Good Friday fish fry in the park comes with a message

Hundreds of people were fed Good Friday with about 300 pounds of donated catfish as four Morgan City churches presented a Way of the Cross presentation at Lawrence Park.
John Locascio, pastor at the two Methodist churches involved, welcomed individuals and families in the two lines of people working their way into the tent where the food was served.
“This is our third year and we usually feed about 400 to 500 people,” Locascio said. “We have about 100 people involved in volunteering and the catfish was donated by David Webster and Sterling Fryou.”
This year the event grew with more than 600 people being served about 550 fish dinners and additional hot dogs, Locascio said.
After feeding the hungry and quenching their physical thirst with cold beverages, the churches turned their attention to quenching the spiritual hunger and thirst of about 60 observers with a 2 p.m. portrayal of the events from Jesus’ condemnation to death to his resurrection on Easter Sunday morning.
The Way of the Cross, as the series of events is called, has 15 stops and is designed to help participants and observers “reflect on that sacrifice that Jesus made,” a pamphlet distributed at the event stated.
Among the events portrayed in the stops are Jesus’ stumbling and falling as he carried the cross, Simon’s assistance in carrying the burden, Jesus being stripped of his garments, being crucified and then dying, and finally his burial, resurrection and ascension.
The Way of the Cross is meant to “do what Jesus did carrying the cross around Jerusalem and stop and let us remember what Jesus did on his last day,” Locascio said.
There were also games for the children to play along with an Easter egg hunt, which Locascio said about 100 children participated in. The Nu Bridge band provided live Christian music.
The churches involved in the event were Cornerstone Ministries, Pharr Chapel United Methodist Church, Trinity Episcopal Church and Walmsley United Methodist Church.