ATLANTA—Immaculate Heart of Mary School and St. Anthony of Padua Church, both in Atlanta, celebrated the feast of St. Joseph on March 18 and 19 with a St. Joseph’s Table.

The table at the school was filled with wonderful food of Italian and Polish heritage, prayer cards, carpenter tools, turnips from the IHM garden, prayers of thanks, prayer petitions and paper lilies. Msgr. Al Jowdy, IHM pastor, blessed the table. All leftovers were given to the poor. Each student received a blessed St. Joseph prayer card and a dried fava bean.

St. Anthony of Padua Church, Atlanta, honors the saint’s feast day in its St. Joseph Chapel in March.

At the West End parish in Atlanta, the community celebrated the feast day. The St. Joseph Chapel, with its stained glass recalling the life of Jesus’ earthly father, was overflowing with cookies and pastries. The goodies were distributed to parishioners, including a fava bean, which is to bring good luck. Many of the members of the predominantly African-American parish have roots in New Orleans, where the saint beloved by Italians is celebrated by the black Catholic community.