Father’s Q&A on
Friday Penance
Following up on the earlier handout
regarding the obligation to do penance on all Fridays of the year, a little
question and answer:
Does the Church really say I have to do penance on Fridays outside of Lent? Yes, if you are over 14, you are obligated to do penance on all Fridays excepting Solemnities. This was re-affirmed and declared to bind under pain of mortal sin by Pope Paul VI (See Canons 1250-1253 of the Code of Canon Law, and "Paenitemini" by Paul VI, 1966)
Do I have to abstain from meat on every Friday? The US Bishops have allowed you to practice some other penance on Fridays outside of Lent. However, the Bishops state the abstinence from meat on all Fridays still holds "first place" among all forms of penance. But Catholics in the USA are permitted to substitute some other form of penance on Fridays outside of Lent, if they so choose. (See Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence, 1966)
Is it a mortal sin to fail to do penance on Fridays? If you are over 14, it would be a mortal sin intentionally to fail substantially to do penance on Fridays. Thus, it would not necessarily be a mortal sin to fail to do penance on any one Friday, but it would be a mortal sin intentionally to fail to do penance on numerous Fridays throughout the year. Obviously, certain exceptional circumstances (like serious illness) can free us from the obligation to practice penance on a particular Friday.
Am I in mortal sin, if I've never heard about this and have never done Friday penance before?! If you truly did not know, but generally seek to follow the teachings of the Church, you are not guilty of committing a mortal sin you didn't know about. However, we all have the obligation to learn and spread the fullness of the Catholic teaching, so we must strive from now on to practice Friday penance.
Why haven't I heard about this before? If it really is an issue of mortal sin, why haven't other priests told me about this?! Sadly, this is one of many areas where many priests and bishops of the past 50 years have failed gravely in their duty to teach the Catholic faith and guide the people to holiness. And this is no small fault or slight oversight -- the fourth precept of the Church demands that we keep the days of fasting and penance as prescribed by the Church. Friday penance is just the bare minimum for being Catholic! (See Catechism of the Catholic Church 2043)
Does the Church really say I have to do penance on Fridays outside of Lent? Yes, if you are over 14, you are obligated to do penance on all Fridays excepting Solemnities. This was re-affirmed and declared to bind under pain of mortal sin by Pope Paul VI (See Canons 1250-1253 of the Code of Canon Law, and "Paenitemini" by Paul VI, 1966)
Do I have to abstain from meat on every Friday? The US Bishops have allowed you to practice some other penance on Fridays outside of Lent. However, the Bishops state the abstinence from meat on all Fridays still holds "first place" among all forms of penance. But Catholics in the USA are permitted to substitute some other form of penance on Fridays outside of Lent, if they so choose. (See Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence, 1966)
Is it a mortal sin to fail to do penance on Fridays? If you are over 14, it would be a mortal sin intentionally to fail substantially to do penance on Fridays. Thus, it would not necessarily be a mortal sin to fail to do penance on any one Friday, but it would be a mortal sin intentionally to fail to do penance on numerous Fridays throughout the year. Obviously, certain exceptional circumstances (like serious illness) can free us from the obligation to practice penance on a particular Friday.
Am I in mortal sin, if I've never heard about this and have never done Friday penance before?! If you truly did not know, but generally seek to follow the teachings of the Church, you are not guilty of committing a mortal sin you didn't know about. However, we all have the obligation to learn and spread the fullness of the Catholic teaching, so we must strive from now on to practice Friday penance.
Why haven't I heard about this before? If it really is an issue of mortal sin, why haven't other priests told me about this?! Sadly, this is one of many areas where many priests and bishops of the past 50 years have failed gravely in their duty to teach the Catholic faith and guide the people to holiness. And this is no small fault or slight oversight -- the fourth precept of the Church demands that we keep the days of fasting and penance as prescribed by the Church. Friday penance is just the bare minimum for being Catholic! (See Catechism of the Catholic Church 2043)
