In our community, even eating meat on Friday and women wearing head cover at church was considered a commandment of God....and of course the church. EdT
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Such old habits die hard. When the then Pope abolished the Friday abstinence in 1964, my Stevenage school went on providing a fish alternative on Fridays. "You know, John," I said to one boy, "you don't have to get that fish any more; The Pope has said it's OK to eat meat on Friday." ~~ "It isn't The Pope, Sir," he replied cheerfully; "it's my mum."