In this part of the country, many people erect an altar to St. Joseph in their homes, but Anne Dale of Mandeville wanted to share it with her community and customers, so she created the altar in her jewelry store on St. Ann Drive.
“I want to reach out and give back to the community,” Dale said. “St. Joseph is really all about community.”
The altar itself is imposing. Built on three levels, symbolizing the Holy Trinity, the altar not only contained statues of Joseph and Mary, crucifixes and candleabras, but also it was laden with all the wonderful Italian food and pastries. All of Dale’s jewelry cases are covered with Italian flags, and customers and well-wishers wandered around the altar admiring its beauty and all that food.
Shown is the St. Joseph’s altar that was built in the jewelry store of Anne Dale in Mandeville. (Staff Photo by Erik Sanzenbach)
This is the second year Dale has built a St. Joseph’s altar. Last year she put it in her house, then her friend Sandra Scalise convinced Dale to put it in her shop.
“The altar is all about abudanza, abundance,” Scalise said. “It is meant to bring people together, and it is a labor of love.”
Usually, people build an altar to St. Joseph in appreciation of the saint answering their prayers. Dale said she built the altar to “thank him for all my blessings.”
Dale has been a successful businesswoman in Mandeville for 10 years. Originally from New Orleans, she has even started a line of jewelry called “I Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans,” and the proceeds go to help the rebuilding effort after Hurricane Katrina and to local food banks. Her biggest seller is a silver fava bean necklace. The fava bean is a staple of St. Joseph altars and is meant to bring good luck to those who have one.
Building the altar was a community and family affair. Dale’s husband, Michael, built the three levels, which took about a week. Eight women, including Dale’s mother, Diane Ferrara, cooked all the food, including pasta, meats, cookies, bread and cakes.
“It took us about a month. Everybody made something,” Dale said. “I baked over 3,000 cookies, and my mother made the red gravy.”
She added that customers and friends of all denominations came in to help.
Next to the altar was a framed list of all the people who helped create the altar.
There was also a box for people’s petitions to St. Joseph. Scalise said St. Joseph is a saint “of may hats.” He is the patron saint for the dying, social justice, the worker and the family. The prayers in the petition box were to be taken to St. Joseph’s Abbey.
New Orleans and its environs have many people who celebrate St. Joseph’s Day, but it is in Sicily, Italy, where St. Joseph is really big, according to Dale’s father, Paul Ferrara, a jazz drummer who played with Louis Prima, Al Hirt, and other famous New Orleans’ musicians. His ancestors came from the Sicilian village of Contessa Entellina.
“Half the houses in the town have St. Joseph altars,” Ferrara said.
He said the Greek Orthodox church in the village brings out the statue of St. Joseph, and there is a big parade through the streets all the way to the town’s Catholic church.
Ferrara said there is a band, and at the end of the parade there is a fireworks display.
“Then everyone goes home and eats. The people do not eat meat from the end of Christmas until St. Joseph’s Day,” Ferrara said.
For Dale, the altar is just a way to help others and to bring the community together. Not only does she help out the local food banks and other charities, but traditionally, all the food on the altar is donated to the poor and homeless. Dale said all the food on her altar will go to feed the homeless at Ozanam Inn in New Orleans.
Though St. Joseph’s Day is tomorrow, Dale said that “sadly” she had to take down the altar Saturday night. However, she assures everyone the altar will be rebuilt in her store next year.