That famous saint named Patrick will have his green-drenched party this year, but it’s unclear when the guests are supposed to arrive. For the first time since 1940, St. Patrick’s Day will fall during Holy Week, the sacred seven days preceding Easter…

A few Roman Catholic leaders are asking for even more moderation in their dioceses: They want parades and other festivities kept out of Holy Week…

The U.S. remains one of the few countries in the world to retain any religious traces of St. Patrick’s Day, Mike Cronin said. In Ireland, where the government sponsors the Dublin parade, the holiday has morphed into an arts festival that draws millions of people, he said.

Recognizing that, bishops there have moved the feast of the nation’s patron saint to March 15 this year. March 17 will remain an official Irish day off work and the Dublin parade will go on as scheduled…

Had Ireland’s bishops shown the same insistence as some of their American counterparts, Cronin said, their comments almost certainly would have been ignored.

“It’d be like the (American) bishops arguing to move Super Bowl Sunday,” he said.

Only a few religious folk have a problem with this. I’m certain they’ll come up with a rationale.