TOLEDO, Ohio — The Lenten season began on Wednesday which means Catholics won't be eating meat on Fridays until Easter and many parishes and organizations are hosting fish fries.
The Toledo Catholic Diocese has almosy 50 parishes participating this year. Most Blessed Sacrament is bringing its fish fry back in person after doing pick-up only for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We're actually returning to fully in-house as well as take-out and we're going to have hundreds of hundreds of people here every Friday here in our auditorium tomorrow," Father Michael Geiger said.
The parish expects to serve 800 pounds of fish, 400 pounds of potatoes, 100 pounds of homemade coleslaw and many more desserts for the around 800 people expected on Friday.
"Fish fries are a wonderful way to bring people together and in solidarity to really follow their Lenten fast, and the fish fries really help with that in the most profound way," Geiger said.
Laurie McHugh and Carla Majewski, co-chairs of Most Blessed Sacrament's fish fries, said they're excited to bring the festivities back in person.
"I'm excited to see some of the regulars come back, know that they're still doing well and maybe that didn't come if it's take-out only and some are elderly so if they're maybe not still around," Majewski said.
She said around 25 people help out the day before getting the fish ready for the event, when around 100 volunteers clean, prepare and serve food.
McHugh said preparations for the fish fries begin in October.
Prices have been raised, though, and Geiger said the parish got everything needed to grow the ministry for school, salaries and church.
"We did raise prices a little, and we are still a very, very awesome and economical choice and fantastic food," Geiger said.
Prices range from $10-15, depending on age. Kids under 5 years old eat for free.