Archbishop Gregory Aymond has cleared the way for Catholics to eat corned beef on St. Patrick's Day.
This year the day occurs on a meatless Friday, but the Archbishop has told priests there is a way around that.
Aymond has delivered the following message to those in the local Archdiocese.
"If a Catholic residing in the Archdiocese of New Orleans wishes to participate in St. Patrick’s Day festivities and desires to eat meat, they may be dispensed and choose another day of the week for abstinence or may choose to perform an act of penance that is a greater sacrifice."
St. Patrick's Day last fell on a Friday in Lent in 2006.