Dinner at Saint Albert the Great’s Lenten fish fry. Credit: Brittany Sowacke
“I’m a dessert apprentice tonight,” says Patty Blum, whose childhood home is just around the corner from Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church in Burbank.Credit: Brittany SowackeAt least nine different homemade desserts were donated to Saint Albert the Great’s Lenten fish fry.Credit: Brittany SowackeVolunteer cooks Bob, Glenn, and Jim work the breading station at Saint Albert the Great’s Lenten fish fry. For three hours, the basement buzzes with deep fryers, chatter, and excitement.Credit: Brittany SowackeIllinois Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, center, made his first appearance at Saint Albert The Great Catholic Church in Burbank, IL on Friday, March 29, 2019. Cardinal Cupich speaks with Pastor Mariusz Nawalaniec, left, as her waits in line for fish dinner with parishioners.Credit: Brittany SowackeParishioners overflowed from the nave at Saint Albert The Great Catholic Church.Credit: Brittany SowackeFor more than 30 years the Irish American Heritage Center on the northwest side has hosted Lenten fish fries, an all-you-can-eat fried cod buffet.Credit: Brittany SowackeAine McNulty dances to Irish music next to her mother, Deirdre (to her left), while the O’Hara School of Irish Dancers performs around the corner at the Irish American Heritage Center’s Annual Lenten Fish Fry.Credit: Brittany SowackeTwo friends catch up at the Irish American Heritage Center’s Annual Lenten fish fry.Credit: Brittany SowackeBottles of malt vinegar, salt, pepper, and lemons litter the garnishments table at the Irish American Heritage Center’s Annual Lenten fish fry.Credit: Brittany SowackeOffering the choice between a fish basket for $12 or a mac and cheese basket for $7, the two-day BYOB event hosted by Saint Andrew Parish filled the school’s gymnasium.Credit: Brittany SowackeSaint Andrew Parish in Lakeview hosted two Lenten fish fries, where an estimated 800 baskets sold each night. The fish fry tradition references the Bible parable of “the feeding of the multitudes,” where Jesus and his disciples fed a crowd of 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish.Credit: Brittany SowackeMacaroni and cheese served at Saint Andrew Parish.Credit: Brittany Sowacke