I have to swipe 'dul's digital camera next time I go to the Western Beef...

[conuly]

The signs there are so bad, it's not even funny. Except that it is. I don't know what it is about that store, but they're completely unable to get anything right on their signs. Wanuts, indeed! (and that's hardly the worst of it)

So, I went to the Western Beef today, I laughed at their signs... and got to observe the following message at the nearby White Castle: "For Lent, Enjoy A Fish Fillet" (I'm not sure what fish-food they were advertising, so I just filled in a name)

I'm not sure if that ad is clever or sacriligious. Or possibly both - is one *supposed* to enjoy their substitute for whatever they're giving up on Lent? Isn't that the purpose of giving something up?

And here's a question. Recently, I was informed that most modern Catholics don't go into a little booth with a screen to confess. They just talk to a priest. Face to face. And then, when I exclaimed in (mock) shock over this, my mother told me that most Catholics don't use rosaries anymore! (What's next, they'll stop saying the Mass in Latin? :P)

Honestly, it's like the foundation of my world is crumbling all around me. But still, I persevere. Tell me truthfully: Do many/most/some Catholics (still) give up meat for Lent? I know it's not done on Fridays anymore (world, crumbling), but, not actually being Catholic (if infant baptism counts when done by people who are inherantly anti-organized religion counts, that'd be Jenn. And I suppose that makes me Episcopalian. Whatever *they* believe) I don't actually know. I'm kinda scared to ask my mom. Our conversations about religion always end with somebody making really sacriligious jokes, and then my mother getting scared for my safety and requesting that I move at least 50 feet away from her at all times....

Comments

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Many I know give up something for Lent, and don't eat meat on Fridays.

And then some people give up meat once a month, the first -- something of the month, I don't remember.

I also know there was the nothing to eat before Mass thing, too, if you were going to take Communion.

(I was raised Catholic, I chose Quakerism, that's how I know this Catholic stuff, my family still is.)

[conuly]

I thought you weren't required to... Ah. So the non-meat-on-Fridays is a choice now, not a requirement?

*files actual information from comment into memory, waits for clarification*

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Not sure what is required, just what people around me do (or don't do).

[rachelkachel]

My roommate, who is Catholic but not very active about it, does give up meat for Lent (and complains most of the time about how hard it is to get a good veggie burger). I don't know about how it applies more generally.

[strangelette.livejournal.com]

I have a Very Catholic Family so I'll speak for them. This is all, of course, from the perspective of American Catholics.

The confessional is, indeed, now a matter of preference and has been for a while. I did reconciliation (first confession) in fourth grade which was...umm... 14ish years ago and we were given the option of doing either (I opted for the screen because it was slightly less threatening but I later opted for atheism too so my opinion is iffy). I suppose it varies from parish to parish but as far as I know you can still confess through the screen thingy if you want to.

Still definitely using the rosaries. But it's something that's taught to kids once (yeah, I taught religious ed) - usually around first communion - but not really reinforced. Saying a rosary requires a lot of rote memorization and repetition and that's not in favor right now as a means of religious education and keeping kids interested (I heard more than one complaint about how few prayers kids had to memorize). They're still traditional gifts though, usually from godparents and grandparents. Using a rosary is mostly a matter of personal preference. I know there are masses (my grandpa goes to them) where they do specifically say a rosary but it's not done at the big Sunday services. As a personal observation I can still remember, more or less, how to say a rosary even if I can't remember the prayers themselves so it evidently has some sticking power.

Giving things up for Lent is also a matter of preference but is still very prevalent. My uncle's family gives up all meat for all of Lent (really hardcore) and Catholic friends my age tend to observe not eating meat on Fridays. Giving something personal up is very encouraged and is still taught to young kids year after year - it was always a very big deal at my Catholic K-8 school. The tradition of giving up meat is attached to that which is, I think, why it has survived. I rather like this tradition because it introduced the tradition of yummy fish frys (fries?).

