So it's Friday and it's Lent and that means no meat today. But what does that mean? What are we really giving up by eating delicious seafood dishes instead of meat? I choose to focus on the act itself. What we are supposed to be trying to do is emulate Jesus and the suffering that he endured for us. We are reminded of his suffering by participating in another Friday Lenten tradition, the Way of the Cross. Jesus suffered at the hands of his captors repeatedly during his passion and he still suffers because of the things we continue to do on earth. The different now is that we have his saving grace, which he gives freely and without cost. So the act of refraining from eating meat (or anything else we decided to give up for Lent) is to help us remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us. What a loving gift. It reminds us that God is love and everything Jesus did for us was for love. It reminds us that Jesus asks us to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Very simply stated but sometimes hard to accomplish. So maybe not eating meat on Friday is so that you can focus on praying for those you consider your enemy. Maybe the abstinence is for someone who continues to bully you. Maybe it is to remind us that God is sharpening us with these trials. Whatever you are thinking about during your Lenten journey, remember to ask God for guidance. Ask God to keep your focus on the promise of eternal life. The abstinence you practice on Fridays during Lent may lead you to change your lifestyle or give up a bad habit. Now isn't that worth eating seafood on Fridays during Lent?
The release of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s note, Mater Populi Fidelis , on November 4, 2025, seems to have sparked some immediate and widespread confusion, driven largely by sensationalist headlines from secular sources. In response to requests, particularly surrounding a potential Fifth Marian Dogma of Spiritual Maternity , the DDF addressed the usage of titles like Co-redemptrix and Mediatrix. Unfortunately, this has led to a large contingent online and in the media claiming that the Church has "tossed out" centuries of doctrine, with some outside the Church even proclaiming a "victory" over Catholic teaching (This may be the saddest part of it all, that we as Christians, are "competing" with each other). It is essential to understand that this doctrinal note is fundamentally about titles and clarity, not doctrine and change according to the Vatican News. The true teachings regarding Mary's unique role in salvation remain inviolabl...