WITH THE FRIDAY FISH Fry traditions playing out across the Orange County Catholic landscape, La Purísima parish in Orange proudly puts cultural diversity on the menu.
“A lot of parishes have a fish fry where you pay $15 or so and get a plate,” said Jeff Rice, a city planner, an executive board member for the Santiago Retreat Center and current head of the Orange County Chapter of the Knights of Columbus. “At La Purísima we have a restaurant with a wide choice of items. It’s not just fried food — the fresh Salmon Limone is poached with a lemon sauce and herbs — it’s really kind of special. We go through a case of fresh salmon every night and we added East Coast oysters on the half shell this year.”
Rice said that at first people were taken aback by the menu.
JUAN FERNANDO VASQUEZ AND HIS WIFE, LETICIA, SHOW OFF A DELICIOUS FISH PLATE. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
“The first week, people weren’t sure,” he said, “but the second week we sold a lot more and last week we sold almost a case.”
For the traditionalists, there are fish and chips or popcorn shrimp. Then there’s fish or potato tacos, Mojarra Frita—fresh Tilapia (including the head), cooked Mexican style or bean and cheese burritos. The Vietnamese community serves fried rice, spring rolls, egg rolls and boba. Rounding out the world tour is pizza, clam chowder and side salads, cole slaw or French fries.
Rice and Frank Micheletti, have co-chaired the event for the past 28 years.
“We’ve been doing this forever,” said Micheletti,a retired Rockwell engineer. “For many years I chaired, then a couple of years ago Jeff stepped in to take the reins and I co-chair with him.”
There are over 100 adult volunteers and about 80 kids who work hand in hand to make the fish fry a success.
“When the parish started in 1998, they raised $11,477 and netted $5,738,” shared Micheletti. “In 2024 the parish sold $91,886 in food and raised an additional $7,526 in sponsorship donations netting $54,068 for the parish.”
Rosa Ramirez, the principal of La Purísima Catholic School, underscores the school’s active role in the event.
FRANK MICHELETTI (LEFT), ROSA RAMIREZ, JEFF RICE AND FR. MARTIN NGUYEN GATHER FOR A GROUP PHOTO.
“The entire student body is involved,” she said. “From setting and resetting the tables to creating placemats, our students play a big part.”
The school’s dessert table fundraiser is always a hit, with each class taking turns baking goodies for sale.
“We raise between $2,500 to $3,000 just from the dessert table,” Ramirez added.
The seventh-grade parents also contribute by putting together fantastic raffle baskets to raise funds for the seventh-grade trip to Washington D.C.
La Purísima’s pastor, Fr. Martin Nguyen, is most grateful for the fruits of the parishioners’ labor.
“Fish Fries are a wonderful tradition within the Catholic Church,” he said. “The bigger picture is that we are a family, we are people from all backgrounds, all walks of life and we come here to enjoy this moment as a family.”
He added, “We have been very blessed by this for nearly 30 years. We have 5000 families registered, our church is growing and we’re thriving, the school is growing and thriving too. It is such a blessing for us, especially in this day and age where people often have no sense of belonging. Here at La Purísima, we are a family.”