Knights of Columbus fish fries begin

After a one-year absence, the popular Knights of Columbus fish fries are back.

The fish fries will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Kennedy Gymnasium located at 716 S. Eddy St. They will be held each Friday for six weeks throughtout the Lenten season. However, there will be no fish fry on Good Friday, March 21.

A massive snow storm that dumped around 13 inches of snow on Dec. 1, 2006, piled onto the roof directly above the kitchen area of Kennedy Gym. As a result, ceiling paneling severely bowed, causing water from the melted snow to seep inside.

The damage forced the Knights to cancel the fish fries throughout the 2007 Lenten season.

But Mary Queen of Angels Church, which owns the gym, repaired the damages last year.

"We're rested up, prepared and ready to go to make this bigger and better," said Knights Financial Secretary George Kutey, who's helping with the dinners.

The Knights will be offering meatless spaghetti for the first time this year for people who might prefer a dish other than fish, Kutey said.

Also on the menu is breaded catfish and breaded baked cod along with french fries, macaroni and cheese, green beans and rolls. Also, St. Ann's Alter Society will provide dessert.

There will be a freewill offering.

"The key is that all of the money is donated back into various organizations in town," Kutey said. Beneficiaries include The Beacon, Mother to Mother Ministries and Birthline.

Kutey said he hopes even more people will turn out for this year's Friday fish fry dinners because of the fact that there were none last year.

The fish fries have been gathering events for Catholic parishioners and non-Catholics for more than 20 years. Church doctrine requires that Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent, which runs from Feb. 6 (Ash Wednesday) to March 20 (Holy Thursday, three days before Easter Sunday). Fish fries are popular events in Catholic parishes throughout the United States.

The Knights welcome everyone to attend, regardless of church or religious affiliation.