Dear Janet:

As I mentioned in question just previous to yours, while gambling is not a sin itself, it can be a sin if one gambles away money needed by the family. 

I personally think it is scandalous for the Church to have "bingo night". The thought of non-Catholics thinking our parish Churches, which are Holy Ground, is a place of gambling, irks me to no end.

But, there is nothing sinful about gambling, unless one is gambling their rent check, or food money, etc. Since it is not sinful, parishes are not sinning for providing this "entertainment". 

I am mindful of the warnings by St. Paul: 

(1 Cor 6:12)  "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything.

(1 Cor 10:23)  "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 

In his book,Introduction to the Devout Life, by St. Francis de Sales, (an absolute must read) the saint condemned gambling on games of chance because it offends the virtue of reason. Wagering on games in which the parties rely upon their skill (instead of luck), such as a game of Chess, is permissible to the Saint.

The admonition remains about gambling, of any sort, being sinful if one is gambling away money needed by his family.

If I were a parish priest, there would be no bingo in my parish. As Provost of the Oblates and Missioners of St. Michael, there will be no gambling to raise money; either people give out of the kindness of their heart or we close this whole apostolate down if there is not enough support.

The same principle applies with " casino games".

As for the St. Pat partying: drunkenness, carousing (riots, letting loose, revelling) and the sexual sins of fornication, impurity ((moral uncleanness), and licentiousness (filthy, wantonness) that often are part of these festivities are sin. St. Paul mentions these in his lists of grave sins:

Gal 5:19-21)  Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

We are not only to avoid these evil acts, we are to avoid even the appearance of such acts: (1 Thess 5:22)  "From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves."

As for Leprechauns: 

Leprechauns are a part of the Irish pagan folklore, usually linked to the Irish mythology of the Tuatha Dé Danann (peoples of the goddess Danu). These mythological creatures are hardly the type of fare for Christians, nor are the Grimm Fairy Tales, for that matter. As folklore and mythology goes, Leprechauns are probably morally equal to the Grimm Fairy Tales. If you have not read the "original" Grimm Fairy Tales, not the watered down versions in the children section of bookstores, then you are in for a surprise. They are not for children.

By this point I imagine most of the readers are calling me a stuffed shirt, party-pooper, and in need of a good chill. Well, it is actually possible to have a good time, even a good time on St. Patrick's Day, without the sins of drunkenness, the party spirit, or Irish paganism. My people come from Ireland, and I have all sorts of fun without the sinful or questionable activities.

If one needs sin to have fun, I suggest a psychiatrist and a confessor.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary