Mortal sin was defined as sin that would land a person in hell. Hell was defined as a place of eternal punishment.

Then eating meat on Friday was no longer a mortal sin.

Within one week, a sin that resulted in eternal punishment became no sin at all and eternal punishment was gone for this "sin".

How could such a thing be? One Friday, eternal punishment (the ultimate horror) became, the next Friday, no sin at all - no eternal punishment.

It's possible my understanding of this is incorrect,

but I'm sure that was taught in recent times.

Thank you for any answers.

I hardly think any mortal sin is committed in that sense.

Who, understanding the gravity as explained by you, would even be capable of doing such a thing?

Does this, in effect, belie the whole notion of mortal sin?

By that I mean, knowing and believing the result, who in their right mind would be capable of such sin?

Does this not also eliminate all those who commit horrendous crimes from committing mortal sin - as long as they are not committing it in defiance of the Church/Christ?

The question begged here is does disobedience to Christ, in the sense you mean (i.e. the Church) merit eternal punishment? Can one "disobey" Christ/Church in good conscience?

To the best of my knowledge it was not ever official teaching that it was a mortal sin. I've found nothing indicating it was.

I had asked, "...knowing and believing the result (eternal punishment), who in their right mind would be capable of such sin"?

De Maria's answer is above beginning with "Many..."

My response -- 1) Does that include the Catholic who doesn't want to obey the Church because he believes it is wrong?
2) Does that include the raised Catholic who doesn't want to live according to her strict morality because he doesn't believe it?

3) Does that include non-Catholics who have been informed of her teachings and reject them because he does not believe in them?

If you respond, I will have to read it tomorrow since I have to go now. Thank you for your responses.

Catholic bishops to study return to meatless Fridays

By IRA RIFKIN
Religion News Service
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1997

WASHINGTON -- Roman Catholic bishops Monday voted to study bringing back "meatless Fridays" to express the church's opposition to legal abortion and other "attacks against human life and human dignity."

"Our people are waiting for a way in which they can publicly affirm their faith" and "show their opposition to the culture of death," said Cardinal Adam Maida, archbishop of Detroit.

In asking for the study as they opened their annual fall meeting here, the bishops specifically mentioned the widespread acceptance of abortion, growing support for euthanasia, the continuance of war and rising drug abuse.

The church leaders asked that committee reports on the proposal be ready for final action at their June 1998 meeting.

In Mobile, the Rev. Christopher Viscardi, theology professor at Spring Hill College, said, "I think attacks on human dignity are all over the nation ... Attacks are so rampant that we've gotten used to them. Anything that will help raise consciousness would be a good idea."

The Rev. Joseph Jennings, who served at Saint Pius X and Our Savior Catholic churches before retiring and who is filling in at Holy Name of Jesus Church in Semmes, lauded the suggestion of prayer and sacrifice that such a move would indicate.

"There's a need for prayer and a need for sacrifice. We have not had emphasis on it in recent times," he said. "I like meat like anybody else, but the fact that we give it up or make a sacrifice -- that has a value." Abstaining from eating meat was a standard church practice intended to remind the faithful of Jesus' suffering and crucifixion until Pope Paul VI allowed the bishops to establish their own dietary guidelines following the liberalizing Second Vatican Council, which ended in 1965.

Prior to that, the church insisted on meatless Fridays as an act of penance in preparation for confession and receiving communion. Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston said whether the bishops would again insist on the practice or only institute it on a voluntary basis was yet to be determined.

Some church leaders said avoiding red meat would be insufficient.

"A day without meat is hardly a day of penitence when one can always substitute a good lobster meal," said Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, archbishop of Philadelphia.

Bevilacqua and others urged that the study be expanded to include the possibility of asking Catholics to fast every Friday. Other bishops said, however, that would be too difficult for most Catholics and would undercut the effort.

About 280 bishops are in Washington for the four day meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and its social policy arm, the U.S. Catholic Conference.

Speaking to the gathering earlier Monday, Bishop Anthony M. Pilla of Cleveland, president of the NCCB, called for a greater "spirit of reconciliation" among Catholics.

"The first imperative for reconciliation surrounds the way in which some public discussion of issues takes place within the church," Pilla said. "Across the spectrum of church opinion there are some very angry voices who apparently feel justified in using a rhetoric of violence toward whoever disagrees with them."

Outside the Capitol Hill hotel where the meeting is being held, several dozen Catholics demonstrated in support of and against the bishops' Oct. 1 pastoral letter urging parents of homosexuals not to personally reject their children even as activities stemming from their sexual preference are condemned by church doctrine. At times, the two sides angrily confronted each other.

In other action Monday, the bishops voted to continue indefinitely their annual collection to help rebuild the church in the former Soviet Union and other ex-communist European nations.

The bishops also voted to hold their fourth "Encuentro," a national gathering designed to enhance the church's outreach to Hispanic Catholics, in the year 2000.

where it says beware of false teachings in the latter times that forbid certain things and say to abstain from eating meats.

Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"?

These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

I guess that is more verses of the Bible that the Church contradicts so I should throw them away too?

The Church has no denominational name, no organizational head, (only Jesus Christ) and cannot be joined, but is entered ONLY by spiritual birth by believing on Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God, repentance from dead works, and by faith in the accomplished work of Christ.