From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 23-03-17 – Bp. Fatty celebrates St. Patty

March 17th 2023

Dear Diary,

It’s Friday in Lent and I guess that’s still a thing, but I dispensed everyone in the diocese anyway today so they can eat meat for Saint Patrick’s Day.  I figure they’d have corned beef anyway, so why not get out in front of it.  I like dispensing things — it’s a fun part of being a bishop.  And it makes people happy which is what this is all about.  For weeks I’ve been signing acres of papers for all sorts of boring stuff, but then the Friday in Lent one for St. Pat’s!  That made it all worthwhile. I myself intend to indulge.  What’s better than corned beef, boiled cabbage, and green beer!?  Well… lots of things, to tell the truth.  But we’ve gotta get into these truly important holidays.  I’ll head over to St. Dymphna’s later.  It’s still a nominally Irish parish, though most of the people of Irish background have moved away, but it’s good to put in an appearance.  This year there’s no way they’re going to get me out on the dance floor.  I’m not risking it again. There’s no way Fr. Tommy would be able to get me up off the ground.  As for the wearin’ o’ the green, this morning I was going to bust out the green vestments!  I mean, why not?  But Fr. Tommy almost had a fit.  He was actually a little cross with me.  Cute.  So I went with white for dear St. Pat, cause that’s what the Missal says.  NOTE TO SELF: Next year get the workaround people at the chancery to figure out a way around Fr. Tommy and his Ordo book so I can wear green!

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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7 Comments

  1. Philmont237 says:

    A perfect compromise: Catholic Liturgicals has a “White with Green Orphreys: Low Mass Set.” It’s actually pretty sharp!

  2. redneckpride4ever says:

    I suspect +Fatty enjoyed a few Reubens yesterday. And a couple shamrock shakes.

  3. Father K says:

    Happily, St Patrick’s Day in Australia is celebrated as a solemnity [1st class] so no dispensation from penance is required.

  4. Not says:

    Wondering when the German Bishops will invite Bishop Fatty McButterpants to Concelebrate Mass. Maybe blesss a couple unions.

  5. FrCharles says:

    When I was a deacon, I served in one of our Capuchin parishes in a diocese adjacent to where I was living, so I wasn’t always sure what the liturgical day would be. When I packed up to go for March 17, I took both a violet and white stole so I would be ready in any case for either Lent or the saint. When I got the sacristy I proudly told the pastor of my good planning. He looked at me like I was an ignorant young’un. “Charles, it’s green today, of course.” And so we went out, him in green and me enduring his disappointed looks at my white stole.

  6. Charivari Rob says:

    Patty?
    Saint Patricia isn’t until August 25.
    Paddy – he of that nice shade of blue – is the one for March 17

  7. Cincinnati Priest 2 says:

    All the ruckus about dispensation for St. Patrick’s day in the U.S. seems highly overblown. Is it really a big deal to wait *one day* to have one’s corned beef sandwich? Given that most Americans of Irish background are now generations away from their immigrant ancestors, the connection to celebrating the day as a matter of faith seems quite tenuous at best. Seems merely cultural to me, and an excuse to have a party with traditional foods. I have siblings whose birthdays fall sometimes on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday. They don’t complain about having to fast completely on that day — they just move the birthday celebration one day back.

    Especially since we know have approximately only 8 days of abstinence and 2 fast days *all year* in the Roman rite, an unwillingness to give up even one seems extremely minimalist. One wonders what the Irish saints would have done ….

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