Bishop David Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay said Thursday that Catholics can eat meat on St. Patrick's Day, next Friday, March 17.
Usually, Catholics 14 and older cannot eat meat on Fridays during the Lenten season.
Catholics can eat meat on this St. Patrick's Day, and are encouraged to participate in another sacrifice or charitable act on that day, Bishop Ricken said.
In his decree, Bishop Ricken writes:
“Catholics are to be reminded of the obligatory days of fasting and abstinence that are important parts of the penitential season of Lent (Canon 1250-1252).
This year, The Feast of St. Patrick, which honors Ireland’s patron saint, falls on March 17, 2017, a Friday in Lent. Many St. Patrick’s Day celebrations occur on this day, honoring this faithful servant of Christ who converted thousands and built churches, forming dioceses across all of Ireland.
To honor his work of making disciples of Jesus and in accord with the norm of law (Canon 1253), I grant to all Catholics of the Diocese of Green Bay a dispensation from abstinence from meat and meat products on The Feast of St. Patrick in the year 2017. I encourage all who make use of this dispensation to engage in another sacrificial or charitable act that day.”
