Observance
Today marks the start of my annual selective observance of Catholic doctrine. I don't go to church much these days (pretty much never since the effort it takes to go to mass and the resulting chaos when we do attend makes me feel like crying every time, which some might say is just part of being Catholic anyway), but I still feel like I should not eat meat on the holy days during Lent.
I'll admit, I'm pretty out of touch with the church calendar and wasn't even aware that Lent was already upon us. If not for the onslaught of Filet-O-Fish commercials and shots of the garbage in the streets of New Orleans after Fat Tuesday, I may not even have realized that it started today. But luckily for me, I made all the connections and the Nelson's are starting out Lent by eating the official kick-off foods of Lent: Filet-O-Fish from McDonald's for lunch, buttered noodles and fish sticks for dinner.
There are, of course, some exceptions to the no-meat rule:
- Last year, we had a brief reprieve in the no-meat rule when St. Patrick's Day fell on a Friday and the archbishop granted special dispensation so we could all get our fill of corned beef and cabbage. This year, St. Patrick's Day (also known as MARTIN'S BIRTHDAY) falls on a Saturday so we're out of luck there.
- If your high school sports team makes it to the State Tournament like mine did every year I was growing up, then you will be forced to eat some kind of meat product at tournament locations. I always gave up pop and candy for Lent back then and this was before nachos really came into concession favor, that left a non-meat eating person with no choices at all for tournament sustenance. In cases such as those, special parental dispensation can be granted. After all, who can cheer your team to victory on an empty stomach?
- If you forget what day of the week it is and accidentally eat meat on a Friday, I think it can be excused because you have bigger problems.
So, to all of my casually observant Catholic friends, enjoy your Filet-O-Fish. To my non-Catholic friends, yes, I think this counts. To my dad, sorry, I really should go to church more. In fact, I probably ought to give the Poor Clares a call right this minute.
I'll admit, I'm pretty out of touch with the church calendar and wasn't even aware that Lent was already upon us. If not for the onslaught of Filet-O-Fish commercials and shots of the garbage in the streets of New Orleans after Fat Tuesday, I may not even have realized that it started today. But luckily for me, I made all the connections and the Nelson's are starting out Lent by eating the official kick-off foods of Lent: Filet-O-Fish from McDonald's for lunch, buttered noodles and fish sticks for dinner.
There are, of course, some exceptions to the no-meat rule:
- Last year, we had a brief reprieve in the no-meat rule when St. Patrick's Day fell on a Friday and the archbishop granted special dispensation so we could all get our fill of corned beef and cabbage. This year, St. Patrick's Day (also known as MARTIN'S BIRTHDAY) falls on a Saturday so we're out of luck there.
- If your high school sports team makes it to the State Tournament like mine did every year I was growing up, then you will be forced to eat some kind of meat product at tournament locations. I always gave up pop and candy for Lent back then and this was before nachos really came into concession favor, that left a non-meat eating person with no choices at all for tournament sustenance. In cases such as those, special parental dispensation can be granted. After all, who can cheer your team to victory on an empty stomach?
- If you forget what day of the week it is and accidentally eat meat on a Friday, I think it can be excused because you have bigger problems.
So, to all of my casually observant Catholic friends, enjoy your Filet-O-Fish. To my non-Catholic friends, yes, I think this counts. To my dad, sorry, I really should go to church more. In fact, I probably ought to give the Poor Clares a call right this minute.
Don't forget to save your pennies in a cardboard rice bowl, too. (Did all junior Catholics do that at Lent, or just the ones at my church?).
Maybe you could go to church on Palm Sunday and the kids can swat each other with palms. That ought to be good for ten minutes of distraction before you have to haul someone off to the crying room.
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