By Lois Rogers | Correspondent

No matter the weather, the feast days of St. Patrick and St. Joseph that punctuate the middle of March every year are guaranteed to lighten winter moods and lift spirits.

Such was definitely the case this year as parishes around the Diocese invited the faithful – young, old and in between – to liturgies and celebrations focusing on the patron saints of Ireland and Italy, whose solemnities are observed traditionally on March 17 and March 19. The latter solemnity was moved to March 20 this year so as not to conflict with the Third Sunday of Lent.

All in all, commemorations in many parishes, institutions and retreat houses around the four-county Diocese including: Morris Hall, Lawrenceville, where Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., was principal celebrant of a Mass for the Feast of St. Joseph for residents and staff. Other observances unfolded in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold; St. Mary Parish, Middletown; St. Joseph-by-the-Sea Retreat House, South Mantoloking; St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville; Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton, as well as St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton and St. Peter Parish, Point Pleasant Beach, were attended by thousands.

Teaching Moments

Liturgies enhanced by the skirl of bagpipes and the sound of Gaelic in honor of St. Patrick – revered for bringing Christianity to Ireland were the order of the day March 17. Flower-bedecked shrines honoring St. Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and foster father of Jesus and the distribution of St. Joseph’s Bread – a reminder of the pious tradition of giving bread to the poor – drew everyone’s focus on observances dedicated to him.

Msgr. Thomas N. Gervasio, diocesan vicar general, the Co-Cathedral’s rector, Msgr. Sam A. Sirianni, and Father Jeffrey Kegley, pastor of St. Mary, New Monmouth, were among clergy who celebrated the liturgies and lent their presence to the special gatherings that accompanied them.

They agreed that these observances offer not only a joyous interlude in a penitential season, but learning experiences as well.

When the community comes out on such occasions, to honor the saints, “teaching moments occur, special times to focus on why the saints are important,” said Msgr. Gervasio who celebrated Mass in Italian in St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, March 20.

“The saints take on significance even as all the stops are pulled out,” with festivities that accompany or follow liturgies, he said, and “everyone enjoys together.”

His own parishioners, he noted, observed the St. Joseph’s solemnity – with a liturgy, blessing of St. Joseph’s Bread and a St. Joseph Table – with parochial vicar Father Jean R. Felicien, while their pastor fulfilled a long-standing, annual commitment to St. Ann Parish.

“I think those observances are one way to honor” a rich heritage of devotion to St. Joseph who is especially revered in Sicily, Italy and the Catholic countries of the Mediterranean, he said. On a personal note, the solemnity offers a yearly opportunity to focus on his own heritage.

“When I grew up in St. Joachim Parish in Trenton,” now a worship site of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, “I learned to speak Italian. I enjoy celebrating Mass in the language of my parents and sharing it with others.”

Msgr. Sirianni and a number of parishioners at the St. Joseph Feast that followed the March 18 Vigil Mass in the Co-Cathedral echoed Msgr. Gervasio.

When the Mass concluded, scores of faithful reverently approached the flower decked shrine  to St. Joseph in the Co-Cathedral before heading to the parish hall where a gala St. Joseph Table and combination pot-luck and catered buffet featuring the best in Italian cookery, awaited.

Msgr. Sirianni described the feast as one of a number of opportunities to bring the parish together, like the Irish Night with a St. Patrick theme that is held annually in February, and the parish picnic, which he described as an enormous warm weather event edging toward fall, which draws hundreds, and the Christmas Carol Festival in December.

With their blend of the “sacred and the social,” which is always present, he said, “these events allow parishioners to get to know each other in a special way.”

The distribution of blessed St. Joseph Bread is a hallmark of the feast that links it to the heart of Catholic religious and social teaching, he noted, pointing out that it reflects the time honored Catholic tradition of giving bread to the poor.

“Growing up in Long Branch, I can remember my brothers and I coming each coming home with loaves of bread from school on St. Joseph’s Day, mindful of the custom behind it. We would share the loaves,” and the story behind them, at the table at dinner. “It enables us to take what is taught and bring it home.”

“It reminds us that it is always good to break bread together, that Jesus has a table ministry.”

And indeed, breaking bread together drew newcomers to the parish together with long time members.

“We came because we wanted to meet people,” said Phyllis Truppelli, who recently moved to the area with her husband, Gerry.

Indeed, it wasn’t long before she was reminiscing over favorite St. Joseph Day recipes with Rosalind Silletto, also newly arrived with her husband, Ronald, to the area.

Dual Observances

In New Monmouth, parishioners and students of St. Mary School celebrated both saints days with gusto, said Father Kegley.

Between students and parishioners, the regular Friday Mass in the church which seats about 1,000, was full, on March 17, he said. Special touches included a rendition of “Amazing Grace” by students who play the bagpipes and Father Kegley accompanied himself on the guitar and sang the anthem, “Our Lady of Knock.”

Afternoon activities in the school included class socials and Irish step dancing.

The Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 20, shifted the worship focus, Father Kegley said, to St. Mary Chapel, built in 1901, which was reopening after much needed renovations to the floor by 50 volunteers.

“This was the first phase of getting back into the chapel,” for worship, Father Kegley said. The volunteers replaced the sub-floor and the floor, repaired the pews and painted the interior, completing the task just as the saint’s days approached.

“The chapel re-opened for the noon Mass on St. Joseph’s Day,” he said. “Everyone was so excited, especially since that day is the solemnity of a carpenter. It was a blessing.” More than 300 crammed into the chapel for the liturgy, followed by a St. Joseph’s Table.

“It was standing room only,” he said. “Everyone enjoyed the solemnity and the reopening of this treasure for the parish.”

He called both days “wonderful occasions to honor and remember the saints who intercede in prayer for us, lived heroic and lived heroic and virtuous lives. It was really a beautiful parish day.”

In St. Joseph’s Footsteps

Religious in who reside in St. Joan of Arc Convent, Marlton, Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, and St. Peter Parish, Point Pleasant Beach, like fellow sisters in orders dedicated to St. Joseph around the world, renewed their vows and reflected on their call to serving the Church in a community that was named after St. Joseph.

At St. Joseph-by-the-Sea Retreat House, South Mantoloking, Filippini Sisters welcomed “everyone who wished to come,” as Sister Brunilda Ramos, the director put it, to a liturgy for peace and healing in St. Joseph’s name.

The Mass was celebrated by Father Peter James Alindogan, pastor of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina Parish, Lavallette, who also blessed St. Joseph Bread and joined in with about 25 guests for refreshment.

“That was our day,” said Sister Brunilda. “It was just beautiful … just very good, it really was.”