Eating corned beef on St. Patrick's Day OK for Lent: Archdiocese of Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Catholics have been granted permission to eat meat on St. Patrick's Day even though the holiday falls on a Friday in Lent, Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Perez said.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced Thursday the archbishop has exempted Roman Catholics from the obligation to abstain from eating meat on St. Patrick's Day, which falls on a Friday this year.
Catholics are obligated to not consume meat on Fridays during Lent, per the Catholic Bishops of the United States order.
However, in certain coincidental circumstances -- such as St. Patrick's Day falling on a Friday in Lent -- the Diocesan Bishop has the authority to grant allowance from the Catholic obligation.
"If a Catholic makes the choice not to abstain from meat, then some other penance of choice is to be observed in honor of the passion and death of our Lord on the cross," the Archdiocese's said in a statement.
