March 17, 2021
Feast Day of St. Patrick
Secondary Patron of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The Lenten season invites us to enter a special time of preparation to commemorate our Lord’s passion and death during Holy Week and to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection and victory over death at Easter.
During certain days of Lent, in particular, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and the FrFridaysiday’s of Lent, the faithful are obliged to abstain from eating meat. This noble practice of self-sacrifice focuses our hearts and minds on our reliance on God’s grace, encourages us to be thankful for the gifts we have, and brings us into solidarity with the universal Church.
On Friday, March 19, 2021, the Church will celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Blessed Virgin Mary. Since this day ranks as a Solemnity in the Church liturgical calendar, I wish to remind the people of the Archdiocese that they are not obliged to observe the practice of abstinence on March 19, 2021 (cf. Can. 1251).
This year’s Solemnity is an even more remarkable celebration as the Holy Father has declared December 8, 2020, to December 8, 2021, the Year of St. Joseph. The Archdiocese will mark this festive day with a Mass offered at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Los Angeles.
St. Joseph, pray for you!
May Jesus, through the intercession of Mary, bless our communities with good health and peace.
Most Revered Jose. H Gomez
Archbishop of Los Angeles.