I've been a Catholic all my life. I'm glad the Second Vatican Councile did away with most of the leagalism the Catholic Church suffered through. As shown in Blackcatter's post, the laws are still there - although greatly relaxed - but there is no longer an air of legalism that demands strict adherence to rules like this.
I never bothered much with the rules, anyhow...most of them were gone before I became an adult.
I miss the no-meat-on-Friday rule, though - it was a great excuse for churches to have Friday night fish frys (with beer, since prohibition has never been a Papist practice).
The idea of "giving something up for Lent" was something of one's own choosing, beyond what was required by tle now-relaxed laws of fast and abstinence.
One other, major change - they no longer tell you you'll go to hell for breaking the rules of fast and abstinence.
-Joe Offer-