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1. This is an excellent move I would like to see introduced in Australia.
   It would also be beneficial to our health.
   I also believe that the United Kingdom has retained the observence of a number of Holy Days Of Obligation.

   Posted By: John Tobin

2. Historically, the actual dates when Jesus was born or when he died have never been proven.
   So when the Bishops urge the congregation to not eat meat on a Friday as a sign of Christian faith and a day of penitence, they are turning back to out-dated traditions that have no theological basis.
   Once it was a mortal sin!
   The Bishops are not suggesting that, at least not for the moment, but what they are suggesting is puerile.
   Surely there are many more issues that identify Christians? For example, social justice issues, the role of the laity (especially that of women), accountability and fostering a mature faith.

   Posted By: Jeff KETTERING TAS 7155

3. I don't think its good enough to promote a Meatless Friday when you could go and feast on Lobster, prawns and Oysters.
   Maybe a Fasting Friday or protein free Friday might get the real message across.

   Posted By: David

4. Is this all what Catholics have to show the world not to eat meat (but fish) on Fridays?
   Obviously buying fish kept some Apostels in their job and fish were cheap (not anymore) so one could divert the difference in cost to help the poor...
   Remember the Lenten headline: 'Fasting now more expensive'.
   How about being good to a person once a day every day? To show good will to others which would generate a peaceful community in time.

   Posted By: Josef K.

5. Just so long as the hierarchy which wants to impose this practice makes it clear to all Catholics that not eating meat on Fridays was not a religious practice but purely a political one brought about to save the fishing industry of the time.
   Here's one! What about actually trying to become more like Christ in our world if the church wants us to be a witness to others?

   Posted By: Gina.

6. This hardly deserves consideration. Fish stocks throughout the world, but especially in the North Atlantic are beyond the critical point due to greedy over-fishing.
   Do the Bishops realize that many people are allergic to seafood, some to a level which can b fatal?
   Few can afford seafood in Australia as the best of our catch is exported and we import lesser quality at high prices.
   Wouldn't it be better to be a better person every day and thus give witness by our whole lives rather than one silly splashy gesture once a week?
   This is a sorry indicator of how out of touch the leaders of our Church are today, environmentally, socially and at the level of everyday life.
   May God give them a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to open their eyes and hearts to reality.

   Posted By: jah walloon qld

7. To look at thick battered fish and chips would not be my idea of a 'healthy' practice of fish on Fridays as an inbuilt statement of our Christian faith.
   However fish is a healthy food, providing our oceans and fish farms are free of radiation and high contamination and starting with school projects through to national experts.
   I made a return to fish on Fridays for Lent 2009 and have continued since. It has now become a Friday statement. Similarly 'fast and absence' on Fridays might overcome the gluttony problem in most of western nations. It appears from conversations among younger people that no-one is fooled by the word 'obese'.

   Posted By: mary

8. I agree that this would be a great witness to our faith.
   It isn't very hard to abstian from meat on one day a week and as a child I did this. I usually do so on Friday anyway as it it is healthy as well.
   Fish or pastas with fish or tomato sauces are very easy to do and it is a witness to the fact that Christ died on this day!

   Posted By: Elizabeth Craven

9. Giving up eating meat is the best thing we can do for the environment. So why not encourage giving it up for the other six days.

   Posted By: terry fitz south brisbane

10. To impose these sort of restrictions on Catholics rather than leaving them to choose their own suitable Friday penance smacks of exertion of power, the old hang a sin on them so they toe the line.
    Reverting to this anachronistic practice would seem to be totally for the wrong reasons. When will people like the UK bishops and other idiosyncratic clerics realise that it is what comes from the heart that is sure to please the Lord rather than blind observance to a pharisaic imposition.
    Seems they are far removed from the people they are supposed to serve. An imposition to than make life difficult for them - some of whom have enormous crosses to bear.
    And what about people on fringes of the church and of other denominations? Will this help them? I think not. They'll shake their heads.
    The hierachy would best expend its conferences on real matters of importance of the modern times. Interesting also that the reintroduction of meatless Fridays is set to coincide with the anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI's visit.
    Is this window dressing to please a conservative pope?

    Posted By: Stan O'Loughlin

11. Was Jesus crucified on a Friday? I've been eating fish on Friday's for years because I love fish (especially aussie barramundi).

    Posted By: Charles

12. Fasting with prayer on Fridays has my full support, and if you do a little investigation, you will find that abstinence of some sort was never stopped by the Church.
    Neither did the Church ever ask people to eat fish, and the original article nowhere mentions eating fish.
    Besides, I have never understood the rationale stating that fish is not meat: it is still animal protein; what's the difference really?
    

