Go fish! Knights in JBD tri-parish community cook Lenten dinner

A plate of fish, fries, and coleslaw at St. John the Baptizer Parish in Bridgeport. (NTC/Katie Leonard)

BRIDGEPORT — On Feb. 16, nine of the Knights of Columbus Council 9644, plus one Knight-to-be (Jake Anderle), gathered at St. John the Baptizer Parish to provide fellowship through the means of a great meal.

Parishioners were all in agreement that they look forward to the Knights’ cooking and always make sure it is marked on their calendars. 

“The first fish fry this Lent was a success!” said Grand Knight Aaron Anderle. “We had more people from our tri-parish community show up than we expected.” 

Past Grand Knight Victor Gonzalaz said that the “council is always willing to serve, always looking for anything we can do to serve our parishes and do our Lord’s will.” 

Catch of the day: Hand-battered and fried catfish, cooked up just perfectly. There certainly was no shortage as the plates piled up high.

“Here in Texas, we stick to catfish. This is great stuff!” said a parishioner. Homemade tartar sauce was served alongside the dish. 

The sides: Delicious french fries, but the real star was the homemade coleslaw. 

The crowd: This event really brought together the community in a unique way. Every member of the lively and energetic crowd was warm and welcoming. Everyone was excited to be there, excited to eat, and the hall was full to the brim with chatter. Anderle succeeded in his mission to “bring our parishioners together for fellowship in our faith and for us as Knights to serve our community.” 

St. John the Baptizer is located at 1801 Irvin Street, Bridgeport. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located at 1305 Deer Park Road, Decatur. Cost of the fish fry is donation-only on March 22 at Assumption. 

Schedule of events for both parishes for the remainder of Lent: 

March 8, the ladies’ group of St. Johns will be selling soup following stations. Mass will be held at 5:30 p.m., followed by Stations of the Cross. 

March 22, the Knights will serve fish at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary following shadow Stations of the Cross, presented by the youth group. Stations begin at 6:00 p.m. and are followed by Mass. 

The office for both parishes may be reached at 940-683-2743.