St. Joseph's Day - Feeling at Home

[ConservativeOne]

As we all are, I’ve been rushing about - missing you - but not having the chance lately to get here. Finally, on St. Joseph’s Feast Day - I made it !

While it’s no longer a holy day of obligation, as years ago, I still honor St. Joseph greatly and was quick to bring his statue to a prominent place this morning. Ran to get traditional zeppole and St. Joseph’s Bread (anyone know about these?) - but I decided first things first and visited St. Joseph in a neighboring Church - hoping to light a candle - there were none (perhaps due to fire hazards, since there were no candles in Church). I understood - but was disappointed though - not even seeing a floral arrangement in front of the statue (could it be due to Lent?).

While we usually discuss the Traditional Mass here, does anyone recall the ‘not-so-long-ago’ - when March 19th was a holyday of obligation? Now - a cherished day for this Catholic both in traditions and religious depth. I just did some research on St. Joseph traditions and curiously found him described as the “step father” of Jesus. Am I missing the boat or is that a misnomer? I don’t want to pull hairs but I’d NEVER heard that term applied to St. Joseph. How sad to find so little attention at his statue in Church (okay, it’s just a statue but ) Wishing you all a blessed St. Joseph’s Day!
St. Joseph, Foster Father of the Child Jesus, Patron of the Universal Church and of a Happy Death, pray for us.

 

[Melchior_1]

As we all are, I’ve been rushing about - missing you - but not having the chance lately to get here. Finally, on St. Joseph’s Feast Day - I made it !

While it’s no longer a holy day of obligation, as years ago, I still honor St. Joseph greatly and was quick to bring his statue to a prominent place this morning. Ran to get traditional zeppole and St. Joseph’s Bread (anyone know about these?) - but I decided first things first and visited St. Joseph in a neighboring Church - hoping to light a candle - there were none (perhaps due to fire hazards, since there were no candles in Church). I understood - but was disappointed though - not even seeing a floral arrangement in front of the statue (could it be due to Lent?).

While we usually discuss the Traditional Mass here, does anyone recall the ‘not-so-long-ago’ - when March 19th was a holyday of obligation? Now - a cherished day for this Catholic both in traditions and religious depth. I just did some research on St. Joseph traditions and curiously found him described as the “step father” of Jesus. Am I missing the boat or is that a misnomer? I don’t want to pull hairs but I’d NEVER heard that term applied to St. Joseph. How sad to find so little attention at his statue in Church (okay, it’s just a statue but ) Wishing you all a blessed St. Joseph’s Day!
St. Joseph, Foster Father of the Child Jesus, Patron of the Universal Church and of a Happy Death, pray for us.

I think some say “step-dad” because in some cases “foster” parents are designed to be temporary/transitional parents. And by no means is St. Joseph a"transitional parent".

Either way, you’re right in that devotion to St. Joseph can be lacking in several places.

On top of the items you mentioned, he’s the Patron Saint of CANADA as well. We’ve got some St. Joe’s parties happening at some of my friend’s places.

 

[lax16]

As we all are, I’ve been rushing about - missing you - but not having the chance lately to get here. Finally, on St. Joseph’s Feast Day - I made it !

While it’s no longer a holy day of obligation, as years ago, I still honor St. Joseph greatly and was quick to bring his statue to a prominent place this morning. Ran to get traditional zeppole and St. Joseph’s Bread (anyone know about these?) - but I decided first things first and visited St. Joseph in a neighboring Church - hoping to light a candle - there were none (perhaps due to fire hazards, since there were no candles in Church). I understood - but was disappointed though - not even seeing a floral arrangement in front of the statue (could it be due to Lent?).

While we usually discuss the Traditional Mass here, does anyone recall the ‘not-so-long-ago’ - when March 19th was a holyday of obligation? Now - a cherished day for this Catholic both in traditions and religious depth. I just did some research on St. Joseph traditions and curiously found him described as the “step father” of Jesus. Am I missing the boat or is that a misnomer? I don’t want to pull hairs but I’d NEVER heard that term applied to St. Joseph. How sad to find so little attention at his statue in Church (okay, it’s just a statue but ) Wishing you all a blessed St. Joseph’s Day!
St. Joseph, Foster Father of the Child Jesus, Patron of the Universal Church and of a Happy Death, pray for us.

