Lenten fish fries take over Omaha

Laura Hahn

 

From long lines to the smell of fried fish, Lenten fish fries certainly draw a crowd.  Nearly every parish in the Omaha area has an alternative to hamburgers and tacos for their parishioners during the no meat Fridays of Lent.  These fish fries are often, but not always sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

 

Judging from a few of Omaha’s fish fries a list of the top five was created.  The list was based on each church’s fish fry’s quality of food, the number of people that attended, the variety of food offered, the price and the atmosphere it was presented in.

 

Falling into the fifth position was St. Gerald Catholic Church on 96th and Q, followed by St. Stephen Catholic Church.  Knights of Columbus member Rudy Halim said, “Our motto is have a good time while doing a good thing.”  St. Stephen’s donates $10,000 of their proceeds to different charities.

 

With a record-breaking crowd, for the Mary Our Queen fish fry, of 1,700 people on Friday March 12th, the Mary Our Queen parish fell into third place.  The second place position was given to Blessed Sacrament. 

 

Sophomore Blessed Sacrament member Tana Tipton said, “We come every Friday.  It’s a family outing and we’ve come here [the fish fry] for a long  time and they have the best fish.”

 

Finally the number one fish fry in the Omaha area, with the longest line, is Holy Name 48th and Fontenelle Blvd.  “It’s the ultimate fish fry,” said assistant principal Mr. Jim Miller.  The Holy Name fish fry serves an average of around 2,000 people per week. 

 

The Lenten fish fries help to bring families and friends together for a night of baked fish, macaroni and cheese and a little entertainment.  People that attend may even walk away with a prize from the one of the raffle’s.

 

Back