Catholic Leaders Urge Moderation On St. Patrick’s Day in Holy Week
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — That famous saint named Patrick will have his green-drenched party this year, but it’s unclear when the guests are supposed to arrive.
For the first time since 1940, St. Patrick’s Day will fall during Holy Week, the sacred seven days preceding Easter.
Because of the overlap, liturgical rules dictate that no Mass in honor of the saint can be celebrated on Monday, March 17, according to the American Conference of Catholic Bishops. But a few Roman Catholic leaders are asking for even more moderation in their dioceses: They want parades and other festivities kept out of Holy Week as well.
Bishop Kevin Boland of the Diocese of Savannah, Ga., wrote to practically every agency in his city, from the Chamber of Commerce to the Board of Education, saying the diocese was changing the date of its celebration this year. In response, the citywide Irish festival was moved to Friday, March 14, when schools will close and bagpipe-driven parties will carry into the streets.
More than half a million people stream into the Southern city for the festival, one of the nation’s largest St. Patrick’s Day affairs, said Bret Bell, Savannah’s public information director. Savannah bars will be open March 17, but no organized events will be held that day, he said.
“The city has a very strong Irish Catholic community, a very traditional Irish Catholic community,” Mr. Bell said. “They attend Mass regularly. And the last thing they want to do is get in the bad graces of the Catholic Church.”
Philadelphia has also moved its parade date to avoid giving offense, and Milwaukee is hitting the streets sooner than usual, too.
In New York and Boston, with legendary St. Patrick’s events planned by the cities’ large Irish communities, bishops are taking a hands-off approach, saying the church has no part in planning civic celebrations.
The Archdiocese of New York, which has St. Patrick as a patron saint, will hold the liturgical celebration for St. Patrick on March 14. Cardinal Edward Egan will then say Mass on Monday, the same day as the parade, and will review the procession from the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, archdiocesan spokesman, Joseph Zwilling, said.
