As Catholics worldwide grieve Pope Francis' passing and follow the Conclave selecting the next Pope, Catholics, other faith leaders, and the public will observe a 76-year traditional blessing in south Mobile County.
It’s the "Blessing of the Fleet" when the Archbishop presides over a blessing of the shrimp boats as the shrimping season begins.
The custom of the Blessing of the Fleet can be traced back to old-world European fishing communities, where God was publicly acknowledged and asked for a bountiful harvest and the safety of the men at sea.
The annual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of St. Margaret’s Catholic Church in Bayou La Batre. The public may attend. There is no admission charge, and no tickets or RSVP are required.
Festivities include live entertainment, arts and crafts booths, and kids’ activities such as inflatables, train rides, face painting, and yard games.
Saturday features the “Gumbo Cookoff,” where the public can vote for the best-tasting gumbo of the day.
On Saturday and Sunday, there will be hot dogs, hamburgers, sodas, sweet tea, lemonade, a sweet booth, Asian Cuisine, Mexican cuisine, and seafood prepared by locals.
Kids will enjoy snow cones, popcorn and cotton candy.
Sunday festivities include two big events: the parade with local marching bands and floats and the blessing itself. Archbishop Thomas Rodi will administer the “Fleet Blessing and Wreath Laying” during the boat parade.
There will also be a raffle drawing for a quilt and handcrafted items donated by the Ladies Society.
The Alabama shrimping industry has been hurt by a surge in imported shrimp and by rising fuel costs. This year’s blessing will include thankfulness for the Trump administration’s restrictions on imported shrimp and their lower fuel costs and prayers for continuing support for American shrimpers.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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