The Return of Meatless Fridays?

In the WSJ today, there is an interesting article by Francis Rocca on the return of meatless Fridays throughout the year, not just during Lent, in England and Wales. Up until Vatican II, Catholics abstained from meat as a form of penance on Fridays, the day that Christ was crucified.

When I read the article I couldn't help but reflect on the interplay between religion and the environment. Modern meat production is environmentally unsustainable and with millions more people moving into the middle class each year around the world, we are all going to have to cut down on our meat consumption. By expressing their faith each Friday by not consuming meat, Catholics will also be helping their environment. Just imagine the impact this could have if the billion or so Catholics on the planet abstained from meat at least once a week?

My husband and I have been trying to cut down on eating meat this past year. As Catholics, this call from across the Atlantic to abstain from meat on Friday may be just the thing to push us to finally do it.