St. Joseph Table and Giving to the Poor

We will have a traditional St. Joseph Table set up in the vestibule on Friday, March 19, the Solemnity of St. Joseph, and it will remain through the weekend of March 20-21. It is an opportunity for charity and celebration.

The St. Joseph Table is a legendary tradition that started in Sicily and evolved in gratitude for the intercession of St Joseph during a famine. 

• It is a way to practice charity as an opportunity to give to the poor in honor of the great St. Joseph, who provided for the Holy Family and is Patron of the Universal Church.  
• It is also normally an opportunity to festively celebrate St. Joseph on his Solemnity on March 19 when the Table is blessed during Lent.

Our St. Joseph Table will be blessed after the Noon Mass on March 19 this year, after a statue of St. Joseph is brought to it in procession.

This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, all the food placed on the St. Joseph Table as well as monetary donations, will be given to the Chattanooga Community Kitchen to benefit the poor, as part of the Lenten fundraiser and food drive the Knights of Columbus Council 610 has organized. Please bring food and monetary donations, and you may also donate online. More information on supporting the Knights' collection for Community Kitchen here. 

A point of interest is that our parish's own Servant of God, Father Patrick Ryan was educated at the St. Vincent Seminary of the Vincentians in Missouri.