Eating Simply for Lent

Fasting from meat on Fridays is part of our Catholic tradition. It’s a way to live in the simplicity and humility that Jesus offers us.

Growing in simplicity for Lent is a gift of the spirit. We now know that it’s also a way to sustainably inhabit our place in God’s creation.

Many of us enjoy meat, and we’re grateful for the farming families who make our meals possible. Focusing our diets on plant-based meals and enjoying meat as an occasional treat is a sustainable way of living in our common home.

It’s a surprising fact that cattle ranching is the leading cause of deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon, and across Latin America–in Brazil, cattle ranching is responsible for approximately 80% of all deforestation. This land is often taken illegally from indigenous people.

It also surprises many people to learn that meat production is a major contributor to climate change. Weaving foods that protect creation into our diets is a way to love our neighbors, love that’s needed now more than ever.

Adding plant-based meals to our diets is an invitation to honor our Lenten tradition and stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the world.

A wealth of resources to support you, from frequently asked questions to bulletin announcements, is available on our resources page.

Why it matters

According to Yale University and other experts, cattle ranching accounts for approximately 80% of deforestation in Brazil. Cattle ranchers cut down the forest–often illegally, and often by taking it from indigenous people–in order to graze cattle.

Sources of deforestation in Brazil

Scientists evaluated scores of studies from around the world to estimate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per serving of food. The average serving of meat represents greenhouse gas emissions more than 60 times bigger than the average serving of fruits, vegetables, and cereals.

Scientific American