Cooking with Father Leo Patalinghug

Last Thursday, a few of my friends and I attended a Diocesan Pre-Valentines event: cooking with Father Leo Patalinghug.  It was a great way to celebrate our growing friendship.  I really didn’t know what to expect, I just knew that I had to witness the culinary art of our famous cooking priest.  For some reason I thought that we would be cooking alongside him, learning through hands on experience; to my surprise, we sat at dinner tables while he cooked in front of us.  At first I was a little disappointed by this set-up, but once Father took the stage I loved every minute.  His charisma and good sense of humor had us mesmerized from beginning to end.  He spoke on marriage and bringing back families to the dinner table – while he chopped onions, parsley, garlic, etc.  Watching him cook was as impressive as the words of wisdom he shared with us.  To end his lesson, he had all married couples stand and renew their vows!  It was such a blessing to see couples (especially the ones who have been married for a while) stand up, face each other and renew the promises to love one another.  They were like giddy teenagers (smile).

Father Leo cutting an onion and imparting wisdom.

Over 150 people in attendance.

Making the perfect sauce.

As a single person I sometimes yearn for the physicality of another.  Recently on a Sunday, I went to Mass feeling a little down because I had seen a couple holding hands and I suddenly craved that intimacy.  I remember going into Mass with this desire in my heart, and when it was time to pray “Our Father,” I felt a set of small fingers parting my own to hold my hand just as I had been craving.  The hand belonged to my nephew (smile).  Since that day that’s how he holds my hand every Sunday while we pray together.  I remember the first time it happened, I smiled thinking, “God, you’re good.”  It wasn’t until Father Leo was sharing how a single girl would get all dolled up to go to Holy Hour and be with God.  She craved to get dolled up and go out on a date, so every Friday she would get pretty and go to adoration.  It was Valentine’s Day and she was feeling a little insecure, but she still put on a dress and went to visit Jesus.  While she talked to Jesus she craved getting flowers (she had never gotten flowers before) as this thought crossed her mind a lady who had been cleaning the church came over to her and handed her a bouquet.  The lady asked the girl if she would like the flowers because there were too many and couldn’t all fit in the vase.  When Father was sharing this story I remembered the time I was craving to hold someone’s hand, but to hold it with interlocking fingers and this nine-year-old boy moved by the Holy Spirit gave me just that.  He’s just a really good, good Father, our God, and always gives us what we need even if it’s something so ridiculously small.

 The renewal of vows.

“Grace Before Meals,” Father Leo’s ministry shines a light showing that God truly is everywhere, even in the kitchen.  We got a little insight into the beginnings of Father Leo’s culinary career - how even he thought a cooking show on EWTN was a bit strange, but God wanted to use him in such a special way to share the Good News and spread the gospel.  After his cooking lesson, we all got to eat his pasta and it was delicious!  Such a fun evening and a happy pre-galantines day.