At Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church: An Age-Old Italian Tradition
According to legend, there was a famine in Sicily many centuries ago. The villagers prayed to St. Joseph, seeking his intercession to end the drought and provide for their families. Their prayers were answered. In thanksgiving they began the custom of celebrating his feast with the most precious gifts they had, food. Over the years the celebration has taken on many traditions and customs, the most popular is the St. Joseph’s Table. Typically, it has been filled with breads baked in the shape of carpenter’s tools, pastries, especially St. Joseph sfinge and zeppole, oranges, lemons and fava beans which were the staple food and saved the Sicilians from starvation during the famine. At Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, every year we have set a table with the statue of St. Joseph and flowers. Over the years and in keeping with Italian tradition donated food has been blessed during mass and then donated to the Ecumenical Emergency Food Pantry of White Plains and to those in need in honor of Saint Joseph as a form of public charity. Please consider bringing donated food to the table of St. Joseph. The blessing of the St. Joseph Table will take place during the 4:00 pm Mass at OLMC on Saturday, March 19th, 2022.
Viva San Giuseppe!
Blessed Bread: The Feast Day of St. Joseph is March 19th. Blessed bread will be distributed at the 12:10 pm Mass at OLMC on Friday, March 18th, 2022 and at the 4:00 pm Mass at OLMC on Saturday, March 19th, 2022.
Social and Refreshments: Please join us after the 4:00 pm Mass on March 19th, 2022 for the Feast of St. Joseph in the OLMC Church Hall. We invite you to come and share your favorite sweets of sfinge and zeppole. Coffee and tea will be served.
St. Joseph Novena: March 10 - March 18 Please join the Parish in praying the Novena to St. Joseph. Copies of the Novena Prayer to St. Joseph may also be found in the back of the Churches on the bulletin tables at OLMC.
Novena Prayer: Ever glorious St Joseph, good and faithful servant, God was pleased to place his own family in your care. We thank you for being such a wonderful example of humility and faith, of prayerfulness and courage, in your ordinary daily life.
Through your intercessions, may God grant us the blessing of living continually in his presence, and responding to his love in our daily lives. And when we have lived our days on earth, may God give us the great joy he gave you –that of entering eternal life in the company of Jesus and Mary. Most loving St. Joseph, accept our Novena prayers and obtain for us through your powerful intercessions, the favors and graces we ask for in the Novena.
Pause to call to mind your special intentions St. Joseph, pray for us.
Add: Our Father… Hail Mary…, Glory Be to the Father, …, Amen