Cambridge University researchers assessed the impact of a return to meat-free Fridays for Catholics in England and Wales. In September 2011, following a 26-year hiatus, bishops called on congregations to forgo meat on Fridays.

While only around a quarter of Catholics in England and Wales changed their dietary habits, this saved more than 55,000 tonnes of carbon a year, according to the study.

The research team say this is equivalent to 82,000 fewer people taking a return trip from London to New York over the course of a year.

They say that the environmental benefits, such as reducing carbon emissions, could be scaled up if the Pope reinstated the obligation to Catholics worldwide, or if bishops in other countries made the same call.

"For instance, even if only the United States Catholic bishops were to follow suit, the benefits would likely be 20 times larger than in the UK," the authors wrote.

The study's lead author, Professor Shaun Larcom, from Cambridge's Department of Land Economy, said: "The Catholic Church is very well placed to help mitigate climate change, with more than one billion followers around the world.

"Pope Francis has already highlighted the moral imperative for action on the climate emergency, and the important role of civil society in achieving sustainability through lifestyle change. Meat agriculture is one of the major drivers of greenhouse gas emissions.

"If the Pope was to reinstate the obligation for meatless Fridays to all Catholics globally, it could be a major source of low-cost emissions reductions."

Traditionally, the practice of refraining from meat one day a week saw many Catholics - and large sections of the population in predominantly Christian countries - turn to fish on Fridays as a protein substitute.

The researchers based their analysis on a nationally representative survey commissioned in 2021, which had 5,055 respondents, of which 489 identified as Catholic, and on the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, conducted each year by Public Health England.

The obligation to forego meat on one day of the week has ancient origins. It is backed by Canon Law, according to the study.

For Christians, the practice of meat-free Fridays dates back to at least Pope Nicholas I's declaration in the 9th century.

Catholics were required to abstain from eating meat on Fridays in memory of Christ's death and crucifixion.

The researchers point out that the practice was observed so fervently among some American Catholics that it led to the invention of the Filet-o-Fish meal by the burger chain McDonald's.

Sources

Independent

The Tablet

PhysOrg

"You can't believe the hate mail I got over that. ‘You're sending us to hell. Who do you think you are to be able to tell us we can eat meat.'"

"I mean, it's over something as simple as that and it draws out hatred, real hatred," Zubik said.

"There's an intolerance that is ugly all across the board, politically, ecclesiastically, and that's why I say the first thing we've got to be able to do is know what it means to listen." Read more

Cafod, which is the Official Catholic aid agency for England and Wales, is preparing to launch the cookbook titled "Friday Suppers".

Proceeds from the book will help Cafod to support people living in poverty.

The cookbook, which contains 40 meat-free recipes, was written by Pauline Curran, who is a former recipe tester for UK TV host and cooking writer Delia Smith.

The latter has given the cookbook a hearty endorsement.

"When Pauline opened the boot of her car and nonchalantly unloaded masses of the most delicious food for one of our parish parties, I recognised instantly that she had a very special talent," said the celebrity recipe writer.

"She has a deep faith and like many of us is concerned that so many people in the world do not have enough to eat."

The recipes in Friday Suppers include "Thai salmon with noodles" and "Spanish tuna salad with peppers, olives and artichokes".

A children's section includes recipes for "sweetcorn fritters" and "eggs en cocotte".

Continue reading

The website of the national bishops' conference in the United States — where Catholics are required to abstain from meat on the Fridays of Lent — agrees.

The website says: "Abstinence laws consider that meat comes only from animals such as chickens, cows, sheep or pigs — all of which live on land….

"Fish are a different category of animal. Salt and freshwater species of fish, amphibians, reptiles (cold-blooded animals) and shellfish are permitted."

Continue reading

Since 1985 it has been possible for Catholics in England and Wales to substitute some other form of penance instead of giving up meat, however the English and Welsh Bishops' decided to restore meatless Fridays because they believe Catholics forget their obligation to do Friday penance.

The bishops' say abstaining from meat is easy to remember and simple to witness to, for example at work, school and even in the home.

"The law of the Church requires Catholics to abstain from meat on Fridays, or some other form of food, or to observe some other form of penance laid down by the Bishops' Conference," the bishops' said in a statement.

Keen to remind Catholics of their obligation, "the Bishops have decided to re-establish the practice that this should be fulfilled by abstaining from meat."

Vegans and Vegetarians are also obliged to do penance, and are required to abstain from some other form of food.

Quoting Canon Law, the Bishops Q&A says the obligation to do penance on Fridays binds those who are aged between 14- 60.

The obligation to do penance, Meatless Fridays, should not place a real or substantial burden on the lives of Catholics the bishops' say.

"Those under fourteen years of age, the sick, the elderly and frail, pregnant women, seafarers, manual workers according to need, guests at a meal who cannot excuse themselves without giving great offense to their hosts or causing friction, and those in other situations of moral or physical impossibility are not required to observe abstention from meat; in other words, we should act prudently," the bishops' explain in their Q&A.

September 16 coincides with the first anniversary of Pope Benedict's trip to the United Kingdom.

Sources

• Catholic Church of England and Wales Media Centre
• Friday Penance Q&A (pdf download)
• Image: Anglicans Ablaze (blog)