2 fish fry Fridays remain at Divine Redeemer Parish

A tradition of food and fellowship has returned to Divine Redeemer Parish’s St. James Catholic Church in Sewickley.

Its Lenten fish fry is back in full force this season after an all-take-out experience in 2021 and last year’s pandemic hiatus.

About 75 volunteers come together each week to make the Friday feast of a fundraiser happen at 200 Walnut St.

“It feels really good to be back,” said Bill Monski, parishioner and fish fry coordinator. “It feels good to see all the people getting together and working at this level. It gets pretty hectic, and you get to see how well people actually step up and do it in this situation. A lot of people couldn’t wait to get to perogies. They couldn’t wait to get to a bunch of stuff.”

Several of the kitchen staff are ServSafe certified, a status reached through classes with the Allegheny County Health Department.

“We want to make sure we follow the right rules,” Monski said about food safety.

Entrees include seared salmon, baked crab cakes with ground shrimp filling, fried or baked cod. Fish sandwiches are served on a Mancini roll.

Other menu items include homemade mac and cheese, coleslaw, fries, perogies and halushki made from parishioner Dave Kovacs’ family recipe. There are gluten-free options as well.

Food is available for dine-in or take-out.

Those dining in head downstairs to its social hall. Take-out is on an upper floor run by parishioner Dan Kerner.

“This is the fifth or sixth one I’ve worked, but it was going on long before that,” Kerner said. “A lot of our school students here volunteer. They’re helping fill all the take-out orders.

“There are more students downstairs. They’re helping serve drinks and orders down there as well. Each week we fill somewhere between 200 to 300 take-out orders.”

Sixth-grader Hailey Kerner was among the youths earning community service hours at the fish fry. It was her first year volunteering and she plans to come back next year.

“It feels really good because I get to help people here, and I get to hang out with my friends a long time, too,” Hailey said. “I printed orders and helped run them back and forth.”

Deacon Jason Corsetti served as youth coordinator. He made sure everyone had on hats and gloves as they worked.

“We’ve gotten a whole bunch of compliments on them about how friendly they are, how they’re on top of it,” Corsetti said. “I’m definitely going to be sharing that with them because they deserve to hear it. They’re doing a phenomenal job.

“It’s important to get the youth involved in the fish fry because service starts with the church and at home and with our neighbors. In fostering service in our community, we foster service to our neighbors and to our homes and we’re able to better realize the love of Christ.”

Corsetti echoed other volunteers’ comments about being back to full food service.

“It’s busy, but it’s a fun busy,” he said. “I’m seeing a whole bunch of people that I don’t always get to see at every Mass, and they’re bringing their friends. We had somebody from the neighboring Presbyterian church come down. It’s just a great way not only to see your parishioners, but it’s a great way to foster some unity.”

Organizers estimated about 80 pounds of salmon, 280 pounds of cod and at least 10 pounds of crab are served at each fish fry.

The one on St. Patrick’s Day featured a special corned beef dinner due to the Pittsburgh and Greensburg diocese granting special dispensation allowing folks to eat meat.

Monski said the fundraising goal is about $17,000 to help maintain church operations and do some sidewalk upgrades.

Because there isn’t a fish fry on Good Friday, the last St. James fish fry is from 4:30-7 p.m. on March 31.

Call 412-528-1030 or go to drfishfry.com to place an order.