St. Patrick's Day causing Catholic dilemma

[strngrnrth]

The great thing about St. Patrick’s Day is its inclusiveness - everybody wears green and pretends to be Irish and I always had the feeling that people who really are Irish welcomed the rest of us.

Of course. The Irish once had (and in some areas still have) a hard time finding acceptance. That’s why our ancestors stuck together, which is why they accepted anyone who would be kind to them, and why they developed a culture that rejoices in all good things (good things once were so hard to find everyone had to make the most of each one). Thus, in most of the USA, today the Irish are known as friendly, likelable people. That’s great! And everyone who wants to rejoice in our good times and help out in our bad times is welcome, always, not just one day a year.

 

[dessert]

And march 9th starts daylight times and feb. is leap year.
Everything is happening in this month and year.

 

[dessert]

Our parish, Old St. Patrick’s in Chicago, kicks off the Chicago Civic St. Patrick’s celebration before the parade on March 15. One of the the Cardinal’s auxiliaries will celebrate the Mass (although Cardinal George has celebrated it in the past). No dilemma here. Since Mayor Daley the First brought the parade back downtown, the day always starts with Mass at my church.

John

John, we have seen this a bit on tv it is very good, don’t forget to make the river green
We have a St. Patty’s too, we used to have a Father McNamarah,we sang McNamarrah’s band

 

[TirEoghain]

I gave up alcohol for Lent, so…alas…no Guiness on St. Patrick’s Day. It will have to wait for Easter. The stew sounds like a plan though (alcohol is cooked out).

Robert

Here in Ireland we regard St. Patrick’s Day as a ‘day off’ Lenten Vows, and people are allowed to ‘eat, drink and be merry’ for the next day it’s back to 'no alcohol, or cigarettes or whatever.

Of course you’re not actually in Ireland are you

Perhaps if you went and stood on the pavement outside the Irish Embassy you might be allowed a small Guinness:thumbsup:

Tír.

 

[rlg94086]

Robert

Here in Ireland we regard St. Patrick’s Day as a ‘day off’ Lenten Vows, and people are allowed to ‘eat, drink and be merry’ for the next day it’s back to 'no alcohol, or cigarettes or whatever.

Of course you’re not actually in Ireland are you

Perhaps if you went and stood on the pavement outside the Irish Embassy you might be allowed a small Guinness:thumbsup:

Tír.

A grand idea! I’ll bring a draught in a bottle!

 

[DL82]

Robert

Here in Ireland we regard St. Patrick’s Day as a ‘day off’ Lenten Vows, and people are allowed to ‘eat, drink and be merry’ for the next day it’s back to 'no alcohol, or cigarettes or whatever.

Of course you’re not actually in Ireland are you

Perhaps if you went and stood on the pavement outside the Irish Embassy you might be allowed a small Guinness:thumbsup:

Tír.

Over here in Scotland they’ve moved St Paddy’s day so it doesn’t fall during Holy Week.

Technically, there’s only a dispensation from Lenten vows for a patron saint if there’s some connection to that saint, i.e. if you are Irish, of Irish descent, or your parish church is mainly Irish or named after St Patrick. That means for the majority of Catholics in England and America, it’s not a holy day.

I am one of the few Catholics in Scotland not of Irish descent, and will make a point of continuing Lent through St Patrick’s Day. Not sure whether my Scottish-Italian and Polish brothers and sisters will follow suit.

 

[Goth_Catholic]

Technically, there’s only a dispensation from Lenten vows for a patron saint if there’s some connection to that saint, i.e. if you are Irish, of Irish descent, or your parish church is mainly Irish or named after St Patrick. That means for the majority of Catholics in England and America, it’s not a holy day.

Does that mean I can have chocolate the 17th and 18th because I’m Irish and was born the 18th?

 

[rlg94086]

Over here in Scotland they’ve moved St Paddy’s day so it doesn’t fall during Holy Week.

Technically, there’s only a dispensation from Lenten vows for a patron saint if there’s some connection to that saint, i.e. if you are Irish, of Irish descent, or your parish church is mainly Irish or named after St Patrick. That means for the majority of Catholics in England and America, it’s not a holy day.

I am one of the few Catholics in Scotland not of Irish descent, and will make a point of continuing Lent through St Patrick’s Day. Not sure whether my Scottish-Italian and Polish brothers and sisters will follow suit.

Cool. Well, my family name is Irish, and it is one of my ancestories - albeit probably a very tiny fraction. My family has been here since the 1600s, so I have more German, Dutch and even Sioux blood in me than Irish. But, on St. Patrick’s Day, I will be Irish.

BTW…in my protestant days (Presbyterian), I wore orange.

 

[strngrnrth]

I think I’m about a quarter Irish and a quarter Swedish, and I’ve lived in Ireland but have never been to Sweden. I usually skip the local Scandinavian Fest, which is in the summer, because it’s crowded and hot. It’s not during Lent anyway. Besides, I have almost no relationship with anyone on my Swedish side or in the Swedish community, and I have never been to Sweden. Oh, well. I could have gotten a two-fer if St. Eric’s Day were in Lent, I had a real relationship with any Swedish relatives or I was accepted by the Swedish-American community andknew much about its history. I suppose I just get one.

