Mother of God enjoyed one last hurrah (or should we say, hallelujah) on Sunday, Feb. 15, at the parish Mardi Gras party, before Lent began.

Fr. Mike Comer opened the celebration with prayer, and then it was off and running to the delicious delectables of Louisiana gumbo, Remke's chicken fingers, and all the wonderful Creole sides. And, you can't have a Mardi Gras celebration without King cake. Several of our afternoon guests discovered the Baby Jesus within their special slice, which is supposed to bring good luck.

Dave Herbe, our DJ for the afternoon, supplied not only party music but also conducted a fun word scramble for all attendees. The first 10 winners were eligible for the lightning round, which decided the final winners: Martha Cannon and Aria Ivey.

Thanks to Ann Halverstadt and her entire Mardi Gras team for planning, executing, cooking, and cleaning up after the event. Another big thank-you to LaDawn Ziser and her incredible set-up crew, who spent hours transforming the church undercroft.