BATON ROUGE – Going along with neighboring dioceses, the bishop here granted dispensation to Catholics who wish to eat meat as part of traditional feasts on St. Patrick's Day – Friday.
Catholics abstain from eating meat on the Fridays of Lent. It puts the religious at odds with tradition on the rare occurrence that St. Patrick's Day is also a Friday. Among the dishes usually prepared on the feast of the “Apostle of Ireland” are corned beef and shepherd's pie along with cabbage.
"Those who choose to accept this dispensation are strongly encouraged to make another act of penance or charity that day," Bishop Muench said.
Bishops in the predominately Catholic communities of New Orleans and Lafayette have also granted dispensation for people wanting to eat meat on Friday.