The dispensation is big news. The fast? Not so much

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Mar 16, 2017

What is this week’s biggest story in the Catholic media? Corned beef. It’s not even close.

Scores of American bishops have issued dispensations, allowing the faithful to eat the “traditional” corned-beef-and-cabbage tomorrow, to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Hundreds of secular outlets and thousands of blogs have passed along the news.

By now, I’m guessing, the number of Americans who are aware that Catholics may eat meat this Friday exceeds the number who were aware that ordinarily, Catholics are not allowed to eat meat on Fridays in Lent. And I include Catholic Americans in the calculation—certainly including the ones who bring cold cuts to the Friday parish picnic.

Frankly, as an Irish-American, I’m puzzled by the ritual insistence on eating corned beef: a dish that is virtually unknown in Ireland. And I am entirely at a loss to explain how the consumption of that dish honors a great saint. But de gustibus and all that, I guess. Eat what you will, if your bishop says it’s OK. I just wish that I could see as much interest in the fast as in the dispensation.