St. Patrick’s Day 2023

The Feast of St. Patrick is March 17 and this year it falls on a Friday during Lent.  Catholics age 14 years of age or older honor an obligation to abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent.  Catholics within the Diocese of Joliet who find themselves at an event where meat is being served on Friday, March 17 are dispensed of the obligation and commit to an alternative penance.  Catholics in the Joliet Diocese, in good conscience, may substitute the general rule of abstinence from meat with another form of penance or a significant act of charity that benefits the poor that day. The obligation to abstain from meat, commit to an alternative penance, or fulfill an act of charity is intended to draw Catholics closer to Jesus, who died on Good Friday.