Baton Rouge-area Catholics can eat meat Friday for St. Patrick's Day, bishop says

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In observation of St. Patrick's Day, Diocese of Baton Rouge Bishop Robert Muench has granted a special dispensation, permitting Catholics to eat meat, the diocese announced Wednesday.

“Given the number of Catholics in the Diocese of Baton Rouge who annually celebrate St. Patrick’s Feast Day (March 17), which this year falls on a Friday, a dispensation from the Friday Lenten abstinence from meat is hereby granted. Those who choose to accept this dispensation are strongly encouraged to make another act of penance or charity that day," Muench said in a statement.

As a sacrifice during Lent, Catholics traditionally abstain from eating meat on Fridays.

In New Orleans, Archbishop Gregory Aymond granted a similar dispensation last week. He asked Catholics who choose to eat meat on St. Patrick's Day to pick another day to abstain or perform an act of penance that is a greater sacrifice.

According to the Catholic News Agency, the last time St. Patrick's Day fell on a Friday was in 2006, when about half of the United States’ 179 Roman Catholic dioceses granted some form of dispensation. More than 80 dioceses have reportedly announced some form of dispensation on St. Patrick’s Day this year.

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