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As a Catholic, is it OK if I drink beer or wine . . . at least
moderately?
Francisco
{
As a Catholic, is it OK if I drink beer or wine . . . at least
moderately? }
John replied:
Hi, Francisco —
Thanks for your question.
Assuming someone isn't an alcoholic: drinking:
beer
wine
a mixed drink
or even hard liquor
is permissible, if one is drinking it like food stuff.
In other words, your drinking cold beer to cool off or your enjoying a
shot of single malt whiskey or other liquor because you like the taste;
the same goes for wine. It's perfectly fine to have a glass of wine, especially
with dinner.
That said, the Scriptures (in several places) warn us to be sober so when
drinking anything that can potentially intoxicate us (Proverbs 20:1, Ecclesiasticus 31:27ff, Luke 21:34, Romans 13:13, Ephesians 5:15-20, Galatians 5:21) we must use caution.
It's also important not to drink such beverages with the intention of
getting drunk or even for the sole purpose of catching a buzz or altering
one's mood.
When doing so, one is already getting close to a line, one wants to avoid
crossing. So when you say,
Is it OK to drink moderately?
That really depends on
what is meant by moderately.
If you mean is it OK for a Catholic to drink to catch a buzz, alter one's
mood, or unwind,
I would say it's probably not wise.
Drinking to get drunk is obviously
wrong, but
drinking to enjoy the flavor of a cold beer, a glass of wine
with dinner, etc. is permissible.
If one happens to over do it by accident, then one should make note of
their limit for the next time.
John
Eric replied:
John,
But doesn't Scripture speak of wine as gladdening man's heart in
a positive way?
(Psalm 104:14-15)
Isn't that a change in mood?
The line I usually use is whether you're drinking to avoid problems or
drown your sorrows or not.
In my personal opinion I'm not convinced that
drinking a drink or two, to relax or gladden your heart at
the end of the day (and you like the taste) is necessarily wrong, although
you have to be careful that it doesn't cross into drowning your sorrows.
The definition of drunkenness I've heard is if you've drunk so much that
you're judgment is altered — meaning you're doing things you wouldn't
do sober — then you're drunk.
I'm not sure this is a separate question
from whether you're drinking with alcoholic intent.
Eric
Paul replied:
Francisco —
Just to throw in my one cent on the matter, I always simply thought that drinking is fine but getting drunk is not. The Catechism seems to see it akin the gambling — it's okay to indulge for enjoyment but don't abuse it.
2290 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others' safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.
Perhaps the miracle at Cana might give us a hint as to Christ's attitude, as He changed all of those gallons of water into wine — probably knowing it would be imbibed by celebrating people, not only to wash down their meal.
Paul
Mike replied:
Francisco,
Some may be confused that some Scripture passages discourage drinking (John's reply) while some approve of it (Eric's reply). These Scripture passages were taken from my Scripture Passages web page and should help distinguish between the two types of drinking.
