In the mid-1970s, a gallon of gas cost 57 cents, you could mail a letter for a dime, and a group of men from St. Catharine of Siena Parish in Reading started going out for breakfast and fellowship every Tuesday after the 6:30 a.m. Mass.
Today, that informal breakfast club – which also raises money for a local charity -- is still going strong.
Bill Wertz joined the group 43 years ago. He says the membership has changed as people have passed away, and they had to switch restaurants after the long-time venue, Arner’s, closed, but the positive spirit of the group remains.
“Years ago, one of our longtime group members, Bob Wright, who died in August, suggested that, in addition to praying and sharing fellowship, our group also take up some form of action,” Wertz said.
“He proposed that we collect money every week for some charitable cause. Initially our contributions went to support a child in a Third World Country, and later, to help support a seminarian,” he said.
“Today the money we collect each week is given to the Sixth Station Ministry, Inc., a charitable organization that provides food and clothing to the needy in the inner city areas.”
The photo above shows last week’s ‘meeting’ of the club. Included are, left to right, seated, John Senick, Robert Maurer, Patrick Nelis, and John Skrincosky, and standing, Bob Giering, Assistant Pastor Father Zachary Wehr, Mike Akins, and Wertz.
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