Lenten fish fry: an opportunity to bring a parish together, and an invitation to the wider community

By Bill Doyle | CFP Correspondent

Bob Terry can’t be accused of having bigger fish to fry because the St. Mary Parish Lenten Fish Fry that he organizes in Shrewsbury is about as big as it gets.

Last year, the fish fry served 928 meals, about 100 more than the year before. This year, from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, March 6, that number could surpass 1,000.

The fish fry is held to bring the community together, not to turn a profit. So Mr. Terry and Msgr. Michael F. Rose, St. Mary’s pastor, call it a “fun raiser” rather than a fundraiser. This will be the 14th St. Mary Lenten Fish Fry and it’s open to everyone. Donations and sponsorships help keep the prices affordable.

“This yearly event not only brings an inter-generational group of parishioners together to plan for the dinner and serve so many,” Msgr. Rose said, “but it is one more way in which St. Mary’s reaches out to the wider community to invite them to ‘come and see.’”  
“Our goal was to pack the church and create a community event that would showcase our incredible parish,” Mr. Terry said.

The fish fry on Friday will offer a fish and chips dinner with coleslaw, a soft drink, water, coffee or tea, and cake or cookies for $10 through Wednesday night at stmarysparish.org/fish-fry or $15 at the door, the same prices they have been for many years.

For those who don’t want fish, you can have Dean Park Pizza or macaroni and cheese, plus a soft drink or water and dessert for $5 through Wednesday night or $8 at the door.

Dunkin’ donates the coffee and tea and Panera Bread donates the macaroni and cheese.

Clam chowder is available for $5 and beer and wine is for sale for $4.

When Mr. Terry, 57, and his wife, Judi, lived in Pittsburgh, for years they enjoyed fish fry dinners with friends at different parishes each week during Lent. After moving to Shrewsbury in 2002 and joining St. Mary Parish, they were surprised to discover a lack of fish fries during Lent. So they and their friends approached Msgr. Rose about starting one at St. Mary and he enthusiastically supported them.

For the first two years, the fish was baked in the church ovens. Then the parish purchased fryers and fried the fish on the church lawn by the school under a rented tent. Last year, the parish bought a portable carport instead of renting a tent and the fish fry committee reassembled the carport this week.

This year, the committee plans to hand batter and fry 500 pounds of haddock.  

The first fish fry was held on two Fridays during Lent and 728 meals were served. Two Fridays proved to be too much work so each year since the fish fry has been limited to one Friday. The dinner was cancelled for two years during the pandemic.

Many people look forward to the Lenten Fish Fry all year.

“They’re blown away,” Mr. Terry said. “They can’t imagine all this for $10 and they’re blown away with the volunteers, the students serving them.”

Some wish there was a fish fry every week.

“The compliments are unbelievable,” Mr. Terry said. “They come, they eat, they socialize, they see people and it’s a fun evening.”

Of the 928 meals served last year, about 100 were takeout orders. Takeout orders don’t bring people together, but Mr. Terry hopes people ordering takeout will dine at the hall another year.
Last year, parishioners began delivering to homebound people and 45 orders were delivered free of charge thanks to donations. A dozen or so were delivered to residents of the Dismas House, a home in Worcester for former prisoners striving to reenter society.

Mr. Terry said some committee members are employed in the restaurant industry.
“It’s about the committee,” he said. “It’s not about me. It’s about the people I have on the committee. They’re absolutely incredible.”

Nanette Duquette decorates the hall with lights and balloons, and adorns each table with a bag of chips and Gold Fish. Jazz music plays on Mr. Terry’s phone over two wireless speakers.

“The Fish Fry Committee works very hard in the days leading up to the dinner,” Msgr. Rose said, “but they also love being together to provide for this social gathering.”

The church hall in the basement seats 312 and the gathering space in the church addition seats another 96. As soon as people finish eating, they are replaced by others waiting in line.
Twenty-four sponsors purchased ads on the placemats and eight individuals wrote checks. Al’s Oil sponsored sign holders at each table. Mr. Terry hopes to attract enough sponsors next year for the 15th fish fry to drop the price to what it was for the first year, $8.

About 50 students from St. Mary Elementary School, St. John’s High School and Shrewsbury High School wear white shirts and black trousers while serving the meals. Committee member Maria Smith purchased them black aprons this year. Another 50 adult volunteers cook, serve alcohol and clean up.

Mr. and Mrs. Terry are among the 20 committee members. Their three daughters, Megan, Molly and Mackenzie, also volunteer with their significant others.

The St. Mary Elementary School takes part in the fish fry. St. Mary students will eat lunch in their classrooms on Friday so the church hall can be prepared for the fish fry and they make paper crosses and fish in art class to decorate the hall walls. St. Mary teachers dine at the fish fry with their families. In addition to Msgr. Rose, Father Zachary Sullivan is scheduled to be on hand, as every previous St. Mary associate pastors have been. Other clergy often attend.

– For more events happening during Lent in the Diocese of Worcester such as fish frys, devotions, missions, and special Masses visit The Catholic Free Press's Around the Diocese page.