Lent begins this week on Ash Wednesday and following tradition, St. Colman of Cloyne Catholic Church in Washington C.H. is kicking off the season this Friday with the annual First Knights of Columbus Lenten Fish Fry.
Lent lasts six weeks and ends April 9 as it lasts 40 days, not including Sundays. There will be a Fish Fry every Friday through April 3. The location of the dinners will be the Parish Hall, 219 S. North St. in Washington Court House.
“In the Catholic faith, it is customary for practicing Catholics not to eat meat on Fridays (during Lent),” explained Tina Garland, the parish business manager. “So, we Catholics do not eat meat on Fridays but we will eat fish. That’s why it’s customary for a lot of Catholic churches to have Fish Frys on Fridays.”
The doors open at 4:30 p.m. and close at 7 p.m. Anyone arriving before 4:30 will have to wait to enter.
The dinner will cost $10 per person although there is a family maximum of $35. This means if a family of four or more came in to eat, they would only pay $35. There are a limited number of highchairs available for use.
According to Garland, the menu will include both fried and baked Pollock, fried popcorn shrimp, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, baked potatoes, fries, corn, green beans, potato soup and homemade cole slaw. Homemade desserts will be donated by parishioners.
The fish, grilled cheese and fries are made fresh through the evening. Mac and cheese is prepared as needed. The coleslaw, green beans and corn are limited — those arriving later in the evening may have less options if the limited food begins to run out.
The Fish Fry dinners are the main source of fundraising for the parish, according to Garland.
“The Knights use the proceeds of this to benefit different initiatives in the community,” she explained. “Most of the money goes back into the community in the form of donations, contributions and scholarships.”
Anyone in the community is welcome to attend.
“They rely on community support as much as parishioners’ support,” said Garland.
For more information about the dinners, call 740-335-5000, email [email protected] or visit them at 219 S. North St. in Washington C.H.
Reach Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355 or on Twitter @JennMWoods.