Happy St. Joseph’s Day to you!

Please tell me about the zeppole and bread.

Also, do you set a St. Joseph’s table? Are you Italian?

 

[daeve]

Zeppole, St Joseph Cakes, Italian Cookies! I really miss this part of living in Brooklyn. My mother made zeppole ages ago, and they were pretty different from the ones I bought in Brooklyn, and different still from the ones my neighbor Perri made. But they were all yummy. They remind me of a hybrid of a donut and a cream puff, sometimes with ricotta cheese. Some are more donut-y than cream puff, like my mom’s but Perri’s were just amazing with the ricotta. WAAAAY too much work for something you shouldn’t have anyway, but boy were they good.

 

[daeve]

Zeppole, St Joseph Cakes, Italian Cookies! I really miss this part of living in Brooklyn. My mother made zeppole ages ago, and they were pretty different from the ones I bought in Brooklyn, and different still from the ones my neighbor Perri made. But they were all yummy. They remind me of a hybrid of a donut and a cream puff, sometimes with ricotta cheese. Some are more donut-y than cream puff, like my mom’s but Perri’s were just amazing with the ricotta. WAAAAY too much work for something you shouldn’t have anyway, but boy were they good.

I don’t remember today being a Holy Day, and I’m almost 60. When was this? This is also my “former wedding anniversary”. I don’t forget this day easily!

Here’s a nice article about St. Joseph Tables. This is a Sicilian tradition, and we’re from the Norther parts of Italy, so it’s not something we did, but many of my Brooklyn neighbors did it.

I forgot the link: initaly.com/regions/sicily/joetabl.htm

 

[lax16]

Zeppole, St Joseph Cakes, Italian Cookies! I really miss this part of living in Brooklyn. My mother made zeppole ages ago, and they were pretty different from the ones I bought in Brooklyn, and different still from the ones my neighbor Perri made. But they were all yummy. They remind me of a hybrid of a donut and a cream puff, sometimes with ricotta cheese. Some are more donut-y than cream puff, like my mom’s but Perri’s were just amazing with the ricotta. WAAAAY too much work for something you shouldn’t have anyway, but boy were they good.

I don’t remember today being a Holy Day, and I’m almost 60. When was this? This is also my “former wedding anniversary”. I don’t forget this day easily!

Here’s a nice article about St. Joseph Tables. This is a Sicilian tradition, and we’re from the Norther parts of Italy, so it’s not something we did, but many of my Brooklyn neighbors did it.

I forgot the link: initaly.com/regions/sicily/joetabl.htm

Daeve- Thank you and God Bless you for this information!
I have been wondering about this tradition for a long time and the link you provided is fanastic (pictures and all!)- I will add this to my family tradition in the future.
My grandmother came from Sicily, but never celebrated this with our family.
My father, Joseph, is from Brooklyn, too.
The zeppole you describe sounds amazing. I love tradition and Italian food!

Again, Thank you!!

 

[daeve]

Daeve- Thank you and God Bless you for this information!
I have been wondering about this tradition for a long time and the link you provided is fanastic (pictures and all!)- I will add this to my family tradition in the future.
My grandmother came from Sicily, but never celebrated this with our family.
My father, Joseph, is from Brooklyn, too.
The zeppole you describe sounds amazing. I love tradition and Italian food!

Again, Thank you!!

I’m glad you enjoyed it. I think there are more Italians in Brooklyn than in Italy! I haven’t thought about zeppole in ages. My friend Perri is about 80 years old now, and I’m a little older than she was when we met. She was my substitute mother since my own was 1,000 miles away. She’s a widow now, and living in PA, and she’s met a widower and they’re getting married this summer. How sweet is that!

Living in Brooklyn in the 1980s was quite an experience. I frequently felt like I was reliving my parents’ lives from the 1940s. I had to hang the laundry out the back window on a pulley! Here’s some advice I could have used back then: Don’t put sheets out on a windy day.

 

[AJV]

While we usually discuss the Traditional Mass here, does anyone recall the ‘not-so-long-ago’ - when March 19th was a holyday of obligation?

March 19th has not been a formal HDoO in the USA or Canada for over a century, though I guess especially where there is a strong Italian population and/or a devotion to St. Joseph, it was treated as such.