April 15, 2025

Sacred Heart Parish Lenten dinners support ministries

REGIONAL
Story and photo by David Martin

FEEDING HILLS- Every Friday evening during Lent, the kitchen in the parish center at Sacred Heart in Feeding Hills was filled with volunteers, serving up baked fish, French fries, homemade Cole slaw, salad and cake. The Lenten dinners have become a tradition, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Agawam JFK Council 5585. At $12 a meal, and with take-out available, the dinners have become popular in the wider community.

 “On the Friday fish fry, we have one guy who does the shopping. There has got to be eight of us here to volunteer. We also get a lot of help from St. Martha’s Guild at Sacred Heart. One of the women there makes the salad. It is just really amazing. It is just really good stuff,” said Jack Seaver, the advocate for Council 5585.

“It takes a lot of effort, a lot of time, but we do volunteer hours. The Knights of Columbus last year nationwide did 47 million hours of volunteer time.  We are into it for the charity,” he said.

During the meal there is a 50-50 raffle, a raffle for a door prize that comes from the church gift shop and other donated prizes, such as bikes and tickets to a Red Sox game. The proceeds from the Lenten dinners and raffles help cover the cost for Faith on Fire, which held in late August each year. The event which includes inspiring talks, praise and worship music and a eucharistic procession, is free. However, funds are needed to pay for lighting, a sound system, audio and visual recordings, and music.

“I want to make sure we promote the dinners, that people know these are the people who are supporting Faith on Fire and they are providing this to us free of charge,” said Linda Bathel, the coordinator of Faith on Fire.

“It is also good PR. People come in here and they see the date of the rally. We just tell them put it on your calendar it will be here before you know it,” said Bathel.  

Bathel praised the Knights of Columbus for all they do, and decided this year to enhance the fundraising at the dinners with the raffle prizes.

Last year they raised $4000.  She said two-thirds of the prizes are donated. The Knights of Columbus donated a flag while The Majestic Theatre in West Springfield donated two tickets to the upcoming production of “Sheer Madness.”

Faith on Fire will take place on August 21-22. Sacred Heart Parish recently opened a new food pantry and a thrift shop, sponsored by the parish St. Martha’s Guild.

 “I want someone to come in here who does not have very much. But this I like a little shopping spree, so it is a wide spectrum,” said guild member Joanne Cappucelli. The funds from the thrift shop will enable the parish to offer more dinners, provide scholarships for graduating students, support the youth group and Faith on Fire.

Sacred Heart also operates the Vine and Branches Gift Shop which sells Catholic books and other religious items.

A video version of this story will be on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22 NEWS.