Angling for Charity: Saints Peter and Paul Knights hosting Friday Fish Fry dinners, starting Feb. 24

Along with all of the social and spiritual events that were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic, the beloved Fish Fry Dinners at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church - familiar to all who observe meat-free meals during Lent - were largely canceled from 2020 to 2022.

The fishy smells and friendly sounds unique to the casual Friday-night tradition were a great loss to hundreds of local residents - who likely missed the camaraderie as much as the cuisine.

But in 2023, the Fish Fry Dinners are back, as members of the Knights of Columbus No. 1369 can cast their nets and dust off their fryers once again, in fraternity and philanthropy.

Fish Fry Chair Tom "Buck" Rogers says the Knights have been running these dinners since 2014, except for the last two years.

"Making sure you have staff and volunteers is the hardest part," says Rogers, who got his nickname from a teacher at Marmion High School. "But once people commit to doing it, everyone has fun."

Each Fish Fry requires 36 adult and 36 student volunteers to run a normal Friday night event, producing an average of 400 meals per week.

The 2023 menu includes a six-piece jumbo shrimp dinner ($13), a whitefish dinner ($13), and a cheese pizza meal ($6), with discounts for seniors ($11) and kids 12 and under ($10). Dinners include french fries, a roll, housemade coleslaw, and a cookie; pizza meals include a juice box and cookie. Premium beer and wine ($5), domestic beer ($3), and nonalcoholic beverages can be purchased separately. "You can always buy more pizza or fries," Rogers said, "but the fish is all-you-can-eat."

Starting Feb. 24, Fish Fry Dinners will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. each Friday during Lent, through March 31; the kitchen closes at 8 p.m. Free parking is available at all church and school parking lots, and no reservations are necessary. Learn more at www.sspeterandpaul.net.

Although carryout meals are available, the atmosphere in Saints Peter and Paul's Ministry Center Social Hall (36 N. Ellsworth St. in Naperville) is friendly and fun, as youth volunteers serve guests as they sip beverages and wait for meals to be delivered, restaurant-style.

"Students are waiting in lines, not the patrons," Rogers said. "We train all the volunteers, and they are really part of what the attraction is - some kids even get tips," says Rogers. "We encourage them to do something good with the money, because it's really about service."

Proceeds can vary, he says, due to costs and donations. "We are paying for the food products this year, but we were very fortunate to find beverage sponsors - Trinchero Family Estates and Goose Island Brewery - who are donating the premium beer and wine," Rogers said.

Music and conversation fills the gathering space in the Ministry Center, punctuated by the occasional raffle prize announcement, which allows patrons to further contribute to several local charities, as all proceeds benefit a variety of organizations, including Special Olympics, Misericordia, Little Friends, Operation Support Our Troops, and Habitat for Humanity.

"This will be a great family-fun event for people," Rogers said, "especially on St. Patrick's Day this year, since it falls on a Friday."

He says that many Catholics even combine Lenten traditions on Friday nights, eating dinner and then doing a 14-step devotional in the church. "Stations of the Cross starts at 7 p.m., so many people do both. What a great evening - support the Fish Fry and then go to stations."