New Orleans, La., Feb 15, 2013 / 04:05 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Alligator is permissible to eat on Fridays of Lent, the archbishop of New Orleans assured a conscientious parishioner, and his approval has been backed by the national bishops’ conference.
“Concerning the question if alligator is acceptable to eat during the Lenten season…yes, the alligator is considered in the fish family,” Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond wrote in a 2010 letter provided to CNA by the New Orleans archdiocese Feb. 15.
The archbishop said he agreed with the parishioner that the alligator is a “magnificent creature that is important to the state of Louisiana” and which is also “considered seafood.”
From: Alligator OK to eat on Lenten Fridays, archbishop clarifies :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)
Cue up all my anti-theist friends pedantically trotting this out as an example of religion versus science. Yes, alligators are taxonomically not fish.
If you aren’t Catholic, why do you care what some Catholic prelate says about a dietary restriction that doesn’t apply to you? If you are Catholic, you’ve already squared the circle of non-overlapping magisteria.
Alligator is rubbery and tasteless anyway.Report
Ludicrous. I bet you like red left on your steak, too.Report
Burt’s probably thinking of crocodile.Report
Horrified to infer that you don’t. Is it even still ‘steak’ after you burn it to a crisp?Report
Meat is meant to be cooked.
Thoroughly.Report
Good job expressing your point Will.
Well done.Report
Yeah, that’s fairly rare.Report
Speaking of which, my friend’s brother did this last week: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/02/12/mass-native-mocks-donald-trump-rally/uwBir42jhUZs6aFdcOrDbO/story.htmlReport
Yes, alligators are taxonomically not fish.
But reptiles are not a separate clade from fish. The archbishop is showing a knowledge of biology more up-to-date than the traditional Linnaean classifications.Report
But were they the fish kind (so their ancestor survived by breathing the flood waters) or the reptile kind (and therefore descended from the common ancestor that survived on the Ark)?Report
Take it back!
Gator is delicious!Report
I will not, based on disappointing personal experience.
I will, however, permit you to feed me gator at some point in the future, and keep an open mind that perhaps the gator I’ve consumed in the past was prepared sub-optimally.Report
You’re welcome to come down to NOLA any time. We’ll have a gator roast in City Park!Report
May I come? Gator be tasty.
I’ll bring some shrimps!Report
Of course. I’m thinking Leaguefest 2K16.Report
My university cafeteria tried to cook gator once for the Halloween supper. It was a noble attempt.Report
Per the Church, you can also eat beaver during Lent and have it count as fish.Report
…Report
Cracked enlightens.Report
QI has also mentioned it at least twice.Report
Blame the Jesuits, it’s their missionaries’ position.Report
Beaver tacos anyone?Report