[leora.livejournal.com]

I'm just mildly amused at how giving up meat for a short time is seen as such a sacrifice. I've been vegetarian now for... about 18 years.

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

The parish here in England, confession is done from behind a screen, so it's more or less anonymous. But at home, yes, we do sit face to face and talk to the priest, though. Although there is an option to sit behind the screen and I like that better.

Catholics do use rosaries (I just got an e-mail from Newman Club at home about praying the rosary on Tuesdays) just not during Mass. That pretty much ended during the Reformation. You have to participate in Mass now, so you can't really just sit there and pray the rosary. But I actually pray it on pretty much a weekly basis.

I wish we still said Mass in Latin. :/

And we don't give up meat for all of Lent anymore (unless that's what you're giving up), just on Ash Wednesday and on Fridays. I wasn't aware that it "wasn't done" on Fridays anymore. I'm pretty sure that the Church's regulations say "no meat on Fridays" and my church always has a fish fry on those days.

[carlanime.livejournal.com]

Chiming in from Canada: this sounds pretty much like what happens here, too (am non-practicing but have some v. Catholic family members). They do still use the confessional screen in some parishes around here; most people I know aren't giving up meat for all of Lent, but a few still do, and most still give it up for Ash Wednesday and all Fridays. And every Catholic I know still uses the rosary, but I'll try to remember to check with the youngest, most-recently-attended-confirmation-classes ones to get a sense of what they were taught.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

In college, my two close friends were Catholic and they always gave up meat during Lent.They had some saying they'd always say to each other too... what was it?? "Happy Catholic No-Meat Friday" or something like that. One of them used a rosary, the other didn't. I have no idea about the confessional booth.

Comment from an ex-Irish-Catholic (ex-Catholic; I'm still Irish)

[phoenixdreaming.livejournal.com]

Face-to-face confession sounds a little creepy. In my experience, it's usually in booths, unless there are no booths available in the place it's been held in -- confession at school, where there weren't enough booths, usually involved just sitting down on a chair beside the priest, not facing directly towards him.

I'm never given up all meat during Lent, though I know my (not-very-observant) parents won't cook meat on Good Friday, and I'm not even sure it's possible to buy meat that day. Rosaries are still used (though more by older people); they're very practical. Not sure if I can remember anything else relevant. Almost all of strangelette's comment applies to my experience, fwiw.

Re: Comment from an ex-Irish-Catholic (ex-Catholic; I'm still Irish)

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

Face to face confession is terribly creepy. Especially in a small parish like mine at home, where the priest definitely knows exactly who you are.

I keep thinking that he's going to tell my parents what I'm saying, even though I know that will never, ever happen. o.O

[eofs.livejournal.com]

I know a friend of mine in South Dakota says that her university's cafeteria only serves fish on a Friday (which she considers following the letter of the law, not the spirit) and another in Germany says that his canteen on a Friday always serves fish not meat (in addition to the kosher, halal and vegetarian options) - that's in a Catholic region of Germany.

But I've never in my life known a single Catholic in person (I was raised outside of the church altogether, would have been Church of England anyway) so beyond that I really can't comment.

[deceptica]

But I've never in my life known a single Catholic in person

What about me? And isn't Petra Catholic too?

[eofs.livejournal.com]

Oh, I meant who I've met in person rather than online. I know plenty of Catholics online, although I think you're the only one I've then gone on to meet in person (I don't think Petra is Catholic. Possibly in the vague way that many people here are CofE, but I can't see her family being practicing Catholics.)

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Wanuts are my favourite!

I give up something for Lent every year, despite being not Catholic, just because I think it's a good exercise in self-control.

