March 16, 2023

During the season of Lent, Catholics (age 14 and older) are strongly encouraged to abstain from eating meat on Friday. This ancient penitential practice offers us the opportunity to eat a simple, inexpensive meal on each Friday of Lent. The money we save through this practice allows us to be more generous to our neighbors.

This year, Saint Patrick's Day (March 17) falls on a Friday in Lent. In Ireland, Australia, Canada, and the United States, it has become customary for church leaders to grant a 'dispensation' from the usual Lenten 'rules' on Saint Patrick's Day, allowing people to celebrate this important day in a festive way.

Church Law gives pastors the ability to grant this dispensation to members of a local parish community.

Since many parishioners of St. Mary's parish have contacted me to ask about this possibility in 2023, I hereby dispense the parishioners of St. Mary's from the obligation to abstain from meat on St. Patrick's Day this year. I encourage those who eat corned beef (or Scrapple!) that day to select another day of that week to abstain from meat and to support charities that provide food for the poor.

Sláinte!