Local priest honors late mother with release of her secret spaghetti sauce

Move over, Paul Newman, there’s a new celebrity spaghetti sauce in town: Miss Marie’s Spaghetti Sauce, Father Jim Sichko’s tribute to his late mother, is here.

Sichko used his mother’s secret recipe for her signature sauce, which she used to make for many, including a weekly lunch for the sanitation workers who picked up her neighborhood.

The sauce was produced in Kentucky with the support of chef Ouita Michel and Nancy Ward of Ward Specialty Food and is a Kentucky Proud product.

Proceeds from the sale of the sauce will benefit the South East Texas Hospice and the Diocese of Lexington’s One in Christ Annual Appeal, which helps many people, including struggling families in Eastern Kentucky.

The sauce is $10 a bottle, available in select stores in the Bluegrass and online at either missmariesspaghettisauce.net or frjims.com.

Father Jim Sichko, formerly the pastor of St. Mark Catholic Church in Richmond known for his “Evening Among Friends” celebrity performances/fundraisers that attracted entertainers such as Dolly Parton, Natalie Cole, Jay Leno and Harrry Connick Jr.

Connick, who was a particular favorite of Sichko’s mother, gave her the nickname Miss Marie, Sichko said.

Two years ago, he became a Missionary of Mercy for Pope Francis, to whom Sichko recently delivered a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.

Sickho said he plans to send bottles of Miss Marie’s Spaghetti Sauce to all of his celebrity friends; no word on whether that includes the pope.

This story was originally published August 21, 2018 at 8:43 AM with the headline "Local priest honors late mother with release of her secret spaghetti sauce."