Catholics urged to return to meat-free Fridays

Bishops in England and Wales ask Catholics to avoid meat on Fridays, reviving the church's tradition of fasting as an act of penance. They say that the practice of voluntary abstinence will help provide a greater sense of "Catholic identity" and will help people bring faith into their daily lives.

Father Marcus Stock, general secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, said that members of the church want to "deepen and give identity to the spiritual aspects of their lives". Channel 4 News 16.9.11.

Comment: Timothy warms, “in the latter times some will abandon the faith... They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (I Tim 4:1-4 NKJ). The Roman Catholic Church have for centuries commanded to abstain from certain foods, but of recent years it has not been fully practiced. Their re-introduction of this in these later times identifies them as the apostasy. Christians are not restricted on what they can eat - “Let no man judge you in food or in drink” (Col 2:16). Those who “believe and know the truth” should always give thanks for God’s provision of their food. MH