EWTN Catholic Q&A

Friday abstinence
Question from J C on 11-15-2012:

I've been told by several priests that weekly Friday abstinence is no longer an obligation. Please explain and, if it is obligatory, also indicate whether violation of this rule is a mortal sin. Please site your sources so that I can present them to our priests.

Thanks and God bless you, Jeanette Calderon

Answer by Richard Geraghty on 12-26-2012:

Dear JC,

There still remains the obligation to do a penance every Friday. That penance used to be refrain from meat on Friday. Now that is only so today on Good Friday and a few other days prescribed by the Church. Does anyone out there know the exact sources?