During Lent, Catholics are called to abstain from eating meat; what is Lent like if you are Catholic and vegan?
KellyAnn Carpentier, 45, a historian and writer from New Haven, Connecticut, and Kailtin Essig, 25, a manager of a coffee shop in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, are both Catholic vegans. In an interview with CNA, they shared their experiences of being a Catholic while following a vegan lifestyle.
A Vegan diet in means the individual will abstain from eating any animal products. This means they do not eat meat, eggs, dairy products, or any other products of animal origin. Essentially, they follow a plant-based diet. So how do they practice abstaining during Lent?
“I was advised that I should take supplements if necessary to ensure that I am maintaining proper nutritional levels and that I should ensure that I consume enough of the appropriate [vegan] proteins,” Carpentier said about advice she received from a priest.
She added: “As for fasting, I should not attempt to exceed what my body can handle. If, at any time, I become the slightest bit unwell during a [food-oriented] fast, I need to stop immediately and fast from something else.”
“Essentially, I do away with luxuries for the duration of Lent,” Carpentier said.
“There are a plethora of vegan versions of mainstream items such as baked goods and ice cream. I abstain from these types of items all together, which is quite penitential given my sweet tooth,” she explained.
“It requires you to be very disciplined and intentional not to seek out such items or to have the luxury of a cup of [vegan] hot cocoa.”
Essig said that she abstains from “mock meats.”
Mock meats are alternative meat options, mostly created from plant based proteins the real deal in taste, colour and texture.
“I feel it is comparable to what Fridays were like before I was vegan,” she said. “Since mock meats are a treat and not a staple in my diet, I usually also abstain from all drinks except water so that I actually notice something is missing.”
Monastic orders such as the Carthusians and Cistercians follow a pescatarian diet, while Carmelites follow a vegetarian diet.
While there are no official Church teachings on veganism, there are certain religious communities that will follow something similar to veganism as part of their way of life or during penitential seasons.
Essig shared her experience being teased at times or receiving negative remarks, while Carpentier has received comments from people that it is “extreme, radical, unnecessary, irrational, and something that they would never do.”