St. Patrick&#039;s Day Dispensation issued by Bishop Stika

St. Patrick's Day Dispensation issued by Bishop Stika

During the Lenten season, certain feasts occur which the liturgy or local custom traditionally exempts from the Lenten spirit of penance. 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 convivial celebration for many American Catholics. Therefore, Bishop Stika has issued a dispensation decree stating: “On Friday, March 17, 2023, all Catholics of the Diocese of Knoxville, by my authority, are dispensed from the abstinence obligation (can. 87 §1). It is not required that anyone make use of this dispensation. Those who do wish to make use of it are encouraged to abstain from meat on some other day as part of their penitential practices and to engage in some additional act of prayer, service to the poor or almsgiving.”