St. Joseph altar cookbook available

A tradition of devotion to St. Joseph, that came to the New Orleans area with Sicilian immigrants, has taken root in Slidell. Those with a desire to honor the saint on his feast day of March 19 begin in January to prepare the many foods and items that will make up St. Joseph's Day altars in churches, homes and other gathering places. Now, one local altar group has written a book about it.

According to Our Lady of Lourdes St. Joseph Altar Ministry Chairwoman Mary Leonard, this year it will offer the largest cookbook to date at the altar. It contains more than 100 recipes for the traditional cookies and foods, many of which have been handed down for generations, she said.

"It's a collage of recipes from people who have come here over the years," she said.

The Our Lady of Lourdes St. Joseph's Day altar will be held Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria at 313 Westchester Place. This is the sixth year the altar has been open to the public at Our Lady of Lourdes, and the 10th year Leonard has been involved. She said it used to be open for the schoolchildren in the cafeteria on a school day, until the recently retired pastor, the Rev. Adrain Hall, asked her to organize it as a public altar. Leonard is assisted by Frank and JoAnn Tarantino and more than 60 volunteers from ages 5 to 92 who help prepare the altar.

A special meal prepared by the ministry is served after the blessing of the altar and the Ceremony of the Saints. Last year more than 1,000 people were served, she said.

St. Joseph is the patron saint of workers and all donations are used to help the poor, she said. In the past years, the ministry has donated funds from the altar to the Caring Center, the Mount Olive AME Feeding Program, St. Vincent de Paul and others. "Donations go back to the community," she said. A small amount is used to buy flour, sugar and other items that will be used to begin baking again in January....