Fish fries are common throughout Catholic parishes in the United States during Lent. If you are unaware of what these are, the parishioners gather, generally on a Friday, and have a meal of fried fish. These events are entirely in keeping with the letter of canon law, but I would submit to you that they are not always, or even usually, in the spirit of the law.

Lest I unintentionally bind your conscience where the Church has not bound it, I will digress to explain that in the Latin Church under the regional governance of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, all that is binding according to precept during the season of Lent is fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (which is technically outside of Lent) and abstinence from meat on all Fridays, but not fasting.1

The law of abstinence forbids the use of meat, but not of eggs, the products of milk or condiments made of animal fat, [and] the law of fasting allows one one full meal a day, but does not prohibit taking some food in the morning and evening, observing – as far as quantity and quality are concerned – approved local custom.2

What has been stated applies to Latin Rite Catholics in the United States and “binds gravely.”3 Thus, for members of the Latin Catholic Church in the United States, it is, ordinarily speaking, mortally sinful to intentionally eat meat on Fridays during Lent while being aware of the law. It is also a mortal sin under the same conditions (intention and knowledge) to refuse to both fast and abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. This is all that is binding on the conscience, (provided that “members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church.”)4 Thus, what follows is not by way of precept but rather of exhortation.

To return to the matter of fish fries, a sumptuous of meal with fried fish and chips, tartar sauce, coleslaw, a flavored beverage, and dessert is perfectly in line with the law of the Church. But it is manifestly contrary to the spirit of the law. For the purpose of the law of abstinence is not so much to forbid the eating of certain foods (although it does) but to invite us to a deeper sense of penitence. What would for many people be a feast, even if it does not include meat, contravenes this noble end.

(If you are interested in exploring this topic further, I highly recommend the video embedded below).

However, my purpose in this article is not so much to condemn fish fries wholesale but rather to provide recommendations to make them genuinely penitential. The principle thing is that nothing should be consumed that is not in some way necessary for the health of the body. As I noted in a previous post,5 temperance in itself only forbids what is contrary to necessity. “Nevertheless, there are times in which the enjoyment of sense pleasures that are ordinarily permissible though not strictly necessary should be deferred,” and Lent is such a season.6 But if Lent generally is penitential, then Fridays during Lent are doubly so. Accordingly, delicacies ought to be avoided.

In application of this principle, at fish fries condiments such as tartar sauce should be avoided, as should drinks other than water, and desserts. If possible, coleslaw should be substituted with something less tasty (unless you happen to hate coleslaw, in which case it may be penitential for you to eat it). Further, although fasting is not required on Lenten Fridays, portions should be controlled. One should not eat more than what is necessary and should be content to leave feeling somewhat hungry. Thus, the cravings of the tongue and belly will not be satisfied, the mind will assert its rule over the flesh, and the temporal debt of sin will be more effectively satisfied.

What I have said in regard to fish fries holds good for eating fish at home. Although I cannot say I have been so strict with myself thus far, I intend to implement these rules beginning today. I would encourage and challenge you to do likewise.

  1. “Fast and Abstinence,” par. 1, usccb.org, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, accessed 20 Mar. 2025, https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year-and-calendar/lent/catholic-information-on-lenten-fast-and-abstinence ↩︎
  2. Paul VI, “Paenitemini,” Ch. 3, III, 1-2, vatican.va, Holy See, 17 Feb. 1966, https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19660217_paenitemini.html ↩︎
  3. Paul VI, “Paenitemini,” Ch. 3, II, 2, vatican.va ↩︎
  4. “Fast and Abstinence,” par. 3, usccb.org; cf. Paul VI, “Paenitemini,” Ch. 3, VIII, vatican.va ↩︎
  5. Jacob Mattson, “Lenten Meditation: The Virtue of Temperance,” faith-and-reason.com, Faith and Reason, 7 Mar. 2025, https://faith-and-reason.com/2025/03/07/lenten-meditation-the-virtue-of-temperance/ ↩︎
  6. Mattson, “Lenten Meditation, The Virtue of Temperance,” faith-and-reason.com ↩︎

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