BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Diocese announced that Catholics won't have to observe the Lenten tradition of abstaining from meat on Friday, March 17, 2023 as the day coincides with the celebration of St. Patrick's Day.

Read the full announcement below.

Whereas it is disciplinary practice during the Lenten season that most Catholics who have completed their fourteenth year are required to abstain from meat on Fridays during the Lenten season;

Whereas the Lenten discipline calls the faithful to practice penance in various forms, such as abstinence, while also committing to prayer, fasting and almsgiving;

Whereas March 17, the Feast of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, in the year 2023 falls on a Friday in Lent; and

Whereas many of the faithful in Baton Rouge are of Irish descent and desire to
celebrate their heritage in a more festive way;

I hereby decree and grant to all Catholics of the Diocese of Baton Rouge (and those present within this territory on March 17, 2023) who celebrate the Feast of Saint Patrick, a dispensation from the required abstinence from meat. These Catholics are encouraged to substitute this practice of abstinence on another day or with another penitential practice or act of charity.

Given at the Chancery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on this 3rd day of March in the
year 2023, the Memorial of Saint Katharine Drexel, Virgin.