St. Patrick's Day QUESTION from Kim March 12, 2000 I know this is probably a stupid question, but are we to abstain from meat on St. Patrick's Day? Should I wait for Saturday to make the corned beef? My conscience is telling me yes, but I'm not sure...
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on March 16, 2000 Dear Miss Kim:
I am WAY behind in answering questions due to illness and other matters, but I brought you question to the head of the list ahead of a bunch of others since St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow and your question is about St. Patrick's Day.
Your question is not dumb at all. Abstinence is lifted when a solemnity happens to fall on a day of abstinence. But St. Patrick's Day is NOT a solemnity in most countries.
The Feast of St. Patrick is an optional memorial on the universal Roman Calendar, so the law of abstinence STILL APPLIES for this Friday...unless....
If you live in Ireland, or in any other country or diocese that has St. Patrick's Day as a solemnity, then one can eat meat in celebration of the day.
Or, if your local bishop as lifted the abstinence requirement for St. Patrick's Day, then you may eat meat in celebration of St. Patrick. (Check with your local diocese on this).
Otherwise, St. Patrick's Day is an optional memorial and therefore not of sufficient ranking to cancel the abstinence requirement.
For information about st. Patrick, click here
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
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