Bishop Edward Malesic stopped at St. Barnabas Parish in Northfield on March 21 for his weekly Lenten fish fry and to pray Stations of the Cross with parishioners. This fish fry included interaction with two special groups of parishioners.
Members of the St. Barnabas OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) group were invited to have dinner with the bishop. The group includes catechumens -- those who are converting to the Catholic faith and will be baptized, make their first Communion and receive the sacrament of confirmation at the Easter Vigil next month, as well as the candidates -- those already baptized who will receive their first Communion and will be confirmed that night. There are nearly three dozen catechumens and candidates in the parish’s OCIA program this year.
(See photo gallery above.)
They enjoyed dinner and conversation with the bishop before heading to the church for stations.
On the way to the church, Father James Kulway, St Barnabas pastor, guided the bishop to a meeting room where about 30 people in the parish Alpha group, which explores the faith in a small group setting for 11 weeks, were meeting. Their weekly sessions include dinner, discussion and often a film. The parish provides babysitting. Some of the group and their children prayed the stations with the bishop.
Bishop Malesic chatted with the group and summarized his recent pastoral letter, “A Flourishing Apostolic Church,” before taking a few questions.
The fish fry, a longtime parish event presented by St. Barnabas Boy Scout Troop 575, drew hundreds for the weekly special, spicy fish tacos with pineapple habanero hot sauce, and the regular offerings: fish dinner, shrimp dinner, macaroni and cheese dinner, pierogi dinner, crab cake dinner, baked salmon dinner and assorted sides. The fish fries take place 4:30-7 p.m. every Friday in Lent, including Good Friday. Dine in and takeout dinners are available.
Before entering the church, Father Kulway showed the bishop sketches of plans for a renovation of the church interior.
During stations, attended by nearly 200 people, the bishop walked the cross aisle of the church with a cross bearer, Deacon Matt Lawler, his master of ceremonies for the evening, and Noah Furin, a seminary intern assigned to the parish.
After stations, the bishop provided some history on the Lenten tradition, noting the Way of the Cross was a way early Christians helped to spread the faith. He said they shared the story of the Crucifixion as they traveled to various countries, sharing the good news of the Gospel.
“I’m here tonight for two reasons: you fed me and you prayed with me,” he quipped.
The bishop said Catholic Christians are intrigued and captivated “by a man hanging on a cross. Why? Because he wouldn’t disobey God. He told the people ‘I am who am. I cured, the sick and raised the dead. If you need to put me to death, then do it.’” He also recalled his fondness for the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar.” In fact, he recently received a signed recording of the show from the actor who portrayed Jesus in the movie. The inscription read, “Bishop Ed, live your dreams.”
He noted that the Crucifixion is the end of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” but it is not the end of Jesus’ story.
“His death is not the end. He comes back to us. He always does. To follow Jesus, read the Gospels, pray and understand that he rose from the dead for you and me because he loves us. Jesus invites us to follow him and we just did that. In fact, I intentionally followed behind the cross,” he said explaining what he did as he moved through the church.
“What Adam and Eve lost by their sin, Jesus restored. Always remember that he loves us and he invites us to come, follow him from death into life.”