    Posted By: Frank S

13. I don't see there is any sacrifice in eating fish on Fridays. I can't afford to feed my family fish as it is so expensive.
    My son who has worked in supermarket fish departments will attest to the fact that the biggest sale times for seafood are at times such as Christmas when people spend up big on fish for their celebratory meals.
    I can't comment on the price of fish in the UK but certainly here in Australia the idea that eating fish on Friday is a sacrifice is laughable.
    Maybe we should all have to eat only vegetables instead or rather, would it make more sense that on Fridays we make an effort to assist someone in need, perform a random act of kindness, donate to the missions or offer extra prayers for the millions of people throughout the world that don't enjoy the freedoms and standard of living that we lucky Austrtalians do.

    Posted By: PME

14. I find these almost constant 'back to the future' solutions very disturbing. This reminds me of my 90 year old mother, often telling me that the best time of her life was WWII.
    For those who wish to give up meat on Fridays there is nothing stopping them; but why do they think others must follow their example.
    I know plenty of people who remember the day by doing community service, helping out at hospitals,visiting the sick and attending church: the list goes on.
    I think a Christian should give witness to his/faith by showing love and care to our fellow brothers and sisters.
    

    Posted By: Chris P

15. Since fish is now even more expensive than meat, eating fish on Friday is about as sacrificial as eating meat on other days. Most of us probably eat one or two vegetarian meals a week as a matter of necessity--how about a vegetarian day on Friday? Or even a vegan day? It isn't a 'fast' day, by the way--it is a day of abstinence.

    Posted By: Lenore Crocker, Armidale, N.S.W.

16. I wonder if the Bishops consulted with the laity about this.
    If they had, I'm sure they would have been told that, for most people, it is more penitential to eat cheap sausages than salmon or barramundi.
    But perhaps the cheap sausages don't qualify as meat!
    Surely it would make more sense to specify fleshless rather than meatless Fridays. And what are Catholic vegetarians to do for penance - are they let off?
    The main person affected by this return to the old practice of meatless Fridays will be the person responsible for planning and preparing meals - usually the woman of the family, I suspect.

    Posted By: Joanne Russell

17. I have been observing this tradition for the past 10 years, and it might seem an easy observance.
    However it does take sacrifice and willpower in a world where red meat and chicken rule. I pray that Catholics around the world take up this simple act, as any suffering or abstinence reminds us of the sacrifice Jesus endured for us.

    Posted By: David

18. I think you are missing something important. They are not talking about making Friday a compulsory fish or seafood day.
    They are talking about making it a meat-free day. That means vegan, eggs and dairy, or fish is permissible. Or even nothing at all if you prefer!

    Posted By: Adam Armstrong

19. Puerile? I don't think so.
    A communal action of penance of this sort would be of great benefit. And for the seafood lovers, you don't have to eat fish ...
    'Unless you do penance you shall all likewise perish.'
    Docility is a gift of the Holy Spirit but it seems that modern man and woman cannot be taught.

    Posted By: Peter in Canberra

20. Silly me. If only I had realised that the problems we face in the Church today could be sorted by this simple reminder of abstinence of meat on Fridays.
    Lewis Black, the American satirist, when speaking of certain politicians et al in the US, often finds himself with his breath taken away, and having to remind himself to breathe. Now, I understand.
    Yet another Episcopal Conference that fails to deal with what most of us would call reality.

    Posted By: Christopher McElhinney

21. How about they go the whole hog and advocate either a proper fast or a vegan feed?
    Fish, schmish.

    Posted By: JR,Sydney

22. It's not quite correct to speak of a return& as the rule of abstinence from meat never &went away.
    The only change was that it was allowed, if pastorally desirable, to practice some other equivalent form of self-denial on Fridays (other than the Fridays of Lent and Ash Wednesday, on which abstinence from meat remains a strict requirement.)
    Hands up all those Catholic Friday meat-eaters who actually do some equivalent form of self-denial? Very few I guess. On the other hand, giving up meat is something real and tangible, and it can involve a real sacrifice especially with our five-day working week and the culture that Friday is the day to celebrate the end of the working week with dinners, lunches etc where meat is invariably served.

    Posted By: Peter G

23. Peter G: There is no need for anyone to do the hands-up and be counted.
    More about let the left hand not know what the right hand does.
    Seems that the English/Welsh hierarchy has lost the plot more than somewhat...
    

    Posted By: JR,Sydney

24. I wish Bishops would consult the laity before making these kind of changes; I hope this rule change doesn't happen here.

    Posted By: jen

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