 

[joshua1]

I hope im not beat up for saying this, but I dont understand why the feast day cannot be simply moved. The universal Church moved St Joseph’s feast, so why not Patrick’s? I who am of Irish descent will not be celebrating in any shape or form March 17 as any day but Monday of Holy week. In my humble opinion if you go out and revel or do the other things that St Patrick’s day has become famous for, then you are letting a Saint trump the most sacred week of the Church calendar. Come to think of it, alot about St Patrick’s day is not even about the saint at all. I think St Patrick today would be saying, Thanks guys, its flattering, but the celebration of Holy Week is a little more important. For Holy Week, the week that changed history and the world changed me and made it possible for me to be a saint in the first place. So its really no dilemma, let Holy Week be a week of reverence and solemnity.

 

[didymus]

And march 9th starts daylight times and feb. is leap year.
Everything is happening in this month and year.

If they’re so concerned with global warming, why are they starting daylight savings time early? Don’t they realise what those extra hours of sunlight do to our planet?

 

[allhers]

At the very end of that article it says this:"
Franklin County Treasurer Ed Leonard bowed out of the Columbus parade but hopes a resolution might be reached.

“We wouldn’t be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day,” he said, “were it not for the religious component of it.”

They need to listen to their Bishop and just move the day the way everyone else is. Shame on them if they don’t!!!:tsktsk:
(and yes I’m Irish) :irish3:

 

[John_Higgins]

Call it Monday of Holy Week all you want, it’s STILL St. Patrick’s Day!

John

 

[cyberwolf001]

Well I guess this year I’ll do just calibrate in private. But like the rest I don’t see why it can’t be move to the Thursday before Holy Week.

BTW I am oh Irish decent and St. Patrick is my patron Saint does that mean I get the waver too?

 

[Lucania]

Thank you! You have affirmed my post.
Yes - it is an Irish American made up thing. Not what the Irish eat. Most American have no idea that’s not authentic Irish food.
Take away the corned beef and people get ticked.

Nevertheless, the point Strngrnrth was making was that they were Irish. Having come from Ireland. No different than my Great-Grandmother who came to NYC from Italy in 1901. Traditional dishes were tweaked with what they could afford/on hand. Some of the dishes are considered Italian-American, but she was Italian, nevertheless. I don’t think any Irish are offended by Corned-Beef & Carrots anymore than Italians are offended by my Baked Rigatoni with Spicy Sausage. Just my :twocents:

 

[johnstown_johnn]

**I would guess that St. Patrick could care less if his day was moved a bit forward or backward. **

 

[margya]

St. Patrick’s Day in the Diocese of Sacramento will be celebrated on March 14th. St. Patrick is co patron of the diocese. The Bishop did the change.

 

[NPC]

Here in Ireland, all of the parades are taking place on March 17th, but the churches will be celebrating with Masses for the feast on March 15th. Unfortunately Ireland has generally lost the religious aspect of the day - it is simply another day to have a party and get drunk. In fact it seems to me that having St Patrick’s day on Saturday the 15th would have been better even for those people who like to get drunk, because Monday 17th would still have been a Bank Holiday…they would have a long weekend and would have more time to recover from hangovers. I expect businesses will lose millions of Euro because of absenteeism on Tuesday 18th - a great chunk of the workforce will be to ‘sick’ to work… so apart from the religious side of it, having St Patrick’s day on the 15th probably would have made better sense for the economy! Anyway, the fact is that Ireland is a secular country now and very few listen to what the Church is saying - 50 years ago the Irish Church would have had no problem having the whole day reorganised, but things have not been like that for a long time. Another reason why I think the moving of the day has not been well received by some is that in the present climate (ie. views towards the Church), many people simply reject everything the Church says - effectively taking any chance they can to ‘kick it while it’s down’! Ridiculous but true…

 

[rlg94086]

St. Patrick’s Day in the Diocese of Sacramento will be celebrated on March 14th. St. Patrick is co patron of the diocese. The Bishop did the change.

Actually, the Bishops (USCCB) did the change.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=221362

This year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Sacramento doesn’t fall on St. Patrick’s Day, and for a very simple reason. The United States bishops have decided to change the date of the feast commemorating the Apostle of Ireland.

http://www.calcatholic.com/newsimages/stpatjoseph.jpgThis year, the U.S. bishops changed the traditional March 17 date of St. Patrick’s Day to March 14 because it would fall on Monday of Holy Week. They have done the same for the Solemnity of St. Joseph, March 19, which this year coincides with Spy Wednesday – the day in Holy Week that traditionally marks Judas Iscariot’s deal with the Sanhedrin to betray Christ for 30 pieces of silver. St. Joseph’s this year falls on March 15, the day before Palm Sunday.

 

[Brendan]

**I would guess that St. Patrick could care less if his day was moved a bit forward or backward. **

In fact, I think he would be a bit ashamed to have people celebrating him instead of Holy Week, particularly when their bishops have spoken out against it.