Catholics in Boston can eat corned beef this St. Patrick's Day, Archdiocese says
BOSTON - The Archdiocese of Boston is weighing in on a unique dilemma for Catholics this St. Patrick's Day.
The holiday falls on a Friday during Lent - a day when Catholics are not supposed to eat meat. But St. Patrick is the Boston Archdiocese's patron saint, and a spokesman for the church said there have been a few calls asking if an exception can be made for the traditional feast of corned beef and cabbage.
"Given the importance of this feast in the life of the Archdiocese and in the lives of many Catholics, Cardinal Seán is granting a dispensation from the Friday Lenten abstinence on March 17, 2023, to those who wish to take advantage of this opportunity," the archdiocese said in a message to parishes. "This is a one day only dispensation."
The city is set to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this Sunday with a longer parade that returns to its pre-pandemic route in South Boston.