HOUSTON – Houston-area Catholics may eat meat on a Friday during Lent, as it is St. Patrick’s Day on March 17.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo issued this statement on The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston website on March 3, reading in part:
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“This year, the Memorial of Saint Patrick falls on Friday, March 17. It is well known that Saint Patrick’s Day is a day of friendly social celebration for many American Catholics.
“I, therefore, decree that on Friday, March 17, 2023, all Catholics of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, no matter where they may be, and all other Catholics present in the Archdiocese on that day, are, by my authority, dispensed from the obligation to abstain from meat (Code of Canon Law, can. 87 § 1).
“While it is not required that anyone make use of this dispensation, those who do wish to make use of it are encouraged to do an extra act of charity or penance in exchange for eating meat on that day.”
You can read the cardinal’s full statement here.
Lent is traditionally the period of observance for Christians that begins on Ash Wednesday -- six and a half weeks before Easter -- providing a 40-day period for fasting and abstinence in imitation of Jesus Christ’s fasting in the wilderness before he began his public ministry.
During this time, Catholics and other Christians choose to give up specific pleasures, such as sweets, alcohol, or social media, as a way to foster simplicity and self-control, using their cravings or desires for these items as a reminder to pray and to refocus on spiritual matters. (Here’s more if you’re so inclined to take a deep dive into Lent and its history.)
The decision is a short departure from the Lenten tradition, as DiNardo outlined in his statement, and kept by the Bishops of the United States.
If you do plan to continue to abstain from eating meat, there are plenty of tasty options in the Houston area that plan to serve traditional Lenten fare throughout the season on Fridays.
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