Lent by way of the Jesuits...

NOLANotes tells a neat tale of how they respect the Lenten traditions at Liuzza's on Bienville that reminded me of a gathering on a Friday in Lent in the 1990s.  We were invited to a dedication of new facilities at the Port of St. Bernard down at the Kaiser Slip off of St. Bernard Highway.  There were a lot of political types there, including then-Senator John Breaux.  There was a lot of food and drink (it was a happy hour reception), but one of the things they ordered a lot of was cubed filet mignon served in hollowed-out loaves of round italian bread.  Of course, most of the guests were refusing the steak hors d'oeuvres when the servers offered them.  It got to the point where Msgr. Harry Thompson, S.J., who was at the time President of Jesuit High School, took the mic and offered the following prayer:

"Oh Father God,
Grant our wish.
Bless this meat,
And make it fish."

At which point, the filet mignon vanished in short order.  :-)