To The Leader

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Father Jim Sichko, Papal Missionary of Mercy for Pope Francis, Evangelist, and self-professed “foodie” now has his own “food label”: Miss Marie’s Spaghetti Sauce, a tribute to his Mom, Marie Sichko. She died suddenly last year, and would have turned 90 on August 15 of this year.

Sichko’s Italian Mom was known for her Italian cooking, especially her signature sauce, which she kept guarded and under lock and key. She shared the sauce with many, though, as she loved to cook for others. Miss Marie provided lunch weekly for the sanitation workers who picked up her neighborhood garbage.

Sichko is originally of Orange and still considers Orange his hometown.

Sichko hopes Miss Marie’s Spaghetti Sauce will bring families and friends together around the dinner table and foster good will, as did his popular series ‘An Evening Among Friends’, which brought celebrities including Natalie Cole, Harry Connick, Jr., Donny Osmond, Dolly Parton, Regis Philbin, and Martin Short to Richmond, Kentucky.

Harry Connick, Jr. coined Marie’s nickname, “Miss Marie,” when making his visit to Kentucky for ‘An Evening Among Friends’. Connick became endeared to Sichko ‘s mom. Connick, along with each of the celebrity guests from the popular 12-year series spearheaded by Sichko, received one of the first bottles off the distribution line.

Miss Marie’s Spaghetti Sauce is an all-natural, Kentucky Proud product. Award-winning chef Ouita Michel provided encouragement and support for the project. Sichko also consulted with Nancy Ward of Ward’s Kentucky Specialties, and MMSS was processed at Kentucky’s Bluegrass Superior Foods. All aspects of the product are produced in Kentucky, including the label, jar, ingredients and bottling. MMSS is made in and distributed from Kentucky.

Proceeds from sales will be divided equally between South East Texas Hospice (one of the first 20 Hospices founded in the United States and located in Orange, Texas) and the Diocese of Lexington’s One in Christ Annual Appeal, which assists many, especially struggling families in Eastern Kentucky.
Thousands of bottles of the sauce are being distributed this year online and in stores. The special sauce is $10 a jar and can be found in various shops around the Bluegrass or online at either missmariesspaghettisauce.net or frjims.com.