Indult Scorecard, Round Three (Updated List of Dioceses & Corned Beef Friday)

WITL ^ | March 4, 2006 | Rocco Palmo

[NYer]

Thanks for the updates. The RC Diocese of Albany has also granted a dispensation - "Since this feast is one in which many people celebrate the faith and heritage of the Irish people .... (blah, blah, blah)"

I nearly choked when I read: 'celebrate the faith' .... sure they do ... their faith in Irish stout. The bishop did not suggest any other form of penance be substituted. /sigh/

[Coleus]

just heard on the news,

The Dioceses of: NY, Metuchen, Paterson and Newark have granted dispensation.

[NYer]

This actually made the news!! Lol ... perhaps it's a new tactic to invite catholics back to Holy Mother Church.

[Coleus]

[Coleus]

what is the problem with dispensations.

I remembering hearing stories about Cardinal Spellman, pre Vatican II, giving dispensation for st. Patrick's day and not on St. Joseph's day because it was primarily celebrated by Italians.

[NYer]

Nothing wrong with dispensations. However, since VCII, the majority of catholics consider themselves permanently 'dispensated' from any form of self denial. That leaves only the 7 Fridays in Lent, minus St. Patrick's day - because it is a 'religious' holiday.

[NYer]

Lent in the Roman Catholic Church has become a bit of a joke. For all practical purposes, it has been abolished as a time of fasting

Couldn't agree more. Perhaps this letter to The Evangelist, the newspaper of the RC Diocese of Albany (NY) expresses it best.

* * * * *

"As I read last week's issue of The Evangelist, I finally, after nearly 60 years, come to understand the teachings of the Church as applied in the Albany Diocese.

Any rule or "any ancient and revered tradition" of the Church can be dispensed with, as long as you have a good rationalization for doing so.

On page two, the Pope explains, "Lenten fast is not a burden and should be experienced as an expression of faith." Turn to page seven and the Bishop tells us that because St. Patrick's Day falls on a Friday, he has rationalized that abstaining from eating meat that day would be too much of a burden, so he has dispensed Catholics from the "ancient and revered tradition of abstaining."

The lesson: If it is too hard or too much of a burden to keep the laws and "ancient teachings of the Church," all I have to do is rationalize and it is all right to do.