Rev Fr Lawrence olumide Ogundipe SDV is a catholic priest of the Society of Divine Vocations (The Vocationist ). He was the last Delegate Superior of the Nigeria Vocationist Delegation, a lecturer of Mass Communication in Grajos college of Communication and information technology in affiliation with Estam University Cotonou, also a lecturer in School of Pastoral and Religious Education Dominican Institute, Samonda Ibadan. And the Rector of Vocationist International School for formators. currently he is the vicar for religious in the Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan and general councilor for formation of the Nigerian Vocationist Quasi Province. Fr Lawrence has authored fifteen books, and a lot of articles online.
One of the traditional acts of Christmas is to abstain from meat on Christmas Eve, 24th December. I could still remember the temptation from the aroma of the fried chicken from my Mama Lucy's kitchen when I was 7 years old. I asked her for a bite and she shouted “Agbedo" meaning never!!! “Why grandma?” I asked, she took me by hands to the Church manger and showed me the animals in the crib: “Yes, Olu, we cannot eat meat on Christmas Eve because the animals were the ones who kept Jesus company at his birth, so we must respect them today''. “Waoo!” I exclaimed, “So that's why I cannot eat meat today...” I held unto this tradition until I entered Seminary only for us to eat plenty meat on the Christmas Eve. Then I asked: “Why are we not respecting the animals today?” And my brothers laughed at my ignorance. Why then should grandma stop me from eating meat? According to Wikipedia, the Catholic Church historically observes the disciplines of fasting and abstinence a...

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