Catholics granted meat dispensation for St. Patrick's Day.

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has granted a dispensation for local Catholics to eat meat on St. Patrick's Day, which falls on a Friday during Lent, a period when Catholics traditionally abstain from eating meat on Fridays. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo encourages those who make use of the dispensation to do an extra act of charity or penance in exchange for eating meat on that day. St. Patrick's Day is a cultural and religious holiday held each year on March 17 in honor of the patron Saint of Ireland.