Today is St. Patrick’s Day–and it’s a Friday during Lent. So the big question on everybody’s mind is: "Do we get to eat meat today?"
The answer is: It depends.
What it depends on is whether or not your bishop has dispensed everybody from the requirement of abstaining from meat.
St. Patrick’s Day is not a solemnity in the U.S. (though it is actually a holy day of obligation in Ireland, I recenlty learned–understandably since he was the single most important guy in the conversion of the Irish to the faith) and so it does not automatically override the abstinence requirement the way that solemnities do.
This means that your bishop has a choice of either doing nothing and letting the abstinence requirement stand or of dispensing folks so they can have corned beef with their cabbage (or whatever).
I know that the bishop of San Diego did dispense the requirement, and I’ve been told that the folks in New York City are similarly dispensed.
(BTW, for folks in other countries, y’all ought not to assume from this blog that you’re necessarily obligated to abstain. That’s U.S. practice on Fridays of Lent, but it’s not the practice everywhere. I recently got a new commentary on the Code of Canon Law that had an appendix with the particular legislation for other English-speaking countries, and I was startled to see how much variation there is on this point in other parts of the world. More on that another time.)
If you know what your bishop has done, you might want to share it in the combox so others won’t have to call the chancery and ask.
The Archdiocese of Boston (of which St. Patrick is the patron) is dispensed also.
Arch. Burke of St. Louis and Bishop Braxton of Bellville IL (east side of St. Louis) have both issued dispensations to allow folks to eat meat this Friday.
Arch. Burke asked that those who do so abstain from meat another day this week, and Bishop Braxton asked those to perform another act of penance, either this Friday or another day.
This article contains info on a couple of other dioceses as well.
I was startled to see how much variation there is on this point in other parts of the world.
Also note variations within the U.S. For example, Hawaii has fewer holy days than the mainland U.S.
Whispers in the Loggia posts an “indult scorecard” list regarding St. Patrick’s Day:
http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2006/03/indult-scorecard-master-list.html
The bishop of Cincinnati(OH) issued a dispensation ansda asked that another act of pennance be made today.
Bishop Loverde of Arlington issued a dispensation, with the requirement that we choose another day this week to abstain. (I guess that would have to be tomorrow, for those who didn’t do that already.)
Every Latin Rite diocesan bishop in Pennsylvania has granted a dispensation except Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.
Latin rite Catholics residing in the State of West Virginia are dispensed.
http://www.dwc.org/news/StPatricksDay06.shtml
Grand Rapids, MI has dispensed and asked that the we abstain another day.
Don’t keep people in suspense. Tell them what canonical commentary you just got.
BTW, for those who didn’t go to the dwc.org link, Bishop Bransfield has *encouraged* (not required) West Virginia Catholics to choose another day of abstinence if they take the dispensation.
We’re dispensed in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
The bishop of the Phoenix diocese (Bishop Olmsted) has also issued a dispensation and asked that another act of penance be made today.
St. Augustine (Fla.): dispensed with encouragement for alternate penance.
In Columbus, Ohio, the bishop requires a request from pastors for specific St. Patrick Day events for dispensation. Presumably, the dispensation would only apply for the duration of the event.
Diocese of Bridgeport had allowed for eating meat today, provided one works an act of penance (such as abstaining from meat) on any other day of the week.
Detroit, MI has been dispensed, but were encouraged to remember the reasons for abstaining and abstain voluntarily.
This is what Archbishop Burke said re today. It seems to imply that the dispensation is only for those attending official parish or other Catholic community functions.
“In light of the time-honored celebration of St. Patrick on his feast day by various parishes and groups within the Archdiocese of St. Louis, I am pleased to dispense, in accord with the norm of canon 87, §1, the just-mentioned parishes and groups, as well as the individual members of the faithful who participate in their celebrations, from the observance of Friday, March 17, 2006, as a day of abstinence from meat.
“I encourage the faithful for whom the dispensation applies to choose another weekday of the Second Week of Lent as a day of abstinence from meat, in substitution for the observance on Friday, March 17.”
Bishop Morlino of the diocese of Madison, WI has given a dispensation, although I think he did encourage an alternate penance. The same for Bishop Dolan of Milwaukee.
