Friday, February 24, 2006

American Catholics and St. Patrick's Day

I haven't been in America long enough to take St. Patrick's Day seriously. I noticed American Catholics really love the festives associated with this day. This year St. Patrick's Day is on a Friday during Lent. So, Bishop Kmiec, bishop of Diocese of Buffalo has granted an exception to the Irish-American Catholics in Buffalo:

Danny Boy, please pass the cabbage. And don't forget the corned beef.

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec said it is OK to indulge in the traditional St. Patrick's Day meal - meat included - even though this year the Irish holiday is on a Friday during Lent.

Kmiec, the Diocese of Buffalo's first Polish-American bishop, granted a "general dispensation" to all Catholics from the duty to abstain from meat on March 17, St. Patrick's Day.

Normally, Catholics older than 14 are expected to avoid eating meat on Fridays during Lent, the six-week Christian season leading up to Easter.

Read more...

Does that mean we too can eat meat on St. Patrick's Day? Just joking. I can always find something to eat on Fridays during Lent.


© Mark M. Hancock

6 comments:

Liam said...

It's funny how St Patrick's Day falls in lent. We Irish-Americans are usually both very Irish and very Catholic, so it's nice to have a dispensation.

When I was a kid, we weren't great fish eaters. My mother never knew what to do at lent. We would have fish sticks one week, halibut the next. Fish sticks then, and the next week, halibut. My mother would be very relieved when Easter rolled around (although now she makes a number of exquisite seafood dishes).

Fayrouz said...

We were fish eaters. I think it has to do with living in Basra where you can get fresh fish every day. We had fish every Lenten Friday. I can't ever get enough of it.

Liam said...

My girlfriend, who is from Liberia, has promised me fish African-style. I've already had her fantastic fish stew. I'm afraid this Lent won't be penetential enough.

Fayrouz said...

Maskuf is the most famous fish recipe in Iraq. I posted the recipe here. I'd like to know about fish African-style.

I like grilled fish -- my mom's speciality. Basrawis use curry and other spices in many of their recipes. You guesss it, my favorite fish recipe is fish with curry sauce. I had a leftover from yesterday. I had it for breakfast this morning.

markfromireland said...

I'm sorry Fayrouz I just can't resist this :-)

"In my capacity as somebody who really is an Irish Catholic I hereby declare grant authorise and dispense that on every March 17th Fay Bayrouz is to be waited on hand and foot. She is to eat what she likes, drink what she likes, and somebody else is to do the dishes. Moreover if anybody even raises an eyebrow Fayrouz is to let me know and I'll raise the air fare for an Irish bishop to go "over there" and shake a crozier threateningly at them."

I think that just about covers all eventualities don't you? :-)

mfi

Fayrouz said...

Mark,

I need to show this to my husband (another Mark). The part about assigning someone else to do the dishes is GREAT.

OK, I have to try green beer this year.