When Chicken, Then Chicken!

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A story is told about St. Teresa of Avila, celebrating the birthday of one of her sisters. So the sisters prepared to cook chicken for dinner. The dining hall appeared festive and the smell of the roosted chicken suffused the air. In the Middle Ages, birthdays were occasions for great celebrations. However, as the tables were ready, various food laid out for all to see, a news came out of the blue that the Holy Father ordered that day a special day of fasting for a certain papal intentions for peace on earth. Everyone looked bewildered for fasting means they had to forego with the roosted chicken. Everyone in the dining hall looked at the Mother Superior, Teresa, who rose from her chair and solemnly proclaim, “When chicken, then chicken!” Everyone had her fill during that day, enjoying the birthday bash - a clear defiance of the pope’s directive. There is a known rule of thumb in canon law which stipulates that in the event that universal law (eg. Papal directive) and local laws (eg. Birthday party) collide, the latter takes precedence. This is St. Teresa’s contribution to the law of the church. Every local celebration supersedes any universal celebrations. Photo Credits: Pixabay