All bishops in the greater Washington, DC area (Archidioceses of Washington and Baltimore and the Dioceses of Arlington and Richmond) have granted dispensations, so long as one abstains on another day this week. (Tomorrow, perhaps, for those who haven’t already?)
A dispensation has been granted in the Diocese of Winona, MN.
Archbishop Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has dispensed the faithful of the obligation to abstain today; however, one must abstain on a different day of this week.
I thought that the dispensation only applied to meals taken in celebration of St. Patrick. So the corned beef and cabbage dinner might be okay, but the sausage mcmuffin would not be so.
[quote]
But the Rev. John Johnson, the pastor, was never worried. Had the archbishop failed to come through with the dispensation, Johnson simply would have issued one for his parish.
Still, he said he found it ironic that when he studied in Ireland, he never once was served corned beef.
“I like it, yeah. But I like leg of lamb much more,” he said. “Irish whiskey, too.”
[/quote]
Corned Beef is distinctly North American. The Irish tradition a century or more ago was boiled bacon – which was not available here for the immigrants. Corned Beef was cheap (at the time).
The bishop of Reno diocese has offered a dispensation as well, which apparently is irritating the folks in the diocese of Las Vegas because their bishop has not.
To my knowledge, the Diocese of Fargo (North Dakota) is not dispensed from the Lenten fast today. We don’t have a large Irish population, so I’m not surprised.
Looks like no general dispensation in the Dubuque, IA Archdiocese.
Corned Beef on St. Patrick’s Day?
Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB, is not issuing a general dispensation from the Church’s traditional regulation regarding abstinence from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. If individuals or groups feel they have a good reason to request a dispensation, they are to make the request either to the Archbishop or to the Regional Vicar. Pastors can also grant individual dispensations.
A dispensation request was received from the Ancient Order of Hiberniansin Cedar Rapids for a corned beef and cabbage dinner at the KC hall. The Archbishop granted the request.
The Bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock has issued a dispensation for all Catholics in Arkansas, asking them to abstain from meat on some other day during the remainder of Lent.
New Hampshire (Diocese of Manchester – Bishop McCormack) granted a dispensation for March 17th.
In the Diocese of Trenton (NJ), dispensation was granted by Bishop Smith provided (a) your local pastor also granted dispensation, and (b) you abstain from meat on one other day within that same week (e.g., Saturday, March 18th).
Here is a link to a newspaper article that mentions the dispensation (Apparently those in my heavily Irish parish were “gleeful” upon learning of the dispensation. No surprise there.):
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060317/NEWS/603170353
Diocese of Orange – From their website
The Dispensation for St. Patrick’s Day has been granted by Bishop Tod D. Brown. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated during Lent on Friday, March 17 this year. During Fridays of Lent we abstain from eating meat but if you wish to eat meat on the 17th, you may do so but abstain on another day of that week
“…I have decided to grant a general dispensation to Catholics in the Archdiocese from the requirement of abstinence on that day. However, I encourage all to mark the day with some form of special observance, such as prayer or almsgiving.”
Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn D.D.
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis(http://www.archspm.org/march1706.html)
Brand New Bishop Choby of Diocese of Nashville has issued the dispensation for celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
This all begs the question:
Does the dispensation apply to where you ARE or to what diocese you BELONG?
Can folks from non-dispensed dioceses travel to Nashville for the dispensation?
Diocese of Rockford (IL) has received the dispensation.
Even so, I will observe the traditional Lenten Fast and Abstinence. I don’t *have* to have corned-beef.
Bishop Patrick McGrath, native of Dublin, of the diocese of San Jose, CA has dispensed us for St. Patrick’s Day.
And I must ditto the non-Irish corned beef and cabbage. My father grew up in County Mayo before moving to Dublin, and emigrated to the States in the late 1950’s. He was just… puzzled when well-meaning people in New York kept offering to fix him corned beef and cabbage. Real Irish food would be more like stew, or lamb-barley soup, or shepherd’s pie or something.
Bishop Gregory Aymond of the Austin Diocese has NOT granted a dispensation. Nothing on the Diocese website, but the Austin-American Statesman newspaper has this article entitledScorned Beef. A quote:
This year, around 200 dioceses are getting a corned beef pass. Not the Diocese of Austin. Bishop Gregory Aymond (that would be a French surname) declined to give permission. “It is Lent,” he said, “and sacrifice is more important than some people’s understanding of how to celebrate St. Patrick’s feast day.”
