Parish feasts were just one of the countless things ruined by Coronavirus this year. While the virus (and its attendant restrictions on gatherings) didn’t change the solemnity and import of the religious elements of these annual celebrations, it certainly impacted the way the people celebrate them. And for churches, one key aspect of the celebrations is the money raised by sales of things like food, raffles, and games of chance.

Income from feasts can account for a significant portion of a parish’s operating budget; for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, the feast typically brings in close to a quarter of the money they need to function successfully.

Known for his culinary skills and love of travel, Father Henry Zinno, if he ever chose to leave the priesthood, could probably launch an entirely new career as a celebrity chef. He’s certainly dabbled in it — and successfully — with a handful of cooking videos available on the church website at olmcbristol.org.

Faced with the cancellation of their annual feast, held over four days around July 16 every year since 1899, Father Zinno decided to bring the feast to his parishioners, beginning in early May, when restaurants were still closed and people were looking to treat themselves with something besides their own home cooking.

He decided to deliver the beloved foods of the annual feast to the community via “Take-Out Thursdays.” When Rev. Zinno and Mt. Carmel first launched Take-Out Thursdays, there was no way to gauge how it would be received. Now they know — the church has actually exceeded the revenue generated from a typical feast, by about 30 percent.

“People really enjoy it, and it has become a major source of revenue,” said Father Zinno. “In addition to raffle sales and the remarkable generosity of our parishioners supporting our church.”

In fact, this whole endeavor has been so successful, it has given him a whole new perspective on how they might structure the parish’s fundraising activities moving forward.

The most recent Take-Out Thursday was last week, which saw more than 200 meatball sandwiches and 130 ice cream sandwiches flying out the door during the 4 to 6 p.m. pickup at the Mt. Carmel “drive-through window,” set up at the entrance of the school’s gym. Volunteers help prepare the food ahead of time in the parish’s commercial kitchen (which Father Zinno noted recently received a flawless inspection from the Department of Health). Orders, placed in advance, typically sell out quickly.

One of the chief recipients of the parish budget is the school, which is very near and dear to Father Zinno’s heart — and for which he was just awarded the “Distinguished Pastor of the Year” Award in Rhode Island for his exceptional work.

“The school has managed a flawless open despite severe challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Father Zinno. “It’s so great to have the kids back.”

The next Take-Out Thursday is planned for Thursday, Nov. 19, and though Father Zinno does not yet know which of his specialties might be on the menu, he plans to post that information the Saturday prior, Nov. 14. It will be posted on the church’s website, and orders can be placed by emailing olmc141@gmail.com.

“We’re doing our best here,” Father Zinno said, “and it seems to be working!”