# Dispensation for St. Patrick's Day! YAY! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 8, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548 "2006-03-08T16:00:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/1 "2006-03-08T16:00:12Z")
[Bishop grants St Patty’s dispensation.](http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16259991&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=415898&rfi=6) Something about an Italian Bishop telling a bunch of Irish Catholics that it’s OK to eat meat on a Lenten Friday makes me suspicious. He better not be trying to keep us out of heaven. Similar dispensations in your area? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/2 "2006-03-08T16:35:40Z")
[Lansing’s Bishop Mengeling](http://www.dioceseoflansing.org/index.cfm/NewsItem?id=167604&From=Home) has given similar dispensation. However, he urges: > [@](#): > > Moreover, I urge the faithful, for whom the dispensation applies, to choose another weekday of the Second Week of Lent as a day of abstinence from meat, in substitution for the observance on Friday, March 17. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/3 "2006-03-08T16:41:45Z")
This frequently happens with St. Patrick’s day falls on a Friday. A dispensation is proclaimed, and the faithful are urged to abstain on another day. And don’t think that it’s just the Irish Catholics who enjoy corned beef. My father’s parents, who were Sicilian immigrants, learned to love corned beef and cabbage, too, from their Irish neighbors. Grandma Bodoni was always swapping recipes with everyone, she didn’t care what their ethnic background was. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/4 "2006-03-08T17:11:41Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > And don’t think that it’s just the Irish Catholics who enjoy corned beef. A few years ago, my grandfather, an 80 year old (at the time) transplanted Louisiana Cajun, was in the mood for some good corned beef and cabbage, which is sold everywhere here on Parade Day. Despite the numerous Irish bars and restaraunts in the area, they went to a restaraunt called “A Slice of Italy.” 😕 The food came out, my grandfather had a bite, and said "Well, I guess that’s what I get for coming to a pizza joint for corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day. " 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/5 "2006-03-12T00:17:27Z")
The feast of Saint Patrick is celebrated as a solemnity throughout Australia so no dispensation is required. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/6 "2006-03-12T00:24:27Z")
Which reminds me. I need to pick up a corned beef, some cabbage and some potatoes. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/7 "2006-03-12T01:25:53Z")
**MsRobyn** , do you get flat cut or point cut? I go with what’s cheaper, which is usually point cut. Is there a big difference? I’m the only one in the house who eats it, so I’m fine with the cheap, but if flat cut is markedly better, I’ll grab a small one of those. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/8 "2006-03-12T01:34:09Z")
Wasn’t there a big flap a few years ago when a bishop in a largely Irish Catholic city (was it Boston?) refused a dispensation for St. Paddy’s Day? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/9 "2006-03-12T01:47:09Z")
Ya know, this is why I love the Catholics! I’ve actually thought of becoming a Catholic and less frequently Eastern Orthodox. If I were to do the Christian thing I’d definitely become Catholic, They got the history and the original formula (I also like incense and ritual). ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/10 "2006-03-12T02:30:12Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Wasn’t there a big flap a few years ago when a bishop in a largely Irish Catholic city (was it Boston?) refused a dispensation for St. Paddy’s Day? It was Boston. Opening Day at Fenway fell on Good Friday last year (year before that, maybe). Fenway Franks contain at least a trace amount of meat. The Bishop refused dispensation to allow fans to eat meat (including the hot dogs sold at the ballpark) that day. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/11 "2006-03-14T21:08:51Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > **MsRobyn** , do you get flat cut or point cut? I go with what’s cheaper, which is usually point cut. Is there a big difference? I’m the only one in the house who eats it, so I’m fine with the cheap, but if flat cut is markedly better, I’ll grab a small one of those. I got flat cut only because that’s all the supermarket had. I can’t believe there aren’t more Irish Catholics where I live. (Although it was on special for 99 cents a pound, so it was a good deal.) Robin ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/12 "2006-03-14T21:15:48Z")
Bishop Anthony Pilla of Cleveland, Ohio announced a dispensation here, too. Makes no difference to me - I’m not Catholic. ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/13 "2006-03-14T21:35:48Z")
Hmm, all this is most intriguing. As far as my knowledge of Catholics in England & Wales goes (and I have been a Catholic in either England or Wales for most of my 46 years), nobody refrains from eating meat on a Friday any more, whether during Lent or indeed at any other time of the year. Apparently, the English bishops managed to “abolish” compulsory Friday abstinence as long ago as 1967. The only time we are not supposed to eat meat these days is on the remaining two designated days of fasting & abstinence, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/14 "2006-03-14T21:52:48Z")
[George Carlin] THIS LAW IS ETERNAL! Except for this weekend… [/GC] ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/15 "2006-03-14T22:56:11Z")
> [@seosamh](#): > > Apparently, the English bishops managed to “abolish” compulsory Friday abstinence as long ago as 1967. I expect that what the bishops did was to expand the number of options available to Catholics to perform their Friday penance. So abstaining from meat simply became one of many options, including going without something else; additional prayers; attending daily mass etc. I’d be surprised if the requirement to do \*some form \* of penance on Fridays during Lent wasn’t still in place in the dioceses of England and Wales. ---
**Author:** ![Mouse\_Maven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Mouse\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mouse_Maven)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/16 "2006-03-14T23:01:43Z")
> [@\*\*usar\_jag\*\* \[George Carlin](#): > > THIS LAW IS ETERNAL! Except for this weekend… [/GC] **usar\_jag** you made my day! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dispensation-for-st-patricks-day-yay/347548/17 "2006-03-15T00:48:21Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Wasn’t there a big flap a few years ago when a bishop in a largely Irish Catholic city (was it Boston?) refused a dispensation for St. Paddy’s Day? It happened here in Rochester a few years back, too.