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Lenten Leniency: Many Catholics Get Green Light To Have Corned Beef For St. Patrick's Day

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Many Roman Catholics who ordinarily abstain from eating meat on Fridays during the 40 days before Easter have been given a "Paddy Pardon'' for St. Patrick's Day.

Many bishops across the country are giving the green light to eating the traditional corned beef and cabbage this year, The Washington-based Catholic News Service reported.

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Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York told parishioners in a letter in January they would be permitted to eat corned beef  and other meat dishes on the holiday.

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As of late February, dioceses or archdioceses allowing the pardon also included Baltimore; Milwaukee; St. Paul and Minneapolis; Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Omaha, Nebraska; and Jefferson City, Missouri.

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Catholics were advised that if they enjoyed the dispensation they should do an extra act of charity in exchange.

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Catholics typically refrain from eating meat on Fridays during the Lenten Season which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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