Indult Scorecard, Round One

In response to my request in the post below, many readers have been so kind as to send in replies from their home dioceses as to whether an indult will be granted to permit the eating of the sacred corned beef sandwich on St. Patrick's Day, which falls on a Lenten Friday this year.

Here are the reports to date:

• In the archdiocese of Boston, Cardinal-designate Sean Patrick O'Malley has granted the indult (there'd be a revolt if he didn't).
• In the diocese of Lincoln, Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz has granted the indult, while stipulating that "those who make use of such an indult should substitute five decades of the rosary instead of observing the abstinence." Novel.
  
• In the diocese of Sioux City, Bishop Walker Nickless will not grant the indult -- a release from the chancery makes explicit note that 17 March remains a day of abstinence. As Nickless' parents ran a butcher shop in Denver, you would think that he'd be eager to help a brother out.
  
• Bishop Carl Mengeling of Lansing has dispensed from the obligation, on the condition that the faithful "choose another weekday of the Second Week of Lent as a day of abstinence from meat, in substitution for the observance" on Paddy's.
  
• In Erie, Bishop Donald Trautman has granted the indult, "only provided that [the faithful] observe abstinence on the day before, March 16, as a substitute. For those not substituting March 16 as a day of abstinence, St. Patrick’s Day remains a day of abstinence."
• In Cincinatti, Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk has granted the dispensation, suggesting that those who take it perform some other penitential act.
  
• Word from Harrisburg is that Bishop Kevin Rhoades has not conceded the indult, despite St. Patrick's place as patron of the local church and of its cathedral (a shamrock graces the middle of the diocesan arms).
  

Speaking of the capital of this fair commonwealth, Fr Ron Haney, the long-time spokesman for the Harrisburg diocese, retired from the post and active ministry last month. Rhoades has decided to seek out a layperson to fill the slot. Here's the posting. Anyone game?

Keep those indult reports comin', with all my thanks.

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