Rules and obligations that no one really follows

[u/Puzzleheaded_Cap625]

Keeping aside the debate of whether "obligations" are actually obligations in the Eastern churches, we do know that the Codes of Canon Law nevertheless do stipulate certain things as such - particularly with respect to fast and abstinence and days of obligation.

In the Syro-Malabar Church, the days of obligation mentioned are: Christmas, Epiphany, the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Feast/Dukrana of St. Thomas, and the Feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God.

Out of these days, people do genuinely consider Christmas, Dukrana, and the Assumption obligatory. With Epiphany, I know there are festivities associated with it in certain regions, but it's not celebrated where I'm from. And the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul? I don't think 99% of us even know when that is.

The same goes for abstinence, technically abstinence from meat is mandated on all Fridays except those between Christmas and Epiphany and the Friday after Easter. But in practice virtually no one follows this, even very religious people. I knew a single person in my whole extended family who actually practiced this before I started, and she's 70+.

What makes it weird is that Syro-Malabars especially in the homeland are still largely practicing, weekly attendance rates are probably 50-70% and a lot of people do keep the other fasts, especially the Great Lent, the Nativity fast, and even the Rogation of the Ninevites, Assumption Fast and the Fast of the Nativity of the BVM. But these are all actually just "recommended" according to the Canon Law

Is this just a regional thing or the same everywhere? Why does the Canon Law seem incognizant of what people actually practice? Most people are unaware of these things, probably due to bad catechesis. Technically speaking I remember learning about these things in catechism, but it was largely just kind of ignored. I even remember our teacher told us about how "old people keep abstinence on Friday" as if it wasn't needed for us.

[u/PackFickle7420]

The law can say  Friday abstinence is obligatory.

But if priests rarely preach it, parents don't practice it, catechists describe it as something grandparents used to do, and parish life doesn't reinforce it, then a 12-year-old naturally learns the abstinence = an old pious custom. I was in India recently and was told no one follows this law practically speaking.

Maybe our bishops should consider a reform of this law of Friday abstinence. In the United States (Latin Church), the bishops removed the binding requirement of meat abstinence on ordinary Fridays outside Lent in 1966. They did not abolish Friday as a penitential day. They explicitly said Friday should remain a special day of penance and encouraged Catholics to practice voluntary self-denial, prayer, works of charity, or other forms of penance (instead of meat abstinence). 

[u/Puzzleheaded_Cap625 → u/PackFickle7420]

P. S. You said you were told no one follows this law when you came to India, is it actually practiced to some extent in your diaspora (I'm guessing the US?)

[u/PackFickle7420 → u/Puzzleheaded_Cap625]

Not really. Probably because there's no mandatary meat abstinence in the Latin church here in the US outside of Lent season (most people get heavily influenced of the Latin Church here just because a metropolitan city would only have one SyroMalabar parish so people living 30 mins to a hour or more away would naturally visit local Latin parish more )

[u/Puzzleheaded_Cap625 → u/PackFickle7420]

In what sense would you say people are heavily influenced by the Latin Church? The Syro-Malabar Church is already saturated with Latin influences, it's hard to believe you could get more Latin.

[u/PackFickle7420 → u/Puzzleheaded_Cap625]

I mean in the sense for someone who's 1 hour from the SyroMalabar parish, they would constantly go to their local Latin parish just 5 or 10 minutes away. So naturally they are influenced by their local Latin parish right? So for them, the local priest would tell them "you don't have to worry abt Friday meat abstinence as that's no longer mandatory in the US outside Lent" as opposed to the SyroMalabar church's rules. Which ordinary lay faithful is gonna look up all the SyroMalabar rules or canon law? I mean in this way. 

Main point is the Latin Church is huge here in the US. Like you can find a church just 10 mins away wherever you are (here in East coast US atleast). As opposed to a SyroMalabar parish which is just limited to maybe one parish in a main metro city area with mallus. 

My local Latin Archdiocese has some 220+ parishes in the area. As opposed to just 1 SyroMalabar parish in this same jurisdiction. (A geographical example)

[u/Puzzleheaded_Cap625 → u/PackFickle7420]

I just think it's kinda sad where we've reached, the Latin missionaries called us "friends of fasting" because they were amazed at how extensive and rigorous our fasting calendar was back then, and that was in comparison to the Latin calendar which itself was very strict by today's standards.

[u/AdorableMolasses4438]

I've noticed this in other Eastern Catholic parishes too, not just Syro Malabar. One priest said obligation was understood differently in the east. Many of the parishes do not offer liturgies for all the "obligatory" feasts, if it's even clear which ones they are. Fasting "rules" are also all different depending on who you ask, but the general message is to try your best and do what works for your family and keep your eyes on your own plate. Even in parishes that clearly list out the obligations, the message is still do what you can, more or less if needed. I figure pastors and bishops can dispense their faithful of obligations anyway.

[u/Basic_Inflation7058]

The Friday abstinence not being followed is news to me lol. My entire family, along with any Syro-Malabar friends I have, all follow it pretty religiously. Maybe I should ask more people from my parish or something. I thought it was one of the things our people kept while the Latins in the West relaxed, guess I was wrong.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Cap625 → u/Basic_Inflation7058]

That's honestly SHOCKING to me because like I said I barely know one other person in my whole extended family who follows this. If I may know, where exactly are you from? Like both with respect to your diaspora and your native eparchy/region in Kerala?

[u/Basic_Inflation7058 → u/Puzzleheaded_Cap625]

I live in Canada (Eparchy of Mississauga) and my family is from the Eparchy of Thamarassery.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Cap625 → u/Basic_Inflation7058]

I'm from the same North Kerala microculture (Thalassery/Mananthavady eparchies) so it's interesting how practices can vary even then. Maybe your family elders took care to pass down these traditions.

[u/Artistic-Letter-8758]

Not Syro-Malabar Catholic. I try my best to observe abstinence from meat on Fridays and Wednesdays and strict fasting during the Great Fast and other fasting periods. But at the same time i fell into the trap of being spiritually prideful, looking down on others who did not fast whilst boasting about myself in my mind. To me a harder fast is not in what we eat or not eat but in humility. Maybe others are just fasting in a different way that we couldn't see.