By Sarwell Meniano/Philippine News Agency
TACLOBAN CITY — A Roman Catholic priest has called on churchgoers to exercise self-restraint by not eating any kind of meat as part of fasting and abstinence this Holy Week.
Fr. Chris Arthur Militante, spokesperson of Archdiocese of Palo, said eating meat during the Lenten season is not a serious sin, but abstinence from it is a way to honor the sacrifices of Jesus Christ.
The law of abstinence requires a Catholic 14 years of age until death to abstain from eating meat on Fridays after Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday.
Meat is considered to be the flesh and organs of mammals and poultry products. Also forbidden are soups or gravies made from them.
The law of fasting requires a Catholic 18 to 60 years old to reduce the amount of food eaten from normal. The Church defines this as one meal a day, and two smaller meals which if added together would not exceed the main meal in quantity.
“Don’t forget that temptation comes from good things in life. We have to learn not to make the wrong choices even if it gratifies us. Fasting and abstinence don’t just refer to food, but on the use of social media, gadgets, and other technologies as well. This is the season to spend more time on spiritual matters,” Militante told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday.
Militante asked Catholics who don’t practice abstinence and fasting to repent and seek forgiveness.
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