First Friday

A few months ago my husband was able to arrange a change in his work schedule that allowed him to attend morning Mass with me and the children on the first Friday of each month. We drive to a church 30 minutes away and go over our examination of conscience for children on the way. After Mass we receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, then we go to the church gift shop and purchase a little something for the children and ourselves. Finally, we go to Rubio's for fish tacos and bean burritos, (eat your hearts out East Coasters!) All of this gels to make for a very special morning, one that we look forward to each month.

When I was growing up, we didn't eat meat on First Fridays or any Fridays, but I had no idea why. I thought it had something to do with pizza. Really. I grew up in NE Pennsylvania and we take our pizza seriously. A little town near my childhood home is the pizza capital of the world. Now you know. While attending parochial grammar school, first Friday meant...pizza. Yep, delivered to the school. This was truly the highlight of the month! After walking to church and going to Confession (phew!) we ate pizza.

Guess what? First Friday isn't necessarily related to pizza, it has to do with abstaining from meat. Guess what again? Catholics are STILL supposed to abstain from meat on Fridays. Read on..

The Code of Canon Law indicates that Catholics are supposed to abstain from meat on all Fridays during the year, not just during Lent:

Canon 1250 -- All Fridays through the year and the time of Lent are penitential days and times throughout the universal Church.
Canon 1251 -- Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Canon 1253 -- It is for the conference of bishops to determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence and to substitute in whole or in part for fast and abstinence other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.

We will add one more level of richness and fullness to our First Friday outings this year. We are striving to complete a Nine First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart .

My hope for our children is that they grow up thinking First Friday is something special, a highlight of the month. We'll make sure they don't think it is necessarily linked to fish tacos and bean burritos:).