And something that doesn’t surprise me, here’s what one Austin Catholic plans to do:
As an Irishman, James Heatley ordinarily would not eat corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day. That’s something American Irish do. As a vegetarian, he wouldn’t eat it on any other day. And as a Catholic, he certainly wouldn’t eat it on a Friday during Lent. But eat it today he will, because the bishop of Austin’s Catholic diocese has said he can’t. “We’re going to eat corned beef just to rebel,” said Heatley.
Bishop Thomas Wenski has issued the dispensation for the Diocese of Orlando (and Central Florida).
However, the condition is to either
a) abstain from meat on another day this week, or
b) do some other extra act of charity during the week, in lieu of abstaining from meat.
(BTW, Wenski rocks!)
We’re going to eat corned beef just to rebel,” said Heatley.
Wow. What a child.
As for DC, it was my understanding that we were to exchange one form of abstinence in lieu of not eating meat. For instance, I was going to give up coffee today, then I realized I’m not Irish and don’t particularly care for corned beef and cabbage, so I’ll just stick to not eating any meat.
Bishop Vigneron of the Diocese of Oakland did not dispense with the obligation to abstain from meat.
He did, however, remind the priests in the diocese that they can issue dispensations for individual situations (that may or may not apply to large groups).
The Archdiocese of Atlanta has a general dispensation. Archbishop Gregory has asked that all who partake of meat today perform additional penance.
Dispensation in Rochester NY (yeah, I know, Dissidentville) with encouragement of “some other form of penitential act, such as abstaining from meat another day that week.”
For those who strongly identify with their Irish ancestry, the dispensation is an act of charity. It should be simply a matter of common sense for a person to decide whether or not to use the dispensation.
Sorry about the anon post from Rochester. I keep forgetting to check the box so I don’t have to sign each time.
Archdiocese of Santa Fe: Archbishop Sheehan has granted a dispensation only if you are attending the Brother’s of the Good Shepherd Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner tonight at the Conven. Center in downtown Albuquerque.
Dispensation in Rochester NY (yeah, I know, Dissidentville)…
true that… =p
just an fyi for st. louis. taken from KTVI website, see below:
But as a way to celebrate the great saint, Archbishop Raymond Burke granted a dispensation allowing Catholics to eat meat on St. Patrick’s Day.But there was some confusion when the St. Louis Review reported last week that the dispensation would apply only if you attended a parish event at which permission has been granted to serve meat, but that was a mistake.
Again, Catholics are allowed to eat meat and you can eat it anywhere but you are asked to abstain from meat another day this week.
Bishop Moynihan has dispensed the Diocese of Syracuse, but suggests you move the day of abstinence to another day (I did Tuesday, so I can have my corned beef and cabbage with Guiness tonight :))
“We’re going to eat corned beef just to rebel,” said Heatley.
When I see Heatly in purgatory, I’ll ask him how many extra hundred years that bought him. 🙂
Dallas has granted the dispensation, but since I had braces put on my teeth Monday, I haven’t eaten meat since last Saturday (I’ve given up meat for Lent :). A friend of mine, unaware Dallas had granted the dispensation, fixed her corned beef and cabbage yesterday.
Why is it so hard to make a sacrifice on one day , why does the Catholic Church have to bend to the want’s of any group ?
I’m not Irish , Italian and can celebrate with a big St. Josephs day feast on Sunday. I do however enjoy St. Patty’s day and could go for some corned beef and cabbage.
My little opinion is this :
St. Patrick is a Saint because he gave in to the will of God and not the will of man and the BEST way you can observe St. Patrick’s day is to OBEY the rules of the Catholic Church set forth by Christ himself !
Seek ye First the Kingdom of God and not the Corned beef Brisket.
Fish and Chips for me please !
and an applause for Bishop Pepe of Las Vegas who didn’t give a dispensation , thanks for keeping sin city on the straight and narrow.
Whatever. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!
Bp. Jackels issued a dispensation for the Diocese of Wichita.
