BEEF: IT'S WHAT'S NOTFOR DINNERA Look At Corned Beef, Catholicsand St. Patrick's Day
by Wendel Potter
March 11, 2006
The American Beef Council bombards the radio airwaves in this part of the country with the easy, drawl-perfect cowboy voice of actor Sam Elliott promoting the pleasantries of sizzlin' steak, savory pot roast, and coal-smoked burgers. Elliot proclaims, "Beef...it's what for dinner".
Well, Sam. Come Friday, try telling that to my bishop and he's liable to call down the wrath of the Celtic Kings and put the come-hither on ya!
Now, what would St. Patrick's Day be without Corned Beef? Well, the bishop in the Roman Catholic diocese where I live thinks his flock should find out.
This is Lent and according to the Church, Roman Catholics are to abstain from meat on Fridays during this most somber of holy seasons. This year, March 17th is on Friday. What to do, what to do?
As in the past when St. Paddy's Day has fallen on a Friday, many (my research tells me most) dioceses across the nation are granting a dispensation: a nod and a wink from the top that allows the flesh-eating faithful to chow down to their carniverous hearts' content at the table of this year's Irish feast, Friday or not.
But among the bishops in this country, there seems to be a steadfast few unwilling to yield for this special occasion. My bishop happens to be one of those unbending few. Obviously, Irish blood doesn't flow through his veins like the River Shannon through Athlone.
Now, in the Archdiocese of Omaha, which includes a parish just twenty miles from my unfair city, a meat dish will not be frowned upon this Friday. The Archbishop did make a stipulation, that if you're going to eat meat on St. Patrick's Day, you should then give it up on Saturday.
That's a fair trade-off, I'd say. And it just might be worth driving twenty miles to join up with that parish for a day.
Of course, they'd have to understand it would be just for St. Patrick's day. I wouldn't be attending Mass there, so they could expect no tithing from me.
Frankly, it would save everyone a lot of grief if our bishop was to lighten up. After all, St. Patrick was a bishop himself! So what better way to celebrate his special day than to kill and corn the fatted calf and serve it up with red potatoes, carrots, and boiled cabbage?
Not to mention knocking back a hearty pint or two of Irish stout. What the hell, you might as well go whole hog...er, steer.
With all due respect to our bishop, something tells me that if he listens to confessions on Saturday, he won't only be hearing the sins of his people. He'll be smelling corned beef on their breath as well.
Copyright 2006 Wendel Potter
|
|
