Food for the Soul » Blog Archive » Y’all Come Back Now!

Posted March 3rd, 2010 | Uncategorized

Sorry, that was the best Southern accent I could muster. After a three day mission at St. John the Baptist Church in Hot Springs, I must say that I’m feeling a little sad to leave.

(Pic: Fr. Erik with school children at the cafeteria’s “candy store”)

Southern hospitality is great, and the sense of families are so strong. I feel at home among such great people, even for a “yankee northerner” like me! I was especially edified by the kindness shown to me by so many young people who came to the parish mission.

The local community college even welcomed me to teach a class, based on the Fusion Fajita recipe. It was, shall we say, a very delicious lesson for all. It was great sharing more about Grace Before Meals with future chefs of America.

But the fajitas were not the only Tex-Mex inspired food here. The Hot Springs area has a fair share of places to purchase traditional tacos from trailers converted into side restaurants. Talk about authentic and delicious flavors! Check out these papusas and three tacos – all for $8.00 ONLY!

But, at Grace Before Meals, we know that food eaten alone isn’t that tasty at all. That’s why it was such a blessing to have so many people come to the parish mission – record numbers even! Church was packed each night, and the final evening (a Grace Before Meals Presentation) brought in over 300 people. And, yes, all were fed by the grace of God and with the help of some very skilled kitchen help!

As always, it’s always sad leaving a parish mission. They become a priest’s parish for a few short days. But, one thing that will always remain is the faith in a God who loves us and feeds us! Thank God, because this huge crowd of people were very eager and hungry for what God was offering!

Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments

16 Responses to “Y’all Come Back Now!”

Indeed, it would be nice to eat with the children of God, however, like me, I am eating all alone most of the time. I don’t feel alone because I know that God is always eating with me.

I guess, it depends upon the person. I have a strong faith in God and being a staunch Catholic, I know from my heart that God will not let me be alone.

We should always thank God for what we have.

God bless and more power to gracebeforemeals.

Nilda S Hidalgo
Posted by Nilda S Hidalgo on March 8th, 2010 at 2:22 am.
Fantastic way of sharing our faith and love with food Excellent job!
Posted by Nubia on March 11th, 2010 at 4:32 pm.
Dear Fr.Leo. Was among the many participants and your “shock and awe” retreat at St Johns in Hot Springs. Have practiced vet medicine for over 35 years. Have seen literally dozens “bakers dozens” of dog and cat treats come and go. There is an opportunity here to design and produce an organic health dog treat that will not interfere with diets,Rx diets, big dog food companies, etc., and also a crying “begging” need for a cat treat that is actually good for cats. I have ample experience in what has not worked so far in this area. If you can connect with me or someone in your staff, I believe that we can come up with a real hit. Bob Zepecki, DVM
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 5:57 pm.
dearest father Leo,

You may not remmember me because the last time we saw each other was almost 8 to 10 years ago. Father Leo whom during those time i called you tito jojo
I am the nephew of tita agnes. I have an illness called x linked dystonia parkinsonism (you can look at it on the web to know more) to which according to my doctor I inherrited from my grandfather on my mother side.And up to now is uncurrable.

And the scapular and the card of our lady of lourdes you gave to me which came from the vatican city, i am still using it as one of my prayers to mother mary.And the crucifix i always bring it along with me even when taking a bath i put it in the pale of water that i use in bathing.I think of it as a good luck charm and to remind me that the lord love us so much that he died for our sins.

untie feng and and uncle charles also visited me last month when they were here in the philippines.We were able to talk to each other and had a nice conversation.

And i saw you in EWTN last february when a mass was televised I saw you there and when you lead the homily i said wow! what a very beautiful homily, full of motivation and encouragement. I praise and thank God because i have i uncle who is a priest and who is righteous in God’s eyes.

I also watch you in you tube your program grace before meals I also saw tito carlos there. I laughed when when you told the little kid to eat the pasta and you told him”taste this food its good dont worry if you die eating this Im a priest and ill take care of your funeral lol!

And you are still a good dancer! i saw you break dance solo and dance with another priest it really made me laugh

Father Leo if its not to much from you please include me in your prayers that i may get well from my illness.

Thank you very much for having time to read my email bacause i believe you’re so busy right now

Gobless you Father for you are such a good priest, a good cook, a good dancer and a good joker as well.

Keep in touch.

with much love and thanks giving

regie
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 5:58 pm.
Dear Father:
I just finished watching you on EWTN and believe me it was one of the best shows I have seen in a long time. You were great, so great that I am going to purchase your book. I do not cook well so I thinking that Grace Before Meals would be the better of your books. What do you think? Maybe this book will feed me as you stated for I am thinking of leaving the church even though I love the Mass and at my age I know no other faith. Anyway that is another story.
Thanks again for a great show.

Sincerely;
Mike
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:18 pm.
ther Leo – Saw you on Bobby Flay’s THROW DOWN show on Food Network… Was unaware of your project prior to that, but can’t stop thinking about it! Congratulations on your work! What a great idea! I am going to buy your cook book and a cooking apron…. I hurt my legs badly over the last few years and have been out of work… I am able to walk with a cane, and attempt to have something nice for my wife when she comes home from work each evening… The children are grown and on their own, but I’ll share your book with them, and our granddaughter (But she’s only 7 mos. old! )

I wanted to make contact, and again, applaud you for your work… God Bless you, Fr. Leo!

Pete Mozzone
Taunton MA
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:19 pm.
Saw your preparation of a dish for Frs Mark & Anthony. It was a vodka based penne. Is the recipe available. Also do you have a recipe for Lumpia?
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:26 pm.
Dear Father Leo,

Will you please inform me of the time and channel to watch when your TV show goes into full production?
Please add me to the notification list.

