Can Catholics eat meat on St. Patrick's Day? The Columbus diocese says to do this first
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St. Patrick's Day is associated with a few iconic foods — corned beef, colcannon and soda bread — but if the day falls on a Friday in Lent, can Catholics eat meat?
It's complicated and depends on where you are, but the Diocese of Columbus says Catholics can if they do something first.
St. Patrick's Day, which Roman Catholics celebrate on March 17, takes place during the season of Lent, where Catholics are expected to abstain from meat on Fridays. St. Patrick of Ireland, a fifth-century bishop and patron saint of Ireland, is one of the most widely known and popularly celebrated saints in the world, especially in Ireland and the United States.
For the first time since 2017 the holiday falls on a Friday, and diocesan bishops in The United States may choose to give the faithful a "dispensation" from the obligation to avoid meat.
What the Diocese of Columbus says you should do if you want to eat meat
Columbus Bishop Earl Fernandes said in a statement that Catholics should do any one of the following things if they want to enjoy corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day:
Make a pilgrimage or visit any church in the Diocese of Columbus named in honor of St. Patrick. (There are churches in Columbus, London and Junction City.)
Assist at Mass at any church, chapel or oratory on March 17.
Pray the “Breastplate of Saint Patrick,” a prayer attributed to St. Patrick.
Engage in a "pious devotion" such as the rosary, the stations of the cross or eucharistic adoration.
Perform an act of comparable penance (such as abstinence from meat) on some other occasion during the third week of Lent, ending March 18.
The dispensation applies to Catholics in the Columbus area and any faithful visitors or travelers who may be within the territory of this diocese.
What about neighboring dioceses?
In Ohio, the dioceses of Toledo, Cleveland, Youngstown and Steubenville are all offering dispensations for St. Patrick's Day, permitting that those who choose to celebrate select another day to abstain for meat or do something positive for the community, according to the Catholic News Agency.
In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, however, an individual or family desiring a dispensation from the obligation of abstaining from meat on a Friday should ask their pastor to make the request to the archbishop on their behalf. Archbishop Dennis Schnurr has stated that he will honor the request of a pastor in regards, a spokesperson for the diocese said.
This article has been amended to correct the language about the process for receiving a dispensation in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Can Catholics eat meat on St. Patrick's Day?
