You eat wings and dip on Super Bowl Sunday? That's cute. In the friary, the friars go all-out for the big game.
The large majority of the friars were pulling for the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, so Siena Fresh Executive Chef Jude Jerome whipped up a Philly favorite. He prepared Philly cheesesteaks, along with beer cheese pretzel dip and savory marinated chicken wings. And that's just for starters. Fr. Greg Gebbia, O.F.M. (above), and Fr. Bob Sandoz, O.F.M. (bottom, left), rounded out the menu with Midwestern chili (for the few Kansas City Chiefs fans in the room), sausage garbage bread, and creamy corn dip.
As for drinks... "They flowed freely. It's one of the perks of watching the game from the comfort of home," said Fr. Greg.
The friars also play squares, a Super Bowl tradition, and once again, Fr. Julian Davies, O.F.M., was the big winner, pocketing $100. The win helped take the sting out of the result a bit for the 92-year-old Chiefs' fan. Fr. Julian was one of the few friars who made it to the end of the game (and was up hours later to catch a pre-dawn flight for Mexico City for a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe).
"Winter can feel endless, but for the friars, Super Bowl Sunday is a much-needed break from the cold, filled with food, fun, and a little friendly competition," said Fr. Greg. "When the final whistle blew, the real winners were everyone who got to share in the laughter, food, and camaraderie. Until next year—same time, same place, and maybe a different champion!"