Thank You,

Andrea Hawkins
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:27 pm.
Saw the repeat Saturday and I have to say you rocked! You remind me of a couple of priests I had when I was in Catholic school 47 million years ago. I am looking forward to your cookbook with the Fusion Fajitas. God bless.
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:29 pm.
Father Leo

My family and I saw your throwdown last night on tv and loved it. I really like your thoughts on grace before meals and bringing the family together. Eating dinner together has been a rule of mine since I had children. My philosophy is I can learn alot at the dinner table about how my family looks, their happenings, etc ; so I support your cause 100%.
Since I saw the episode I decided to see if I could find you website and was in hopes of finding your awesome recipe for fajitas. I found the site, but I’m not locating the recipe. Although, I discovered many others I want try in my quest. I love that you cook as ordinary people do, it makes it so much easier to make a recipe when you’re not searching for high end ingredients. Anyway, I’m a chatter and could go on and on, but I wanted to commend you on your efforts and was hoping I could my hands on your fajita recipe…

Have a wonderful day!
Keithea Hollars
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:30 pm.
Father Leo,

I just saw the episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay in which you were featured. My husband thoroughly enjoyed the episode, giving us a chance to get a glimpse of such an interesting, diverse “man of the cloth.” Your genuine and winning personality made the show! I did some investigation on the internet afterwards and found your contact information. I want to say I fully support your Grace Before Meals effort. I grew up in a family that valued a shared dinnertime every day, and it’s something I have carried into my own family. We do get challenged during the baseball season as my son is an avid player and needs to eat beforehand, but my husband and I pack our dinner and eat at the game. I think dining together is an important family ritual, and really, one of my favorites, because we all come back together after a day apart to share about our days.

I live over in Charles Town, WV but I may pop over for a visit one of these days to hear one of your sermons. I’ll bet they’re terrific. : )

Keep up the good work!

Katherine Cbb
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:31 pm.
I really enjoyed your beating Bobby’s butt. I’m 46 and I love dogs and cooking. If you had been my priest, I might still be Catholic. That’s how I was raised. I still wear the little cross I was given when I was christened as a baby, and I just got my St. Christopher’s medallion repaired that my Dad brought to me from the Vatican that was bless by Pope John Paul. I believe in what you believe, that the sincerest form of sharing and love is to share good food. I had two little Italian Greyhounds. One of the just passed about a month ago after a long battle with cancer and various surgeries. She was 12. Before her, my Cocker mix lived to 14 before going to God with heart/lung. Now, I have the other little Italian Greyhound who’s about 5-1/2, and we just adopted an American Eskimo who may be around 5 to 7 years old. She likes my cooking, too. I get great joy from being with my pups and from cooking good food for the neighbors. I made a cookie up for the neighbor who shovels the snow for me. It’s called Brian’s Good Luck Hunting Cookie, and since he brought home an elk this year, he’s wanting me to make those cookies for him every year now before he goes hunting. I wanted to do something special for him for removing all the snow all the time, and I told him a few years ago that I’d create a cookie for him. So, I made a molasses/oatmeal cookie, combining his two favorite cookies. Took some trial and error, but I finally made good on my promise.

I hope you get a regular TV show on the FoodNetwork, because we don’t get the channels in California that you’re on regularly.

Take care, enjoy the cooking and feeding good food to people, and take care of any pups your run across. Also, know that you’re a very neat person and God shines on you to bring so many people from all over the country and world to want to meet you.

Thank you, Father Leo.

Sincerely,

Wendy S. Allen and Berkley and Reina Allen
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:34 pm.
A far cry from the musicals at Mt. St. Joe… or singing with the Jazz Band…

I have always wondered where you went…. Saw you years ago in the paper when you were a seminarian… maybe those old photos I have of you from the musical will be worth something after all…

I am currently teaching at St. Philip Neri in Linthicum (I was at St. Alphonsus, and then Cardinal Shehan…my degree is in music, but I teach Math and Computers)

What would it take to get you to come out and speak with our kids?

let me know…

You are as entertaining as always… (if not more)

all I can say is WOW…

Philip Lathroum
MSJ class of ’89
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:35 pm.
Hey father leo . My name is Andrew Lane and I’m a tenth grade student at Aquinas Academy in bear,de . I saw you on bobby flay’s show today and checked out your website. I would love to see if you could come speak and or cook at our school . Aquinas is a pretty small school that goes k-12 and has around 100 students and is ran by Lay Catholic teachers. I would love to see if you could come. God Bless,
Andrew Lane
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:37 pm.
Dear Father Leo,

I saw you on “Life on the Rock.” I really enjoyed the show. I especially appreciated how you combined humor and liturgy and the basic necessity of preparing food for a family. I have many cookbooks. I wondered if your sense of humor is documented in your cookbook, as you do have a very effervescent personality.

Thank You for Responding,

Andrea Hawkins
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:39 pm.
MY WIFE AND I SAW YOU ON TV MARCH 6, 2010 WITH BOBBY FLAY, DOING MAGNIFICENT COOKING. I JUST LOVED YOUR PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER. I THOUGHT THAT I MIGHT HAVE A BUSINESS FOR YOU.. PLEASE LOOK AT http://www.iamjimblue.com and click on residual income. we have several Pastor in this business. so please email back after you look at the website or we could look at it together. take care, JIM BLUE

JIM BLUE
Posted by Fr. Leo on March 11th, 2010 at 6:41 pm.

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