Hi!

Can anyone enlighten me on the types of penance that are acceptable for Fridays outside of Lent, please?

I should add that I live in the UK. Here is what the UK bishops' conference said:

'In accordance with the mind of the Universal Church, the Bishops of England and Wales remind their people of the obligation of Friday penance, and instruct them that it may be fulfilled in one or more of the following ways: a) by abstaining from meat or some other food b) by abstaining from alcoholic drink, smoking or some form of amusement c) by making the special effort involved in family prayer, taking part in the Mass, visiting the Blessed Sacrament or praying the Stations of the Cross d) by fasting from all food for a longer period than usual and perhaps giving what is saved in this way to the needy at home and abroad e) by making a special effort to help somebody who is poor, sick, old or lonely

The form of penance we adopt each Friday is a matter of personal choice and does not have to take the same form every Friday. Failure to undertake this penance on a particular Friday would not constitute a sin. However, penance is part of the life of every Christian and the intention to do penance on Friday is of obligation. We are confident that the faithful of England and Wales will take this obligation to heart in memory of the passion and death of Our Lord.'

I am really unclear as to whether it MUST be one of the prescribed penances or if one may substitute say spiritual reading or meditating on the seven last words of our Lord instead.

Please help!

Many thanks,

James

-- James West (jwest1_uk@yahoo.com), February 09, 2004

Answers

While I can't speak for the bishops of England and Wales, I think it is most reasonable to assume that the list provided is intended to provide examples of the kinds of penance which can be observed, and not as a comprehensive list of all applicable forms of penance.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), February 09, 2004.

Jmj

Hello, James.
Here is the 1966 Apostolic Constitution "Paenitemini," by which Pope Paul VI taught the Church about penance and revised the disciplines in regard to it (including the Friday obligation). Here are a few segments of the text:

"To recall and urge all the faithful to the observance of the divine precept of penitence, the Apostolic See intends to reorganize penitential discipline with practices more suited to our times. It is up to the bishops —- gathered in their episcopal conferences —- to establish the norms which, in their pastoral solicitude and prudence, and with the direct knowledge they have of local conditions, they consider the most opportune and efficacious. ...

"Therefore, the Church, while preserving —- where it can be more readily observed —- the custom (observed for many centuries with canonical norms) of practicing penitence also through abstinence from meat and fasting, intends to ratify with its prescriptions other forms of penitence as well, provided that it seems opportune to episcopal conferences to replace the observance of fast and abstinence with exercises of prayer and works of charity. "In accordance with the conciliar [Vatican II] decree 'Christus Dominus' regarding the pastoral office of bishops, ... it is the task of episcopal conferences to ... : A. Transfer for just cause the days of penitence, always taking into account the Lenten season; B. Substitute abstinence and fast wholly or in part with other forms of penitence and especially works of charity and the exercises of piety. ... By way of information, episcopal conferences should communicate to the Apostolic See what they have decided on the matter."

James, my impressions, from the choice of words used by the Bishops of England and Wales [not the UK], are that they have given you a "norm" to follow (as written) and that they do not allow for a private substitution of the kind you mentioned ("spiritual reading or meditating on the seven last words of our Lord"). On the other hand, I found the following in "Paenitemini," which may be saying that your local pastor (with the bishop's permission) may give you permission to make the substitution you seem to desire:
"While the faculties of individual bishops of dispensing ... remain unchanged, pastors also, for just cause and in accordance with the prescriptions of the Ordinary [bishop], may grant to individual faithful as well as individual families dispensation or commutation of abstinence and fast into other pious practices. The superior of a religious house or clerical institute enjoys the same faculties for his subjects."

James, if you are still feeling unsure about this, I think that you will have to write or phone your bishops' conference headquarters and pose a query.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), February 10, 2004.

I agree with Jim that this seems like a list of options you need to choose from. However, I think the options given by the bishops have enough room in them for a lot of things. For instance: "c) by making the special effort involved in family prayer." There is no prescription what form this prayer takes. So . . . if you chose ot lead your family in "meditating on the seven last words of our Lord", I think that would count. (I am not trying to twist things, I actually think that the bishops would be quite pleased if you were to take their words and apply them in this way.)

Dano

-- Dan Garon (boethius61@yahoo.com), February 10, 2004.

the UK bishops' conference

THERE IS NO SUCH BODY

-- Hugh (hugh@inspired.com), February 10, 2004.

Correct, Hugh -- and, IMO, there is no "UK." With "Great Britain" meaning "England, Scotland, and Wales," the term "UK" is short for "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland." I reject such a thought and refuse to use the term "UK" except in an explanation like this one. Northern Ireland needs to be united with southern Ireland as a single republic, rather than be occupied by British troops.

-- (@@@.@), February 11, 2004.