Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Fridays?
For Catholics, Friday has always carried the echo of the Passion. It is the day Christ offered His life, and the Church invites the faithful to mark that day with a small, tangible act of penance. Historically, that act has been abstaining from meat—not because meat is sinful, but because it was considered a festive, celebratory food. Giving it up became a simple, communal way to remember the cost of love.
Fish entered the picture not because it is holier, but because it is not meat in the canonical sense. In the ancient world, fish was ordinary, humble, and accessible. Choosing fish instead of meat was a way of choosing simplicity over luxury, restraint over indulgence, and remembrance over routine. Even today, the Friday fish fry—whether in a parish hall or a family kitchen—carries that quiet invitation to remember Christ’s sacrifice through a small act of solidarity.
Fasting vs. Abstinence: Two Different Practices
Catholic tradition distinguishes between fasting and abstinence, and the two are often confused.
Abstinence (What you don’t eat)
- Abstinence means refraining from meat from mammals or birds.
- Fish and shellfish are permitted.
- Abstinence is required on all Fridays of Lent for Catholics age 14 and older.
- The purpose is simplicity and solidarity: a small, shared sacrifice that unites the Church in remembering the Passion.
Fasting (How much you eat)
- Fasting means one full meal, plus two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal.
- No eating between meals, though liquids are allowed.
- Fasting is required only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday for Catholics age 18–59.
- The purpose is interior: detachment, humility, and a renewed hunger for God.
These practices are not meant to punish the body but to awaken the heart.
Age and Health Requirements
The Church’s laws on fasting and abstinence are intentionally modest—and flexible—because they are meant to form the conscience, not burden the vulnerable.
Who must abstain from meat?
- All Catholics 14 and older.
- This applies to every Friday of Lent.
Who must fast?
- Catholics 18–59 on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Who is excused?
- Anyone for whom fasting or abstinence would harm health or impair the ability to work.
- Those who are physically or mentally ill, including chronic conditions such as diabetes.
- Pregnant or nursing women.
- In all cases, the Church explicitly says common sense should prevail.
The heart of the law is mercy, not rigor. The Church never asks the sick, the frail, or the vulnerable to jeopardize their well‑being.
The Deeper Meaning
The point of fish on Fridays is not the fish. It is the remembering.
It is the weekly pause that says:
Love cost something.
I can offer something small in return.
In a world that prizes convenience, the Friday abstinence is a gentle, countercultural act—one that binds Catholics across cultures, languages, and centuries in a shared rhythm of penance and hope.
post inspired by Easter at the Mission by Sula, parish cat at Old Mission.
Description
Discover Easter Through the Eyes of a Church Cat!
Join Sula, the now-famous church cat, on a fascinating journey through the meaning and traditions of Easter in her fifth book! With her signature mix of history, Catholic dogma, and humor, Sula explores questions like:
🐾 What is Easter, and why is it called the Paschal Mystery?
🐾 Why do Catholics observe Lent, Ash Wednesday, and Holy Week?
🐾 What are the traditions behind Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday?
🐾 How do these events lead to the Easter Vigil and Easter Morning?
Beautifully illustrated by Uliana Yanovich, this engaging book is filled with people-cat pictures, making it a delightful read for cat lovers, history buffs, and anyone curious about Easter’s deeper meaning.
🐱📖 Whether you're a lifelong Catholic or just learning about Easter, let Sula be your guide through the traditions, symbols, and spiritual significance of this sacred season!
🔹 Perfect for readers of all ages
🔹 A must-have for Easter book collections
🔹 A fun and insightful gift for cat lovers & faith seekers
Keywords: Easter book for Catholics, What is Easter?, Catholic Easter traditions, Lent and Holy Week explained, Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Why is it called the Paschal Mystery?, Easter books for cat lovers, Sula the Church Cat books, history of Easter in Catholicism
5-Star Review on Readers' Favorite by Rebecca Winer
Easter at the Mission: A Cat's Observation of the Paschal Mystery by Sula Parish Cat at Old Mission is told in the voice of the cat who lives at the Old Mission San Juan Bautista in California. This is the fifth book about the Mission written by Sula. She roams the chapel, the grounds, the cemetery, and the mission gift shop. Sula is fed and loved by many who come to the Mission and are frequently greeted by her. Sula calls God 'the Boss.' This book concentrates on what Catholics believe about the time from Ash Wednesday through Resurrection Sunday. The Stations of the Cross are explained. The structure of the Mass changes during the time from Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday.
My favorite part of Easter at the Mission by Sula Parish Cat at Old Mission is the humor. I learned some things about history, such as St. Francis trying to peacefully end the Crusades. I found it interesting that for Ash Wednesday the ashes are made by burning the past year’s Palm Sunday branches. I appreciated that people can learn how Easter and Lent are determined on the calendar, which explains why Easter is on a different day each year. The pictures of Sula roaming around the Mission help us understand that it is a real cat, not just a fictional one. I have learned things about the Catholic faith. I especially liked the part where the cat explains to readers about the Stations of the Cross. I think this book would be great for Protestants to read to better understand what Catholics believe.
To listen to the trailer for Easter at the Mission, click HERE.
Listen to the story on KSBW television about Sula HERE.
Watch Sula at home at Old Mission SJB HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Read an interview: Mudpie Interviews Sula
CONTACT editor@msipress.com FOR A REVIEW COPY
has gained mass recognition for releasing highly acclaimed books of varying genres
that are distributed internationally. Check us out on Wikitia.
To purchase copies of any MSI Press book at 25% discount,
use code FF25 at MSI Press webstore.
Want to read an MSI Press book and not have to buy for it?
(1) Ask your local library to purchase and shelve it.
(2) Ask us for a review copy; we love to have our books reviewed.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OUR AUTHORS AND TITLES.
(recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon top 100 list, author advice, and more -- stay up to date)Check out recent issues.
Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC?
Check out information on how to submit a proposal.
We help writers become award-winning published authors. One writer at a time. We are a family, not a factory. Do you have a future with us?Turned away by other publishers because you are a first-time author and/or do not have a strong platform yet? If you have a strong manuscript, San Juan Books, our hybrid publishing division, may be able to help.
Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our author au pair services will mentor you through the process.
Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book in exchange for reviewing a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com.
Want an author-signed copy of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com.Julia Aziz, signing her book, Lessons of Labor, at an event at Book People in Austin, Texas.
Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find their contact information on our Authors' Pages.Steven Greenebaum, author of award-winning books, An Afternoon's Discussion and One Family: Indivisible, talking to a reader at Barnes & Noble in Gilroy, California.MSI Press is ranked among the top publishers in California.
Check out our rankings -- and more -- HERE.
Comments
Post a Comment