Topic:  Can a Cardinal give permission to sin?

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: October 27, 2003

Moderator who originally posted this source: Fr. Bill Long

Question:   Recently I heard Cardinal Maida say that he gave permission for Catholics in the Detroit ArchDiocese to have corned-beef and cabbage on Good Friday, which also happened to be St Patricks day (a few years back). I'm confused. I see in my Catechism that a sin is an offense against God, and I thought the Church taught us that eating meat on Good Friday is a Mortal sin. Did the Cardinal give us permission to offend God?Does the Cardinal have the authority to decide for God what is and isn't offensive?

Answer: 

Doug,
A mortal sin would sever one's relationship with God. Eating meat on Friday would not be such a grave offense! I am sure that the cardinal, along with many other Bishops, gave a dispensation from the Lenten practice of abstaining from meat due to the feast of St. Patrick. Remember that devotions are the means, not the end, for a relationship with God.
Thanks for your question!