Just as it’s common to catch the scent of incense drifting from the sanctuary during Lent, so is the aroma of fried catfish wafting out of a parish hall, especially this year.
The return of fish fries hosted by the Knights of Columbus are a reason to celebrate. They are the first in-person fish fries for many parishes after a two-year hiatus, as society moves toward a safer phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As any Catholic will tell you, it’s not about the fish — no matter how delicious it tastes.
“Anytime that people are gathering for social things, then it increases the people they know in the parish and then that adds to the experience of worship on Sundays, because worship is always different when you come to church and see people you know, and then you talk to them after Mass,” said Father Erik Pohlmeier, pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock and theological consultant for Arkansas Catholic. “One of the great challenges for people that are new to a parish always is feeling like they're connected. Very often the whole notion of whether a parish is welcoming or not, revolves around, ‘Does anybody talk to me when I go to Mass?’ And if you're participating in things like fish fries, and you're getting to know people in a social kind of way. Then it has a spiritual effect on the parish by just strengthening the connection that you feel when you do gather for what's most important — the worship.”
Whether it’s the miracle of the disciples' nets overflowing with the day’s catch or Jesus feeding the multitudes, the imagery of fish is common throughout the Bible. Father Pohlmeier said abstaining from meat on Fridays, referred to as “carne” in Latin, was never a directive to eat fish. Many biblical prohibitions exist around eating warm-blooded animals, but cold-blooded animals were viewed differently.
“I think it’d be a much more recent thing that people automatically associated fish with Lent. It would have just been ‘no meat.’ And then it kind of turned into the thing where people don't even talk now about ‘no meat,’ they just talk about ‘eat fish,’” he said.
Father Pohlmeier pointed out that because “fish was a normal part of Christian association, I think those connections were developed,” particularly in spiritual and Lenten reflections.
Fish fries grew in the U.S. during Lent with Polish and German Catholic immigrants in the 1800s. Fish fries and Knights of Columbus are a natural fit, combining fellowship and service.
“We get out in the communities and mingle with the people that come in. They get to know who the knights are,” said State Deputy Alan Halman, who also is a part of Council 10908 at St. Mary Church in Saint Vincent. “It’s a good recruiting tool for us too.”
There are 65 councils in the state, and many host fish fries (See sidebar). Halman said the fish fry, hosted at St. Mary’s once during spring break, attracts non-Catholics too.
“It’s good for the community … They look forward to it every year,” Halman said. St. Mary’s council donates to local scholarships from the money raised.
Marcus Berry, treasurer of Council 14010 for St. Mary Church in Altus, who started the fish fries for the council about eight years ago, said people are excited to come back.
“It just kind of goes back to doing things for the church and bringing people together. Here’s the big deal now; those people got used to not coming to church and doing things online and right now the biggest thing is trying to get those people back to church,” Berry said. “We dropped off a lot. You don’t see the people you used to see before COVID.”
Every week during Lent, St. Mary’s fish fries lead into the Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m.
About 15 to 20 knights help prepare the 135 pounds of catfish, purchased from a local distributor, as is the case with most councils. Their $15 a plate comes with fish, hushpuppies, coleslaw, pinto beans, dessert and drink. People can choose take-out, but with a parish community of just 367, people generally attend at least one of the four fish fries offered during Lent.
Berry said they average about 150 diners, but for the first night on March 4, they brought out more tables to accommodate about 175. Even though they usually break about even, with roughly $5,000 spent on food and gathered in donations, being together is most important.
“It is because pretty much everybody knows everybody. We really as a parish don’t have a lot of functions for the parishioners to do things,” Berry said. “So the fish fries are one of them and I really think that’s why so many of us were asking ‘Are we going to do it this year?’”
Even for larger parishes with a variety of ministry events like Christ the King Church in Little Rock, the fish fries are still a staple. Council 10167 has hosted the fish fries since the 1980s and pre-COVID, they would sell about 400 plates a night. Grand Knight David Segovia said they’ll host fish fries on Fridays during Lent and this year they had to raise the cost from $10 to $12 per plate because “the price of fish has almost doubled.”
About 20 to 25 men gather around 1 p.m. at the Family Life Center kitchen on Fridays to cook, prep and serve late into the night.
“We make our own batter,” he said, but when pressed for the secret recipe, Segovia simply explained, “We make it with love.”
They make about $2,500 total on average for three fish fries (they are holding four this year), which goes toward charitable causes. They planned on beginning with the drive-thru only option, but because of popular demand, they hosted a dine-in experience March 11.
“We take off work early on a Friday, and we’re there for 12 hours. It is a big sacrifice, just to see what these guys do,” he said.
Jason Gangluff, grand knight for Council 4143 at St. Joseph Church in Conway, said they had one of their largest turnouts March 4, serving about 375 meals.
“For me, it’s really just the camaraderie of it to be able to talk and joke with the guys in the kitchen frying the fish. Hearing some of their stories and getting to know them better,” he said.
Gangluff helps make the green beans, just one part of the expansive all-you-can-eat offering of fried catfish, hushpuppies, fried okra, coleslaw, mac and cheese, french fries, a dessert and drink for $15. The drive-thru meal is $13 for smaller portions and less sides. The council nets about $7,000 to $8,000 for four fish fries. Even in 2020 and 2021, the knights set up drive-thru-only options. The money goes toward the expenses of the Knights of Columbus hall and pool.
“I always think it’s about the community. St. Joseph has five to six Masses during the weekend … so this is an opportunity for folks to sit down and maybe get to talking to some folks they haven’t seen in awhile,” Gangluff said.
St. Joseph parishioners and grandparents Ken and Betty Schichtl and Donna Mathews cuddled grandson Harrison Schichtl, 11 months, as granddaughter Charlotte Schichtl, 3, munched through the food on her plate March 11.
“Since the beginning,” Betty Schichtl said of how long they’ve attended the fish fry in Conway, explaining it has always been about “seeing all our friends.”
Mathews agreed, “Just to support the parish, and fellowship.”