This year, chocolate. Last year, soda. >.> Maybe someday I'll give up meat, but again, I'm not Catholic, so I don't see the point. XD

[leora.livejournal.com]

We're all very sad that the local Chinese restaurant no longer offers "forg in a play pot"

[deceptica]

Well, here in Austria the vast majority of the population is Catholic (73,6%, according to the CIA factbook), but I don't know of any people that do most of the things you mentioned here; but then religion's been becoming less and less important here for many years. I think most people are either only religious on paper, or if they actually observe any traditions they mostly only do it on special occasions. For example I don't know anyone who gives up meat for all of Lent, but even in my family we traditionally don't eat meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. So yeah.

I know that those little booths with screens exist, but in all the years I spent actually being somewhat religious, I've never been inside of one of them. I find them scary, to be honest. All my confessions were comfortable face-to-face conversations with the local priest, not just about what I had done wrong, but how I could improve on my bad habits etc.

I remember learning the rosary in school, but I quickly forgot it again and never own one (as in the item) either. *shrugs*

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Many I know give up something for Lent, and don't eat meat on Fridays.

And then some people give up meat once a month, the first -- something of the month, I don't remember.

I also know there was the nothing to eat before Mass thing, too, if you were going to take Communion.

(I was raised Catholic, I chose Quakerism, that's how I know this Catholic stuff, my family still is.)

[conuly]

I thought you weren't required to... Ah. So the non-meat-on-Fridays is a choice now, not a requirement?

*files actual information from comment into memory, waits for clarification*

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Not sure what is required, just what people around me do (or don't do).

[rachelkachel]

My roommate, who is Catholic but not very active about it, does give up meat for Lent (and complains most of the time about how hard it is to get a good veggie burger). I don't know about how it applies more generally.

[strangelette.livejournal.com]

I have a Very Catholic Family so I'll speak for them. This is all, of course, from the perspective of American Catholics.

The confessional is, indeed, now a matter of preference and has been for a while. I did reconciliation (first confession) in fourth grade which was...umm... 14ish years ago and we were given the option of doing either (I opted for the screen because it was slightly less threatening but I later opted for atheism too so my opinion is iffy). I suppose it varies from parish to parish but as far as I know you can still confess through the screen thingy if you want to.

Still definitely using the rosaries. But it's something that's taught to kids once (yeah, I taught religious ed) - usually around first communion - but not really reinforced. Saying a rosary requires a lot of rote memorization and repetition and that's not in favor right now as a means of religious education and keeping kids interested (I heard more than one complaint about how few prayers kids had to memorize). They're still traditional gifts though, usually from godparents and grandparents. Using a rosary is mostly a matter of personal preference. I know there are masses (my grandpa goes to them) where they do specifically say a rosary but it's not done at the big Sunday services. As a personal observation I can still remember, more or less, how to say a rosary even if I can't remember the prayers themselves so it evidently has some sticking power.

Giving things up for Lent is also a matter of preference but is still very prevalent. My uncle's family gives up all meat for all of Lent (really hardcore) and Catholic friends my age tend to observe not eating meat on Fridays. Giving something personal up is very encouraged and is still taught to young kids year after year - it was always a very big deal at my Catholic K-8 school. The tradition of giving up meat is attached to that which is, I think, why it has survived. I rather like this tradition because it introduced the tradition of yummy fish frys (fries?).

[leora.livejournal.com]

I'm just mildly amused at how giving up meat for a short time is seen as such a sacrifice. I've been vegetarian now for... about 18 years.

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

The parish here in England, confession is done from behind a screen, so it's more or less anonymous. But at home, yes, we do sit face to face and talk to the priest, though. Although there is an option to sit behind the screen and I like that better.

Catholics do use rosaries (I just got an e-mail from Newman Club at home about praying the rosary on Tuesdays) just not during Mass. That pretty much ended during the Reformation. You have to participate in Mass now, so you can't really just sit there and pray the rosary. But I actually pray it on pretty much a weekly basis.

