Ravioli Supper at Little Flower

Last Sunday, I went with Annette to a Ravioli supper at St Therese, the Little Flower Church on Jackson Ave. in Memphis. The supper was in the Monsignor Leppert Hall, named after longtime pastor, Monsignor Joseph Leppert. Monsignor Leppert was pastor of Little Flower from 1953 until his retirement in 1974. Someone ought to write a book on Monsignor Leppert, he was a priest for all seasons.

btw, I got three dozen and three quarts of sauce (both frozen) to take home! One goes to dad and the other two woll be consumed by Annette and myself (sorry Patrick and Dennis in this case, I am stingy).

The event really brought back memories of the Ravioli and Spaghetti suppers at St Paul (in the southern part of Memphis) and Historic Old St Joseph. In fact, it felt just like it did at Old St Joe. Keep in mind that when I was 11, Old St Joe was in Downtown Memphis and it was (in 1964) 85 years old. Little Flower is now 75 years old and had the same aura. I had he same feeling and aura some 42 years. If only the late Monsignor (Fr Pat) Lynch would pop up at the supper at Little Flower! The man was a SAINT! In my HUMBLE opinion, all Irish Priests should be saints! BUT Fr. Pat would be the number one Irish Priest!!!!! Great man!!!!!

As a word of note, Historic Old St Joseph was near the Central Rail Station and the old Union Rail Station. The church was located on St Paul Avenue. Actually the parish lines went from south downtown to the state line following (for the most part (south third and points west. It was a large area. Many living in the affected area (like Westwood or Mallory) in the early 60's opted to go to Sacred Heart in Walls MS, St Thomas on Trigg, or St Paul in a then rural community of Whitehaven. Another similarity, the parishes both has strong Irish and Italian parishoner flavor in their early years.

There was a difference between Little Flower and St Joe. Historic Old St Joseph's school was closed and the church was a couple of short years away from the wrecking ball and a move to Neely Road on the Old Italian Country Club property to form a new parish. Little Flower has a reopened the old school and seems to be re-establishing itself as a parish and school. It is apparent, that the reopening of the school re-energised the parish. What a difference reopening a school will make on a church!

The Ravioli were great! They tasted much like I remember. Of course I bumped into a High School Classmate, Nancy Shellenberger, and we talked about how times had changed. but the taste was very close to the same.

While there, I met Fr. Coy. Actually my high school chum (Nancy Shellenberger) introed us. Apparently Nancy knew him from his days at Church of the Reserection.

Nancy Shellenberger introed me to her Husband, Gary. He said "I've heard a lot about you". That is usually a "code" for Fred, you are in trouble. BUT apparently that is not the case this time.

All in all, it was a great visit and a great way to spend a rainy Sunday.