Feast of St. Joseph moved

[gemtwin84]

Here’s a question from some of the students I work with. I wasn’t sure what the proper answer was but erred on the side of the Lenten tradition of abstinance from meat.

I know that the solemnity feast of Saint Joseph was moved to the Saturday before Holy Week this year so as not to interfere with the Holy Week celebrations. Since solemnities typically begin the vigil night before…does that mean Catholics are allowed to eat meat tonight?

Just curious.
Gem

 

[benedictgal]

Your bishop would have to make that call, I think. Inasmuch as St. Joseph’s Feast Day is a solemnity, I would personally refrain from meat. Of course, I don’t know how the Italian Bishops Conference handles it because St. Joseph is one of Italy’s patron saints, if memory serves.

 

[brotherhrolf]

I have never been to a St. Joseph’s Feast where meat was served no matter if the feast day was celebrated on any other day but Friday. It was always boiled eggs and spaghetti, etc.

Nor would I eat corned beef if St. Patrick’s fell on a Friday.

 

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

I guess technically it might be o.k. - canon 1251. A canon lawyer, your Priest and/or Bishop would probably be better able to answer that.

But, I find it disturbing when Catholics try to find any and every loophole they can to weasel out of the very minimal required penitential rules of the Latin Church.

 

[benedictgal]

Hello,

I guess technically it might be o.k.

But, I find it disturbing when Catholics try to find any and every loophole they can to weasel out of the very minimal required penitential rules of the Latin Church.

AMEN to that one!

On a different note, ti’s been the custom of our Holy Father to gather all of the priests named Joseph that he knows and they all celebrate their patronal feast together. That’s really neat!

 

[AJV]

Here’s a question from some of the students I work with. I wasn’t sure what the proper answer was but erred on the side of the Lenten tradition of abstinance from meat.

I know that the solemnity feast of Saint Joseph was moved to the Saturday before Holy Week this year so as not to interfere with the Holy Week celebrations. Since solemnities typically begin the vigil night before…does that mean Catholics are allowed to eat meat tonight?

Just curious.
Gem

I don’t think so.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday.

It should fall on a Friday.

 

[gemtwin84]

Hello,

But, I find it disturbing when Catholics try to find any and every loophole they can to weasel out of the very minimal required penitential rules of the Latin Church.

I too find it disturbing and that is why I asked. I work at a high school and the teens were looking for some way to eat meat on Friday. I told them if there was a question that they should err on the side of caution and refrain from eating meat…at least until someone more knowledgable than me could better answer their question.

Personally, I don’t agree when bishops give a dispensation to allow meat on Fridays during Lent but that’s my choice, I suppose.

Thanks for your help.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

I have eaten meat on St. Patrick’s Day when it has fallen on a Friday because my bishop gave us all a dispensation. He did not give us the tickets to the KofC St. Pat’s Dinner though. We had to buy those.

I have never heard of eating meat at a St. Joseph’s Table on ANY day, except at one particular parish named for the good saint, which did not have an ethnic base of Italians. St. Joseph’s Day is Sicilian in origin, and Sicilaians are good fishermen, and Lent used to be a time when people didn’t eat meat at all, the whole Lent. However, the descendents of founders of the parish in question was people form Belgium & Luxemburg, and they served chicken one year, and roast beef the next. I have heard of, seen, made and eaten a LOT of fish and seafood on the St. Joseph’s Day Table, as I have heard of, seen, made and eaten a LOT of sweets (including cream puffs). And stuffed artichokes. YUM!

 

[tee_eff_em]

A moot point now, I know, but:

I guess technically it might be o.k. - canon 1251.

This arm-chair canon lawyer* disagrees. Canon 1251 exempts the faithful from abstinence if “a solemnity should fall on a Friday” – The Solemnity of St Joseph, in most parts of the world, was translated not to Friday, but to Saturday.

(* Whose canon law advice is worth precisely the paper it is printed on. tee is not a canon lawyer.)

tee

 

[brotherhrolf]

I second the stuffed artichokes! And the fig cookies! I consider myself to be Sicilian by virtue that my godfather was Sicilian. The Irish and the Italians/Sicilians celebrate St Patrick’s/St. Joseph’s day in New Orleans. :irish3: Best of both worlds!

 

[Corki]

A moot point now, I know, but:

This arm-chair canon lawyer* disagrees. Canon 1251 exempts the faithful from abstinence if “a solemnity should fall on a Friday” – The Solemnity of St Joseph, in most parts of the world, was translated not to Friday, but to Saturday.

(* Whose canon law advice is worth precisely the paper it is printed on. tee is not a canon lawyer.)

tee

I am only an atrium CL but from what I read, “days” for Liturgy are not necessarily the same a “days” for everything else. So while a regular Sunday Mass may be celebrated on Sat. night, the command to “keep the Lord’s Day holy” applies to Sunday, not to Sat.

Following that logic, the translation of the feast of St. Joseph to Saturday would have no effect on the abtinance requirement for Friday, even if there were to be a vigil Mass. One is based on the calendar and canon law, the other on the precepts of the Church. Just my own opinion, I have never lived anywhere with “big deal” St. Joseph celebrations anyway.

 

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

A moot point now, I know, but:

This arm-chair canon lawyer* disagrees. Canon 1251 exempts the faithful from abstinence if “a solemnity should fall on a Friday” – The Solemnity of St Joseph, in most parts of the world, was translated not to Friday, but to Saturday.

(* Whose canon law advice is worth precisely the paper it is printed on. tee is not a canon lawyer.)

tee

The issue, as I read it, was the night of Friday - after first Vespers, not the day. That’s why I said technically, and I also said I guessed. My guess could easily be wrong.

And I prefer to do my canon lawyering from a lawn chair.

I still stand behind my other statement wholeheartedly:

I find it disturbing when Catholics try to find any and every loophole they can to weasel out of the very minimal required penitential rules of the Latin Church.