“Respecting the memory of St. Patrick and the missionary spirit that his disciples brought to this country, and this diocese, and honoring the long-standing tradition of some respite to this season of penitence to celebrate his memory, Bishop Jackels hereby dispenses all the faithful within the Diocese of Wichita from the Lenten obligation of abstinence from emat on Friday, March 17. We thank all the Irish Priests, Sisters, and faithful who have served and are serving the Diocese of Wichita, and our prayers are with all of Irish descent.”
I agree with Jami.
Considering that I never intended to eat meat yesterday, I still had to dodge the typical “soft anti-Catholic” comments in staff meetings where I had no chance to reply with aplomb. Here is the set-up:
Next Friday, my office is having a luncheon burger burn. I turn to the person setting (“coworker A”)it up and asked him to provide an alternative for a meatless alternative. My boss said no, if you don’t want burgers, you have to provide it yourself. Coworker B then chimed in with “Well, Catholics can eat meat today.” before I could explain the variability between dioceases, coworker A brought out his standard “I gave up being Catholic for Lent” joke.
Fortunately, I had another obligation that forced me to leave before I went off on someone.
Sure, I have some issues I have to settle soon, but the bishops sure did me no favors.
In Christ,
Jami –
“St. Patrick is a Saint because he gave in to the will of God and not the will of man and the BEST way you can observe St. Patrick’s day is to OBEY the rules of the Catholic Church set forth by Christ himself !”
Okay, first of all, christ never instituted any meatless Friday. That authority He gives to the shepherds of His flock, the bishops.
If the Bishop grants a dispensation, then nobody is being disobedient who chooses to eat meat on that day.
My wife and I went meatless just the same, but I certainly will not accuse anyone of being lax in their faith when they have a dispensation from the Bish.
I have my own moral laxity to worry about.
It also isn’t necessary to see the dispensation as the result of giving in to pressure from any group. Maybe the Bishop was moved from genuine charity to allow feasting on that day, being that is was the Feast of St. Patrick.
It’s all Catholic, man.
In the words of St. Paul – “He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.”
“…christ never instituted any meatless Friday.”
Sorry, that should be “Christ”.
“…christ never instituted any meatless Friday.”
No, he did not. However, on the day he died, he had nothing to eat or drink, as far as we know, except vinegar.
So, as he himself said of his disciples, “On the day the bridegroom is taken away … then they will fast.”
That day is Friday. Then we do without.
I wholly agree, Father.
My point was to not be too hasty about assigning guilt to those who, with the permission of their bishop, chose to eat meat on St. Patricks day.
I, myself, did not, but I don’t think we can judge those who did.
St. Patrick obeyed the Church, so far as we know. He was Irish, but wasn’t proud enough of being Irish so as to disobey Church precepts or find excuses to get around them.
As cool as it is for a country to get all riled up over a saint, if that were what is actually *happening*, the feast day today has everything to do with “being Irish” and nothing to do with St. Patrick.
Actually, St. Patrick wasn’t Irish; he was a Briton.
“…the feast day today has everythiing to do with ‘being Irish’ and nothing to do with St. Patrick.” How wrong you are!
Karen, I’m not sure you entirely understand what St. Patrick means to the Irish. And this isn’t about “finding excuses”. For me, it was about accepting a thoughtful gift from my bishop (who is awsome, btw) which allowed me to honor good St. Patrick in style.
That’s good to hear. I’m happy to be wrong about some people. It’s just that I grew up with yearly St. Patrick’s Day parties and don’t remember Catholicism having anything to do with it. It didn’t seem like anyone was honoring a saint at all. :-/
Many of us Catholics of Irish descent began St. Patrick’s Day by attending Mass. Cardinal Egan said that St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City was filled to capacity for his Mass, with hundreds more unable to get in (and St. Patrick’s holds over 3000!).
“A house without Faith is NOT an Irish home”–(Old Irish saying).
In Canada there are two days when we are asked to fast and to abstain….Ash Wednesday and Good Friday…for years now meat has been allowed on Friday averywhere in the country.Our bishops act as one. It seems to me the US bishops ought to do the same..If one was on the ‘border’ of a diocese that allowed meat..well ‘Cross over the Line’..I think it is so much nonesense and makes a laughing stock of fasting and penance.