| 4/27/2010 9:40:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Father Leo Patalinghug cooks up fajitas with a side of catechism and theology as part of his presentation at a recent Scouting retreat. Father Leo uses cooking to teach about the faith and encourages families to eat together in an effort to prevent teen suicide and drug use. |
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At Scout retreat, cooking priest encourages praying grace before meals
RICHARD SZCZEPANOWSKI
Catholic Standard staff
Where Jesus used a mustard seed to teach about the Kingdom of God, Father Leo Patalinghug uses salt, pepper, brown sugar, hot sauce, green and red peppers, onions, flank steak and other ingredients to teach the same message.
The priest - author of the "Grace Before Meals: Recipes for Family Life" cookbook, star of a web-based cooking show, frequent television guest and a member of the faculty at Mount Saint Mary's Seminary where he directs the Pastoral Field Education Program - is perhaps best known for defeating celebrity chef and Food Network star Bobby Flay on the "Throwdown! With Bobby Flay" show.
Father Leo, as he prefers to be called, spoke April 17 at a Scouting retreat at Our Lady of Mattaponi in Upper Marlboro. Preparing his winning "fusion fajitas" for the Scouts and their chaperones, his demonstration incorporated not only ingredients and cooking technique, but theology and catechism. In making his "fusion fajitas" for the Scouts, Father Leo was able to use food as a teaching tool.
"'Fusion' means different ingredients coming together," Father Leo said as he prepared a marinade for flank steak that included olive oil, brown sugar and other ingredients. "In a way, the Catholic Church is like fusion cooking. 'Catholic' means universal - we are all different people coming together. And, 'marinate' is like 'meditate' - we immerse ourselves in goodness."
Father Leo urged the Scouts to be healthy, to avoid overeating fast food, and to eat in moderation.
"Moderation is an important virtue, because it teaches us that we shouldn't abuse something and make it more than it is," he said. "Food is a means to an end. Food is a gift from God, so we do not abuse it."
Calling food "a blessing from God," he told the Scouts to remember that "the blessings are not just on the table, but around the table. Food is a gift from God, but life is the greatest gift of all. And, when families eat together, they show love for each other."
Santa Bigony, a member of the Archdiocese of Washington's Catholic Committee on Scouting who was chair of the retreat, wanted the priest to speak to the boys and young men because "if they learn to cook, they would feel empowered."
"If they see that cooking is something anyone can do, then they could say to their parents or guardians, 'Can we have dinner together as a family tonight?'" she said.
Born in the Philippines and raised in the Baltimore area, Father Leo attended the North American College in Rome before being ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1999. In addition to cooking and writing cookbooks - his second is due out this summer - he enjoys singing and jogging and holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
He started the "Grace Before Meals" movement to encourage families to eat together on a regular basis.
Tim Watkins, who produces Father Leo's shows for the web, said the priest "wants to get families back together and around the table."
"Studies have shown that when families eat together four or five times a week, there is less teen sex, suicide and drug use and better SAT scores," Watkins said.
Katie Walker, a Girl Scout from St. Mary of the Mills Parish in Laurel, and Geoffrey Laughner, a Boy Scout from the Church of the Ascension in Bowie, served as Father Leo's assistants during the "fusion fajitas" demonstration.
Both 14-year-olds said that cooking is an important skill to learn.
Walker said that she wanted to know how to cook "because you don't want to eat sandwiches all the time." Laughner, who boasted that he is an accomplished Dutch oven cook, said he would like to "know how to make food for my friends and fellow Scouts."
While speaking to and cooking for the Scouts, Father Leo also had a message for parents, particularly fathers.
"Take your children to church. A lot of fathers think that is women's work, but it is not," the priest said. "You should not only provide bread for your children, but spiritual bread as well."
In encouraging the Scouts to pray regularly, Father Leo said "everything you do will be in God - in the name of the Father, His Son and His Holy Spirit."
"Prayer is how we have a conversation with God," Father Leo said. "And Thanksgiving should not be just one day a year. We should be grateful every day."
Reminding the Scouts to always say grace, even in restaurants and during lunch at school, the priest said, "I think people are afraid to pray."
"I think people are afraid to let the world know they love God, and that's too bad," he said. "When we pray before we eat, we show God that He is invited to the table."
He added that by saying grace together and eating as a family, "you look forward to celebrating with God and your family at the banquet in Heaven."
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