As a kid who grew up Catholic and attended twelve straight years of Catholic schools, I’m more than aware of all the Catholic traditions I’ve honored for my entire life. However, when people I know ask me questions about my faith, and my upbringing, I love to give answers like the folks at my parish gave to Fox 19 last night.
“You gotta have the fried fish,” Steve Laird, told Fox 19’s Stefano DiPietrantonio. “It’s kind of a Catholic West Side tradition.”
Almost like football on Friday nights at Elder High School, Catholics all across the tight-knit West Side abstain from eating meat on Fridays in Lent. The best way to abstain from eating meat is to pull through the driveway at St. William and pick up a fish meal.
I know, you’re thinking, what is he getting paid to write this? Actually, it’s the same amount of money I’m getting paid to coach the girl’s basketball team at St. William: absolutely nothing.
After visiting Rome and Vatican City in the summer of 2005, I realized exactly what makes being Catholic so cool. The fact that we were able to sit in the hot summer sun in St. Peter’s Square for hours just to see the Pope for about an hour was truly amazing. The next day we toured St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.
Needless to say, it was a pretty awesome experience.
It was an awesome experience that has provided me with a lifetime of memories and a million reasons why I enjoy being Catholic. Each year Lent provides Catholics of all ages with hurdles. We give up something in order to become better people.
This year a group of friends in Columbus decided to give up Facebook for Lent. “I’m literally on (Facebook) 24/7,” said 17-year old Ben Heigel. “So I kind of wanted to challenge myself this year.”
His friend Isabel Gaitan, also 17, added, “Lent is all about sacrifice. “Granted, I don't really need Facebook. But it’s a sacrifice.”
For four years at Elder High School we went through classes debating why we gave up meat on Fridays as opposed to something different. Many of my classmates didn’t understand, nor did they think it was a worthwhile idea. I never complained. ‘Is it that bad?’ I’d think to myself.
Recently, it’s become tougher to follow the guidelines I grew up on, but I’ve found a way through it all. Yes, being Catholic is important to me, and following the rules of Lent is still important to me too.
As we head toward Easter I know I’ll get busy with football, NASCAR and school work, but it’s important to never forget what got me here. My roots as a West Side Catholic guy are firmly planted, and fish fries are just another great part of being Catholic.
“You gotta have the fried fish,” Steve Laird, told Fox 19’s Stefano DiPietrantonio. “It’s kind of a Catholic West Side tradition.”
Almost like football on Friday nights at Elder High School, Catholics all across the tight-knit West Side abstain from eating meat on Fridays in Lent. The best way to abstain from eating meat is to pull through the driveway at St. William and pick up a fish meal.
I know, you’re thinking, what is he getting paid to write this? Actually, it’s the same amount of money I’m getting paid to coach the girl’s basketball team at St. William: absolutely nothing.
After visiting Rome and Vatican City in the summer of 2005, I realized exactly what makes being Catholic so cool. The fact that we were able to sit in the hot summer sun in St. Peter’s Square for hours just to see the Pope for about an hour was truly amazing. The next day we toured St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.
Needless to say, it was a pretty awesome experience.It was an awesome experience that has provided me with a lifetime of memories and a million reasons why I enjoy being Catholic. Each year Lent provides Catholics of all ages with hurdles. We give up something in order to become better people.
This year a group of friends in Columbus decided to give up Facebook for Lent. “I’m literally on (Facebook) 24/7,” said 17-year old Ben Heigel. “So I kind of wanted to challenge myself this year.”
His friend Isabel Gaitan, also 17, added, “Lent is all about sacrifice. “Granted, I don't really need Facebook. But it’s a sacrifice.”
For four years at Elder High School we went through classes debating why we gave up meat on Fridays as opposed to something different. Many of my classmates didn’t understand, nor did they think it was a worthwhile idea. I never complained. ‘Is it that bad?’ I’d think to myself.
Recently, it’s become tougher to follow the guidelines I grew up on, but I’ve found a way through it all. Yes, being Catholic is important to me, and following the rules of Lent is still important to me too.
As we head toward Easter I know I’ll get busy with football, NASCAR and school work, but it’s important to never forget what got me here. My roots as a West Side Catholic guy are firmly planted, and fish fries are just another great part of being Catholic.
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