s said something different… Does anyone have anything to refute the above? For the record, I had lunch with a priest friend from back home and I enjoyed a nice tuna sandwich on the 19th.