In Portland, Catholics celebrate St. Patrick's Day the classic way with a traditional Irish feast

Catholics in Portland celebrated St. Patrick's Day the traditional way, with a classic Irish feast of corned beef and cabbage. For churchgoers at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the holiday is all about coming together.

"There's a kind of joyfulness and celebratory spirit to the Irish people that I think has also become a part of our Catholic faith and community here, too," said the Rev. Seamus Griesbach.

Usually, Christians abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent, but this year, Bishop Robert P. Deeley gave Catholics special permission to eat meat on the holiday if they chose another day during the week to abstain.

"I think the goal is to come together," Griesbach said. "You know, we live in a time when people are so separated and whether it's fasting or celebrating, hopefully, these are things that bring us together and bring us closer to God."

The cathedral has been holding the feast for years, but this year it felt particularly special after a few years off because of COVID-19, now they're happy to return to a tradition that stands the test of time.

"It's been a long, long tradition and it should be, it really should be," said church-goer Cathy Rand. "Saint Patrick was a good thing, and we should keep honoring him, even if we're not Irish."