Southern Nebraska Register
The PCCW of St. Anthony de Padua Parish in Bruno held a Christmas party and retreat Dec. 29.
The evening began with Mass celebrated by pastor Father Caleb Hile and guest Father Jay Buhman, pastor of All Saints Parish in Holdrege.
Father Buhman gave a presentation on the Masses and Tears devotion, which he created for parents and others praying for the return of loved ones to the faith. Another guest, Jake Shonka, presented information about FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.
The talks were followed by a meal catered by parishioner Lydia Ostry, who is studying culinary arts at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha. She is in the internship phase of her program, and catering the PCCW meal counted as an experience for it.
Ostry’s sister is president of the PCCW, and invited Lydia to cater the meal for the Christmas party.
“She wanted the ladies to experience something different than a normal catered meal,” she said. “I have done meals and appetizers for various other parish events, but never a plated dinner, so I of course said yes and planned and executed the event.”
The menu for the party included crostini appetizers, a salad, bread, cranberry-glazed pork loin with mushroom rosemary rice pilaf, orange spiced carrots and garlic roasted Brussel sprouts. She also served a rosemary citrus sorbet intermezzo, dessert and mignardise—small treats that end a meal—as well as beverages.
Monica Polivka, who attended the dinner, said it went over very well with the PCCW, from the very first appetizers and spritzer. She said several asked if they could write positive comments about the meal for her class.
Courtesy photos
