BELLEVUE—More than 20 years ago, Tiffin Franciscan Sister Carol Inkrott developed a monthly program for the seniors at Marywood St. Michael to gather and enjoy one another’s company.

Sr. Inkrott appointed a committee that met with her several times to come up with a name for the group, place, date, time and dinner and entertainment details.

It didn’t take long to decide the group would be called Senior Fellowship. The committee then set the first Thursday of each month as the day to gather in St. Michael’s parish hall. The group would meet at noon for a tureen dinner followed by afternoon entertainment with games of cards or bingo, prizes and a door prize. Two hostesses were chosen for each month’s gatherings. Everything was in good order and the monthly get-togethers were well attended with food and lots of fun.

After Sr. Inkrott left the parish community, the group continued the get-togethers because so many enjoyed the day out.

Bismark St. Sebatian, Reed Assumption and Marywood St. Michael all had their own church, rectory, resident pastor, school and strong parish identity when the clustering began in June 1985.

After the three parishes formed what came to be known as the SAM Cluster, all parishioners from those parishes were invited to Senior Fellowship. In 2005, after the suppression of the three parishes in the cluster, the new parish of Bellevue St. Gaspar del Bufalo emerged. Senior Fellowship was open to both women and men of the new parish.

Members are still keeping up the traditions of the past and have opened monthly gatherings to neighboring parishes, friends and neighbors.

The dinner procedures have been altered with two catered dinners each year — one in May in honor of Mother’s Day and the other in December with a Christmas gift exchange and dinner music provided by parishioners Inie and Gene Dendinger. The other gatherings still offer a tureen dinner where everyone brings a special dish of their choice to share.

Father Paul Fahrbach, pastor of St. Gaspar del Bufalo, shares humorous stories and events with the group and begins the dinner hour with invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.

All are welcome to join in the Senior Fellowship the first Thursday of the month. For more information, contact the parish at 419-483-3231.