Gabriella DiPietro | Staff Writer
02/22/18
With the start of the Lenten season, Duquesne University once again hosts meatless options for practicing Christians on days where fasting is expected, including a fish fry brought to campus by one of its fraternities.
Beginning on Ash Wednesday and continuing every following Friday during Lent, the brothers of Phi Kappa Theta host a fish fry to raise money for their national philanthropy, the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN).
This Friday, Bishop David Zubik will be in attendance at the fish fry in order to support the cause, as well as the brothers of Phi Kappa Theta.
The fraternity offers a full lunch, including a fish sandwich on a roll, coleslaw, chips and a beverage, for only $6. For an additional dollar, customers can get a cookie.
According to John Roth, the scholarship chair of Phi Kappa Theta, all proceeds of the fish fry are donated to the CMN, which helps pay for treatment for ailing children.
The fraternity’s president, Jake Ivory, highlighted that an event such as this greatly aligns with the faith found both in the fraternity and on campus.
“As a Catholic-based fraternity that is also at a Catholic university, we see a lot of students and faculty participating in not eating meat on Fridays during Lent and found it to be the perfect opportunity to help raise money for our national philanthropy,” Ivory said. “We also saw it as a way of contributing to the population at Duquesne by providing a tasty and Catholic-appropriate meal during Lent.”
Ivory also described how the fish fry relates to Phi Kappa Theta’s mission and values.
“Our motto is ‘Give, expecting nothing thereof,’ meaning one should offer up whatever they can whenever they can, but doing so without expecting anything in return,” Ivory said. “The fish fry is a great example of this, as we are trying to benefit both the CMN and Duquesne, without keeping any of the money we raise. Even when people tip us, we put that money into the donation.”
Phi Kappa Theta Secretary Chris Csop emphasized the importance of the fish fry, encouraging everyone to stop by.
“For the price of just a fish sandwich, people can do their part to help out the kids and get a delicious full meal in doing so,” Csop said. “Also, if people cannot eat meat because of religious obligations, we are an easy stop on the third floor of the Union, so that they have more choices on campus of what they can eat during the timespan of Lent.”
The Director of Greek Life at Duquesne, Rebecca Mickler, praised the fraternity and their charitable efforts.
“This is one of those annual philanthropies that bring people from all parts of campus to the Union for a Lenten fish sandwich for lunch,” Mickler said. “It’s even more special when Bishop Zubik stops by to help serve food alongside these men. Events like this is what makes our fraternal community so special and unique.”
The food is prepared by Parkhurst Dining, Duquesne’s dining service, then served to customers by the brothers of Phi Kappa Theta.
Customers can pay with cash or through the app, Venmo.
