Nothing fishy about it: Fish fry events promote faith, community

Refraining from eating meat on Fridays during Lent has long been a way of life for Catholics.

Amber Coulter

Jean Lyons, of Elizabethtown, prepares fish sandwiches during a fish fry at Faith Apostolic Church in Elizabethtown Friday. She thinks the events are fun and a good fundraiser for the church.

Buy this photo

Amber Coulter

Knights of Columbus member Patrick Pierpoint, of Radcliff, helps fill a plate for Elisabeth Suarez, of Vine Grove, at a fish fry Friday at St. Christopher Catholic Church in Radcliff. Suarez makes fish at home on Fridays during Lent and was enjoying her evening without cooking responsibilities.

Buy this photo

Amber Coulter

Lyons and Faith Apostolic Church member Nancy Sargent prepared a fish sandwich and homemade sides for Larry Carroll, of Vine Grove.

Buy this photo

Amber Coulter

Andrei Tunsil, of Radcliff, helped Knights of Columbus members with their fish fry at St. Christopher Catholic Church, though he isn't a member of the group or the parish. He said he has know the men who host the events every year for a long time and wanted to help.

Buy this photo

The resulting fish fry events that have popped up throughout the county help the local faithful stick to the laws of their religion and build a sense of fellowship among Catholics and non-Catholics.

Vine Grove resident Elisabeth Suarez, a member of St. Christopher Catholic Church on South Wilson Road in Radcliff, usually cooks fish at home on Fridays during Lent.

Sometimes, she takes the night off from cooking by enjoying a fish fry hosted by St. Christopher Old St. Patrick chapter of the Knights of Columbus. Afterwards she goes through the Stations of the Cross led by a church official.

“It’s a nice ending to the week, something for the body and then something for the soul.” she said.

Suarez hopes visitors to the fish fry events will leave thinking that the parish is great and made up of nice people.

Grand Knight Bob Casher, of Radcliff, said his group hosts fish fry events to support people of the parish as they abide by the Catholic prohibition against eating meat on Fridays, which is meant to be a form of sacrifice.

The money raised goes to the parish’s youth group, he said.

“Everything we do is for the fellowship of the fraternity and to support the parish,” he said.

The events are about faith, Casher said.

It also promotes community, drawing in attendees who aren’t Catholic, he said.

“It’s just a great way to develop and build fellowship within the parish and partner with the youth,” he said.

Catholic churches aren’t the only ones who have embraced fish fry events.

Faith Apostolic Church on Nicholas Street in Elizabethtown doesn’t observe Lent, but annually serves up fish sandwiches and homemade sides and deserts.

They act as fundraisers for the church.

Church member Aneta Scuffitt, of Lebanon Junction, said she hasn’t found any fish in town better than what her church serves.

She also likes the fellowship that comes from church members and community members who don’t worship there stopping in to eat and talk together.

“They come in laughing and talking with you,” she said. “That’s what makes it fun, and they keep coming back.”

The Rev. David Aldridge said it is good to give community members a chance to meet church members and the atmosphere there.

Larry Carroll, of Vine Grove, heard from his employer that the church was hosting a fish fry and the food was good.

Carroll doesn’t observe Lent, but it seemed like a good place to grab food during his lunch break.

“It’s great food,” he said. “I’ve had it before. It’s very good fish.”

The experience was especially nice for Carroll because he is glad to help any church.

Amber Coulter can be reached at (270) 505-1746 or acoulter@thenewsenterprise.com.