COVID-19 crashed into Southwestern Pennsylvania in the middle of Lent last year, bringing the curtain down on fish fries that are the staple of Catholic churches, volunteer fire departments and veterans service organizations after Ash Wednesday.
Back in March, few could have foreseen that the coronavirus pandemic would still be rampant 11 months later, but that reality has led organizations that sponsor fish fries to modify them or call them off altogether this year.
For instance, the fish fry for St. John XXIII Parish, which includes St. Benedict the Abbot Church in McMurray and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Finleyville, is going to be drive-thru only starting Feb. 19. Rather than venturing into the church and placing an order, or even picking one up, customers can place on an order online, and then drive up at St. Benedict the Abbot Church and pick it up. The church is also providing instructions on how to reheat the meal once it’s home.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to do this safely,” said Pat McKinney, who is the chairwoman of the fish fry. The number of volunteers participating will also be halved, going from 18 people to nine, McKinney explained, so that social distancing can be maintained.
The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh will be positing its guide of what churches will be offering fish fries on Friday. According to Jennifer Antkowiak, a spokeswoman for the diocese, “All parishes, schools and other organizations associated with the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh continue to follow Pennsylvania COVID-19 safety guidelines. Lenten fish fries in the diocese in 2021 will offer take-out or delivery service only; there will be no indoor dining or outdoor seating.”
Allegheny County has also issued guidelines for fish fries. Among other things, it is requiring employees to wear face coverings at all times, and indoor dining is restricted to 50% if self-certification has been completed, and 25% if it has not.
Desserts that would have typically been for sale at Immaculate Conception Church’s fish fry in Washington will be missing this year, according to Tracy Sushel, communications coordinator for St. James Parish. Some volunteers who would have usually participated have begged off this year, Sushel said, and they are being replaced by volunteers from John F. Kennedy Catholic Elementary School.
“We’re going to have a seamless transition,” Sushel said. “We’re completely changing our set-up. We’re maintaining social distancing and adhering to all the recommendations of the CDC.”
By shutting down the Lenten fish fry at its midpoint last year, “we really took a hit financially,” Sushel said, pointing out that it and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration are the church’s biggest fundraisers. This year, the St. Patrick’s Day event is also being modified.
The Point Marion Volunteer Fire Department in Fayette County got a jump on the crowd and started its seasonal fish fries on Friday. “We just decided this year to go ahead and get started with it,” said Gary Ganoe, the fire department’s chief. “We did it last year during the pandemic.”
Meanwhile, some churches and nonprofit organizations have decided to take a pass on fish fries this year. The St. Ann’s Knights of Columbus fish fry in Waynesburg has been called off due to COVID-19, along with the fish fry at St. Marcellus Church in Jefferson, according to the Rev. Francis Frazer of the St. Matthias Parish.
“It’s a good social event and it’s a good fundraiser,” Frazer said.
And it’s still up in the air whether the American Legion Post 175 in North Franklin is going to go ahead with its fish fry, according to Dave Staniszewski, the commander of the post.
“We’re not 100% sure,” Staniszewski said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s hard to say.”
Still, even if the fish fries are not quite the same this year, they will help revive a sense of community that has been diminished amid the pandemic. McKinney pointed out that some parishioners have watched services exclusively online since last March, and the fish fry “is a way to bring people together,” she said.
February 08, 2021 at 12:15PM
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Fish fries will be curtailed or axed this year - Observer-Reporter
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