Why Don’t Catholics Eat Meat on Fridays During Lent?

And why do Catholics eat fish? We asked these young adults.

For a deeper explanation of why Catholics don’t eat meat on Fridays during Lent, check out this Aleteia article.

Video Transcript

Anna: I should know this because I had a lot of mac and cheese and fish sticks on Fridays growing up.

Brian: All I know is on Friday I’m eating tuna. Or pizza.

Sean: Cheese pizza.

Brian: Yeah, that’s the classic.

Durrell: Alright, so what from what my understanding was. Back in the day, day, way back…

Tara: It’s something that I always did. I guess I never questioned it.

Durrell: See that’s confusing me though, because fish is meat. I never got that.

Armando: Fish is fish.

Durrell: No, fish is meat. It bleeds just like meat.

Armando: That’s like the water, is water wet?

Lea: In my opinion it’s because we need to give up something as a church, so we give up something. And we can all give up meat.

Maria: Because meat can be seen as an expensive object.

Durrell: Water’s wet in relativity to us. But to a fish, it’s not going to be wet because they live in it. But to us, it’s wet because of relativity.

Armando: What does it have to do with meat, then?

Anna: I always thought it was part of the fasting and abstinence deal. I don’t really know a deeper meaning behind it.

(Buzzer)

Brian: My mother is going to be so disappointed in me.

(Buzzer)

Durrell: Why?

(Buzzer)

Lester: Sacrificial perhaps. Does it have to with…

Coty: Okay, okay.

Lester: Okay, we’re on to something, okay.

Coty: Okay, so…

Lester: Okay, hold on.

Coty: Does it have to do with like … well if it’s sacrifice.

Lester: Sacrifice, something to do with the cross then.

Coty: Does it have to do with Jesus’ body or something?

(Ding)

Coty: Because on Good Friday, Jesus gave up his flesh when He died on the cross.

Yay finally, yes.

Lester: Give me some. [High five]

Coty: Good job. Is fish not flesh meat?

Armando: Okay.

Durrell: Flesh meat.

Armando: Flesh meat.

Durrell: Oh, that’s the adjective. Flesh meat.

Armando: Flesh meat.

Durrell: Okay, all right.

Armando: So fish don’t have flesh?

Durrell: You cut it.