St. Patrick’s Day Dispensation
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March 3, 2023
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney grants St. Patrick’s Day Dispensation
In a letter to the faithful of the Diocese of Paterson, the bishop of Paterson wrote:
“This year, the Memorial of Saint Patrick falls on Friday in the Third Week of Lent. Recognizing the faith that was brought to this community by immigrant families and missionary religious and priests, the spiritual sons and daughters of Saint Patrick, and the prominence of the Memorial in the practice of faithful Catholics of this diocese, I grant a dispensation from the obligation of abstinence on March 17, 2023, to those residing in or visiting the Diocese of Paterson. Those who partake of this dispensation are encouraged to undertake a work of charity or an act of comparable penance on some other occasion during the Third Week of Lent.
In celebrating Saint Patrick, may we be given the grace to recognize Christ on our right and left, in the heart of everyone who thinks of us, in the mouth of everyone who speaks of us, in every eye that sees us, and in every ear that hears us. Most glorious Saint Patrick, pray for us!”
Bishop’s Lenten Messages
In his Lenten video message [ENGLISH] [SPANISH] and diocesan newspaper column, Bishop Sweeney offers several practical suggestions for participating in the three important spiritual practices of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Among them, he said, attending daily Mass “is one of the most ‘underrated’ or under-appreciated ‘secrets’ of the spiritual life.”
He said in the video message, “Together as a Church, we enter into this holy season of Lent preparing to celebrate the great mysteries of our salvation at Holy Week and Easter.”
Media contact: Jai Agnish | Diocese of Paterson | Director of Communications | [email protected] | 973-777-8818, Ext. 617
