But snake meat would be fine. Technically, it’s the flesh of warmblooded animals that is off limits on Fridays. In the same week that Pope Francis opened the door to possibly revising the tradition of priestly celibacy, Rhode Island’s outgoing, ultra-conservative, Bishop Tobin declared that his flock must forgo corned beef this St. Patrick’s Day, because he’s just an awful person. Tobin had previously waived this obligation in 2006 and 2017, when the holiday also landed on a Friday, so . . . this is just how he wants to be remembered? His position on Twitter has been similarly inconsistent, quitting abruptly in 2018 — declaring that it had become “an occasion of sin” — only to rejoin a year later, when Twitter was all fixed. So, Twitter good . . . corned beef, bad. From the ProJo,
“Bishop Tobin believes it is important to remind the faithful of the importance of our Lenten disciplines,” said Michael F. Kieloch, director of communications and public relations for the Diocese of Providence.
All other New England states have issued general dispensations, so just hop over to Seekonk where God is not being so particular.
Tobin can’t leave soon enough. From “Bishop Tobin’s Legacy — RI’s Most Divisive Man” in GoLocalProv.
While Tobin lobbed criticism at everyone from President Barack Obama to Nelson Mandela to the Pope, it was the thousands of nurses and staff from the St. Joseph Health Center who have been devastated by Tobin. The Diocese under Tobin is now facing federal and state lawsuits by the receiver for St. Joseph Health Services for its role in the failure of the hospital’s pension fund.
The lawsuit against the Diocese specifically targets Tobin’s failures.
Seen here is the Haitian Damballa Vodou Flag from the RISD Museum collections: “This flag honors Damballa, the serpent divinity of rain, wisdom, and fertility. Damballa is also associated with Saint Patrick, who mastered the serpents of Ireland.” Vodou originated in the ancient kingdom of Dahomey (present-day Nigeria, Benin, and Togo) and derives from the Fon word for “God” or “Spirit.”