Corned Beef Anyone?

Today is St. Patrick's Day and for Catholics and everyone else it is an excuse to get wicked drunk and eat a shitload of corned beef. Actually, this corned beef tradition is new to me, I've never heard of it before this year. In case you haven't notice today is Friday and it is lent. So you know what God says, "No meat products on Friday during lent. Unless you are younger than 14."

So what is a drunken Catholic to munch on during St. Patrick's Day? Well, some diocese are making exceptions to this rule. No rule in the Catholic church is in stone you know, but Pittsburgh's diocese is taking a hard stand against giving into the temptation of salty meats. Amen, Pittsburgh diocese. God is smiling on your diocese on this day.

From the Diocese of Pittsburgh website:

A Note on Saint Patrick's Day

During Lent, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence. The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. Abstinence means that Catholics 14 and older are required to refrain from eating meat.

When St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday of Lent, as is the case this year, we need to remember that the saint’s feast is not considered reason for dispensation from the rule of abstinence.

Next Friday, March 17, is a Lenten Friday and remains a day of abstinence.

It is kind of odd that the first thing on the website is a toll-free number for a priest sexual abuse hotline. Why the hell would anyone call that number first? So the church could quickly transfer the offending priest to a new diocese and sweep the whole thing under the rug? But I digress. Don't eat meat today, kids.