What Saint Patrick's Day on a Lenten Friday Means for Catholics | EWTN News Nightly

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Today's memorial of Saint Patrick falls on a Lenten Friday. What does that mean for Catholics who want to feast on a day we are traditionally called to fast? EWTN News Contributor, Catherine Hadro, reports on the "Meat of the Matter." Many U.S. Bishops have issued dispensations for their dioceses, so the faithful can enjoy corned beef today instead of the Friday fish fry. But, there are other U.S. bishops who have opted to keep the day of abstinence from meat in place, including Bishop William Wack of the Pensacola-Tallahassee Diocese. He shares, "This is a small thing that we can do to abstain from meat on six Fridays in Lent -- plus Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It's really not a lot." This is the first time that Bishop Wack - who is of Irish heritage himself - had to discern this decision. He points out that dispensations were traditionally an act of mercy issued during a time when Lenten practices were more strict. Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, who did issue a dispensation for his diocese declared that if you were in his diocese and either attended Mass on Saint Patrick's Day, prayed the Rosary for the intention of peace in the world, or spent half an hour before the Blessed Sacrament, then, yes, you could eat meat that day. Our news partners at The National Catholic Register have created a map tracking the different bishop's dispensations, so you can check on the specific details within your own diocese. Don't miss out on the latest news and analysis from a Catholic perspective. Get EWTN News Nightly delivered to your email: https://ewtn.com/enn EWTN News Nightly provides the latest news and analysis from a Catholic perspective. Join host Tracy Sabol, our Capitol Hill, White House and Rome Correspondents, as well as many other diverse guests daily, to get the latest from the U.S. and the Vatican on topics regarding our Catholic faith and interests. ------------- EWTN News Nightly airs on EWTN weekdays at 6pm & 9pm ET. ------------ Don't miss an episode of EWTN New Nightly. Get updates here: https://www.ewtn.com/tv/shows/ewtn-news-nightly ------------- Sign up today to receive the EWTN News Nightly newsletter: https://www.ewtn.com/enn ------------- Follow EWTN News Nightly on Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ewtnnewsnightly Twitter: https://twitter.com/EWTNNewsNightly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ewtnnewsnightly/ ------------- Subscribe to EWTN YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/EWTN ------------- You can support the EWTN News mission: https://bit.ly/3qDR1qf