St. Patrick’s Day 2008
Today, March 17th, is usually the Optional Feast Day of St. Patrick. However, this year it has been surpressed. Per liturgical rules, no Masses will be celebrated in honor of St. Patrick today in any Catholic Church and no festivities should take place. The reason for this is because this is Holy Week, the most important week in the Church’s Liturgy. All days of this week supercede any other feast days or soleminities. All Masses celebrated today are to be for, “Monday of Holy Week”, and not in honor of St. Patrick. In dioceses where St. Patrick’s Day is observed as a soleminity St. Patrick’s Day is to be moved to April 1st, 2008, or with the bishop’s permission to a date prior to March 17th. The last time St. Patrick’s Day was moved was in 1940 and the next time it will be moved won’t be until 2160.
So, although many Catholics may not be aware of this, today is not St. Patrick’s Day for the Church. You won’t find it listed on the Liturgical Calendar this year. Instead you’ll find “Monday of Holy Week”. But because of the secular world you’ll probably see alot of references and celebrations today in honor of St. Patrick.