I wish we still said Mass in Latin. :/

And we don't give up meat for all of Lent anymore (unless that's what you're giving up), just on Ash Wednesday and on Fridays. I wasn't aware that it "wasn't done" on Fridays anymore. I'm pretty sure that the Church's regulations say "no meat on Fridays" and my church always has a fish fry on those days.

[carlanime.livejournal.com]

Chiming in from Canada: this sounds pretty much like what happens here, too (am non-practicing but have some v. Catholic family members). They do still use the confessional screen in some parishes around here; most people I know aren't giving up meat for all of Lent, but a few still do, and most still give it up for Ash Wednesday and all Fridays. And every Catholic I know still uses the rosary, but I'll try to remember to check with the youngest, most-recently-attended-confirmation-classes ones to get a sense of what they were taught.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

In college, my two close friends were Catholic and they always gave up meat during Lent.They had some saying they'd always say to each other too... what was it?? "Happy Catholic No-Meat Friday" or something like that. One of them used a rosary, the other didn't. I have no idea about the confessional booth.

Comment from an ex-Irish-Catholic (ex-Catholic; I'm still Irish)

[phoenixdreaming.livejournal.com]

Face-to-face confession sounds a little creepy. In my experience, it's usually in booths, unless there are no booths available in the place it's been held in -- confession at school, where there weren't enough booths, usually involved just sitting down on a chair beside the priest, not facing directly towards him.

I'm never given up all meat during Lent, though I know my (not-very-observant) parents won't cook meat on Good Friday, and I'm not even sure it's possible to buy meat that day. Rosaries are still used (though more by older people); they're very practical. Not sure if I can remember anything else relevant. Almost all of strangelette's comment applies to my experience, fwiw.

Re: Comment from an ex-Irish-Catholic (ex-Catholic; I'm still Irish)

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

Face to face confession is terribly creepy. Especially in a small parish like mine at home, where the priest definitely knows exactly who you are.

I keep thinking that he's going to tell my parents what I'm saying, even though I know that will never, ever happen. o.O

[eofs.livejournal.com]

I know a friend of mine in South Dakota says that her university's cafeteria only serves fish on a Friday (which she considers following the letter of the law, not the spirit) and another in Germany says that his canteen on a Friday always serves fish not meat (in addition to the kosher, halal and vegetarian options) - that's in a Catholic region of Germany.

But I've never in my life known a single Catholic in person (I was raised outside of the church altogether, would have been Church of England anyway) so beyond that I really can't comment.

[deceptica]

But I've never in my life known a single Catholic in person

What about me? And isn't Petra Catholic too?

[eofs.livejournal.com]

Oh, I meant who I've met in person rather than online. I know plenty of Catholics online, although I think you're the only one I've then gone on to meet in person (I don't think Petra is Catholic. Possibly in the vague way that many people here are CofE, but I can't see her family being practicing Catholics.)

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Wanuts are my favourite!

I give up something for Lent every year, despite being not Catholic, just because I think it's a good exercise in self-control.

This year, chocolate. Last year, soda. >.> Maybe someday I'll give up meat, but again, I'm not Catholic, so I don't see the point. XD

[leora.livejournal.com]

We're all very sad that the local Chinese restaurant no longer offers "forg in a play pot"

[deceptica]

Well, here in Austria the vast majority of the population is Catholic (73,6%, according to the CIA factbook), but I don't know of any people that do most of the things you mentioned here; but then religion's been becoming less and less important here for many years. I think most people are either only religious on paper, or if they actually observe any traditions they mostly only do it on special occasions. For example I don't know anyone who gives up meat for all of Lent, but even in my family we traditionally don't eat meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. So yeah.

I know that those little booths with screens exist, but in all the years I spent actually being somewhat religious, I've never been inside of one of them. I find them scary, to be honest. All my confessions were comfortable face-to-face conversations with the local priest, not just about what I had done wrong, but how I could improve on my bad habits etc.

I remember learning the rosary in school, but I quickly forgot it again and never own one (as in the item) either. *shrugs*