Today all the world is Irish - celebrating Saint Patrick's Day - the myths - the truths - surrounding this holiday. A day filled with Holy services - public gatherings - green beer - food and festivities - leprechauns. There is nothing better than people gathering together - celebrating wonders of life. Irish dancers - corned beef and cabbage - shamrocks - celebrating Ireland's most famous saint - celebrating joy - happiness - in the midst of Lent. I am only part Irish - but enough that this is one ethnic holiday that I happily claim. Anything that brings people together in the name of celebration is worthy of my - your - participation.
Saint Patrick's Day does not always fall on a Friday during Lent - a quandary for Catholics who normally abstain from meat on Fridays. This year very unusual that both Ash Wednesday fell on Valentine's Day - Saint Patrick's Day - a Friday - two special days of the year when most people celebrate with fine dining - very often meat dishes. Bishops do have the authority to dispense their faithful from the obligation of abstaining from meat on these days - some do - some don't. Truth be told - one does not have to eat meat - to celebrate well. Celebrations take many different forms across the world - all celebrations worth noting - for God so loved the world that He sent His Son - to remind us how much He loves us - how much He cares for us. With that thought in mind - nothing can diminish our joy on this or any other day in our life.
Deacon Dale
Saint Patrick's Day does not always fall on a Friday during Lent - a quandary for Catholics who normally abstain from meat on Fridays. This year very unusual that both Ash Wednesday fell on Valentine's Day - Saint Patrick's Day - a Friday - two special days of the year when most people celebrate with fine dining - very often meat dishes. Bishops do have the authority to dispense their faithful from the obligation of abstaining from meat on these days - some do - some don't. Truth be told - one does not have to eat meat - to celebrate well. Celebrations take many different forms across the world - all celebrations worth noting - for God so loved the world that He sent His Son - to remind us how much He loves us - how much He cares for us. With that thought in mind - nothing can diminish our joy on this or any other day in our life.
Deacon Dale
