Steven Merten:
Why is St. Patrick’s day during lent? We know that St. Patrick, an Irish man, looking down from heaven, would want us to drink some green beer to celibrate his day.
The Feast of a Saint usually falls on the day of their death. In the case of St. Patrick that would be either March 8th or the 9th, depending on how it is marked.
God decided to bring St. Patrick home during at time that would always fall during Lent, so who is the Church to argue with that?
The Bishops of some diocese, such as Detroit, are offering a dispensation, usually under the qualification that one will commit to abstaining on another day (my wife and I will abstain next Wed)
Other diocese, particularly those that have St. Patrick as their diocese Patron raise the Feast to be a Solemnity. In that case, the Feast is raised to being a Solemnity, which is outside of Lent. No commitment to abstain on another day is required.
The Feast of St. Patrick is a Solemnity in Ireland and a Holy Day of Obligation.
Could’nt we have celibrated an Italian, German or English saint’s day during lent and celibrated St. Patricks day in a part of the year when we were not fasting
There are certainly other Saints that we celebrate on. The Feast of St. Joseph, for example is ALWAYS a Solemnity. If the feast of St. Joseph falls on a Friday, there is no obligation to abstain.
If the Feast of the Annunciation falls on a Lenten Friday, again their is no obligation to fast.
Last year was particularly interesting, as the Annunciation fell on Good Friday. In that case, Good Friday, as part of the Triduum, takes precidence, and celebration of the Annunciation was moved to the Monday following the Second Sunday of Easter.
Are there any dioseas closer to Seattle than Detroit who have dispensations for St. Patricks day?
Chicago for one.