NEW YORK — For the first time in six years, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday in Lent, and many local church leaders have chosen to give Catholics a day off to abstain from eating meat .
Originating on Saint Patrick’s Day, the holiday falls on March 17 each year, which is believed to be the day Ireland’s patron saint dies. Beyond the religious significance, the holiday is best known for its parties, parades, and recognition of all things Irish, including cabbage, corned beef, and beer.
So how are Catholics supposed to reconcile holiday traditions with their Lenten obligations?
According to countless dioceses across the country, including New York, corned beef is winning this year.
What have New York’s dioceses said about meat consumption on St. Patrick’s Day 2023?
Earlier this month, the Archdiocese of New York, which includes Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island and seven neighboring counties, announced a special dispensation for eating meat on St. Patrick’s Day on Friday.
Bishop Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn followed with his own dispensation on Wednesday. His diocese also includes Queens.
The dioceses of Buffalo, Ogdensburg, Rochester, Rockville Center and Syracuse offered their own waivers, with advice ranging from replacing on a different day to abstaining from meat or performing an additional charitable act. The Diocese of Albany is the only diocese in the state that has not yet issued a dispensation.
Canon law points to an aloof explanation. According to America Magazine, if Saint Patrick is the patron saint of a diocese, as he is in New York, Boston, Los Angeles and others, his feast day is considered a solemnity, taking precedence over the tradition of abstaining of meat.
Despite having one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and a large Irish population, Chicago is not among the dioceses that claim St. Patrick as their patron saint.
When was the last time St. Patrick’s Day fell on a Friday?
It’s been six years since St. Patrick’s Day fell on a Friday, so it’s easy to forget, but the upcoming dispensation isn’t all that groundbreaking.
In 2017, at least 80 of nearly 200 dioceses across the country gave the green light to enjoy corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day on a Lenten Friday, according to Time magazine.
Among those in the tri-state area who supported a waiver in 2017 were New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and the Diocese of New York, Brooklyn, Rockville Center and Newark.