March 19, 2009: Feast of St. Joseph
Deacon Roger who took a trip to Sicily last year noticed that the people of Sicily looked remarkably similar to the people of Independence, Louisiana. In this small town of almost 1,800 people with 4 stop lights, we can say that most of the folks come from Sicilian heritage. This fits very well with the Sicilian Heritage Festival we had the previous weekend. Last Sunday in our old church which is now converted into a town museum, we had a St. Joseph Altar set up, and some of you took some Italian cookies home last Sunday. And on that Sunday afternoon, I rode nicely air conditioned police car around the neighborhood while six men carried heavy St. Joseph statue along several blocks followed by 50-60 parishioners praying the rosary.So what's the connection between the people of Sicily and St. Joseph? In Sicily where St. Joseph is regarded by many as 
their Patron Saint, thanks are given to St. Joseph for preventing a famine in Sicily during the Middle Ages. According to tradition, there was a severe drought at the time, and the people prayed for their patron saint to bring them rain. They promised that if he answered their prayers, they would prepare a large feast to honor him. The rain did come, and the people of Sicily prepared a large banquet for their patron saint. (What did we have this past weekend? RAIN!!! How appropriate that rain came as we celebrated the true Sicilian heritage--St. Joseph's intercession for people of Sicily.) The fava bean was the crop which saved the population from starvation, and is a traditional part of St. Joseph's Day altars. Also giving food to the needy is a St. Joseph Day custom.
their Patron Saint, thanks are given to St. Joseph for preventing a famine in Sicily during the Middle Ages. According to tradition, there was a severe drought at the time, and the people prayed for their patron saint to bring them rain. They promised that if he answered their prayers, they would prepare a large feast to honor him. The rain did come, and the people of Sicily prepared a large banquet for their patron saint. (What did we have this past weekend? RAIN!!! How appropriate that rain came as we celebrated the true Sicilian heritage--St. Joseph's intercession for people of Sicily.) The fava bean was the crop which saved the population from starvation, and is a traditional part of St. Joseph's Day altars. Also giving food to the needy is a St. Joseph Day custom.We know that because St. Joseph's feast day occurs during Lent, what we place on the St. Joseph Altar need to reflect that--that is, it should be meatless. Traditionally, there are three tiers to the altar, which represents the Trinity. And foods are served containing bread crumbs to represent saw dust since St. Joseph was a carpenter. (Click here for virtual St. Joseph Altar) The Altar is a means to petition and thanksgiving. Petitions of the faithful are written on pieces of paper and placed in baskets on the Altar. Photos of deceased relatives & friends may decorate the Altar as well.
In the Fall of 2005, after Hurricane Katrina flooded and damaged Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, the seminarians decided to dedicate the academic year to St. Joseph. We felt that St. Joseph will help build our beloved seminary in New Orleans. In fact, we were temporarily housed in the Benedictine abbey of St. Joseph in Covington, Louisiana. We knew that St. Joseph was going to help us rebuild our home and make it even better. And certainly that happened. In thanksgiving, we built a St. Joseph Altar for his feast day on March 19th. In our hearts we knew that St. Joseph was not just a character from a story in the bible. He was alive and present with us, interceding for all of us as Foster Father of Our Lord and Husband of Our Lady. St. Joseph is the true reason why we celebrate the Sicilian heritage.
