The Background

Parishioners at the former Star of the Sea Parish in Squantum had a long tradition of "Chowder and Stations" during the Fridays of Lent. When the parish closed in 2004, Star of the Sea parishioners along with Sacred Heart parishioners wished the tradition to continue, so they jointly worked on preserving and augmenting "Chowder and Stations." The program continues strong to this very day. After a few Lenten seasons, it was noticed that folks liked to chat after dinner, and that many constantly were late for the Stations of the Cross. An idea sprung forth to hold a dinner just for the sake of doing it, allowing time for attendees to chat. The first planned event was a spaghetti dinner, which served parishioners in the dining and community rooms of the convent. The rest as they say, is history.

The Committee

To administer an ongoing program of dinners, several adult members of the music ministry met and formed the Monthly Dinner Committee. The group, along with a few dedicated volunteers, plans, shops, cooks, and does the cleanup for all of its scheduled functions. In 2009, the committee raised over $6,000 for the hosting of a special Choristers Guild regional children’s choir festival which gathered 140 children from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Recent committee efforts netted funds which help to purchase supplies and appliances and other equipment for our kitchens.

The Program

OK, not exactly every month, but our monthly dinner committee has planned and executed many social gatherings for our parish over the few years, with dinners including: cookouts, luaus, beach picnics, spaghetti dinners, holiday dinners at unusual seasonal times, an international dinner and a potluck supper. Attendance usually ranges from 60 to over 100 people, both young and old, and both parishioners and friends. Due to increase food and supply costs, we found it necessary to raise our prices. However, the dinners still are a bargain at $12 per person or $25 per family with children 12 years and younger, and includes everything from soup/appetizer to dessert and coffee. Dinners begin at 5:30 pm in the cafeteria at Sacred Heart, North Quincy.

CURRENT DINNER INFORMATION