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Friday, August 7, 1964
CATHOLICS EAT MEAT AT ST. JOHN’S REGATTA ?
On Thursday, August 6, 1964, Father Dermot O’Keefe, Secretary to Archbishop Patrick J. Skinner, Roman Catholic Archbishop of St. John’s contacted all of the local radio stations and newspapers with the important announcement that he “has granted a general dispensation from the law of abstinence from meat on tomorrow (Friday, August 7th) to all Roman Catholics in all parishes of the Archdiocese of St. John’s.”
The Archbishop stated “Meat is therefore permitted as often as desired on this Friday, whether the Regatta is held or not.”
In the Roman Catholic Church their are certain disciplinary observances that were encouraged. On Friday’s, (the day that Jesus died), Christians are encouraged to fast. That fast takes the form of avoiding meat in the diet.
In the early church, meat was a luxury food; on the other hand anyone could catch a fish. Meat was the rich person’s food, fish was the poor person’s food that is why the most common form of fasting was to omit meat and eat fish.
With the Regatta cancelled because of inclement weather on Wednesday, August 5, 1964 and the weather not looking good for Thursday, August 6, 1964 Archbishop Skinner insisted that the “law of abstinence from meat on Friday, August 7, 1964 be dispensed.” With the law dispensed Roman Catholics could stand at Quidi Vidi Lake enjoying the Regatta with hotdogs and hamburgers in hand with the rest of the population.
Archbishop Skinner wanted to insure that the Code of Canon Law(the law of the Church) established in 1917, in particular the laws of abstinence were being rigorously enforced. The church law at the time stated that:
Canon 1250. The law of abstinence prohibits meat and soups made of meat but not of eggs, milks, and other condiments, even if taken from animals.
Canon 1252. 1. The law of abstinence only must be observed every Friday.
Canon 1254. 1. The law of abstinence binds all those who have completed seven years of age.
The new Code of Canon Law introduced in 1983 also makes reference to abstaining from meat on Friday’s.
In the new Code of Canon Law 1251 states that, abstinence from meat, or from some other food is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year.
For more information on this and other related subjects contact the Archives of the R.C. Archdiocese.
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Larry Dohey
Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John’s
P.O. Box 1363
St. John’s, NL
A1C 5M3
709-726-3660
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