Catholic Icing’s Lent Link-Up 2010

It’s time to share all our Lenten posts in Catholic Icing’s Lent Link-Up.

Head over to Catholic Icing and enter your link, or links, about lent. Be sure to link to the actual post. Then, link back to the Lent Link-Up in your post. Be sure to spend some time visitng all the great posts.

I’ve compiled all my favorite Lenten posts into this one post. Enjoy!

Celebrating St. Joseph

The penitential nature of Lent makes finding inspirational family activities somewhat difficult. Forty days is a very long time to the smaller members of the household. One bright spot in our Lenten journey is the March 19 Feast of St. Joseph. In the tradition of the St. Joseph Altars of New Orleans, we prepare our own small Altar on our dining room table in honor of St. Joseph for his feast day each year.

The St. Joseph Altar is Sicilian in origin. During a terrible famine, the people of Sicily pleaded to St. Joseph, their patron saint, for relief. St. Joseph answered their prayers, and the famine ended. In gratitude, they prepared a table with foods they had harvested. After paying homage to St. Joseph, they distributed the food to the less fortunate.

In 1999 I created the first and only online, interactive St. Joseph Altar – The Virtual St. Joseph Altar. A few adaptations have been made, but the Virtual Altar still offers many of the basics, not to mention a clean kitchen.

I invite you to visit the Altar and learn more about this tradition. Add deceased loved ones to the prayer list, or make a special prayer request. You’ll find history, recipes, altar photos, images of St. Joseph, and much more. Don’t miss the 3D cut and color mini St. Joseph Altar on the craft page. Enjoy, and Viva San Guiseppe!

Here are some other things that keep us busy during the season of Lent:

Chocolate Crown of Thorns

Stations of the Cross votive project

40 Bags in 40 Days

Our Lenten Lapbooks

Our projects for Holy Week 2009

Face to face with Christ