St. Bernadette Debuts Family Fest, Motorcycle Mass and Cow Pie Bingo

EVERGREEN PARK, IL -- St. Bernadette Church in Evergreen Park invites all area families to the parish’s Family Fest this Sunday, Aug. 27. Family Fest features an outdoor motorcycle Mass, live band, family barbecue, motorcycle and bike blessing, and a kids’ bike parade and decorating contest. And, perhaps for the first time ever on the South Side -- Cow Pie Bingo.

Cow pie or cow chip bingo will consist of a random grid of 750 squares painted in the church parking lot. A well-fed cow will walk around the grid until nature takes its course. The owner of the square where the largest amount of cow pie plops will win $7,000. Since it’s understood there is a chance that the cow won’t poop on just one square, judges will decide the winner by determining which square has the largest amount of cow pie. The next four squares with any amount of cow pie will win $500 each.

“Being raised on a farm and this being a city church, I thought it would unique and intriguing for a lot of people to do something out of ordinary,” said Fr. Benedickt Pazdan, pastor of St. Bernadette. “We’re hoping to attract some I don’t know of any city parish that has done cowpie bingo for a fundraiser.”

Squares will be numbered between 101 and 850. Players can purchase tickets for $25 along with their lucky on a first-come, first-serve basis, by calling the St. Bernadette rectory at 708-422-8995, or on the day of the fest, until all the numbers are sold.

Area motorcycle clubs are also invited to an outdoor Mass at 10:30 a.m. for a blessing of the motorcycles and bicycles. Immediately following Mass, the ceremonial cow will be brought out to the bingo board. Other activities scheduled for the afternoon include a kids’ bike decorating and bike parade, live music, barbecue and fellowship with friends and neighbors.

Admission to the fest is free, tickets will be available for purchase of food and drink. St. Bernadette is located at 9343 S Francisco Ave. in Evergreen Park.