New Orleans, La., Feb 15, 2013 / 16:05 pm
Alligator is permissible to eat on Fridays of Lent, the archbishop of New Orleans assured a conscientious parishioner, and his approval has been backed by the national bishops' conference.
"Concerning the question if alligator is acceptable to eat during the Lenten season...yes, the alligator is considered in the fish family," Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond wrote in a 2010 letter provided to CNA by the New Orleans archdiocese Feb. 15.
The archbishop said he agreed with the parishioner that the alligator is a "magnificent creature that is important to the state of Louisiana" and which is also "considered seafood."
The Code of Canon Law says, "Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday."