The biggest St. Joseph celebrations are likely in Italy, where they honor the foster father of Jesus and all fathers on March 19, the Solemnity of St. Joseph. You may have heard of zeppole, a donut-like pastry being served on this day, but have you ever tried Sfince di San Giuseppe? The pastry is pronounced “sfeen-chay,” meaning fried cream puffs. They are like Neapolitan zeppole, but instead of being shaped into rings and filled with pastry cream, they are filled with sweetened ricotta cream and served with crushed pistachios and candied citrus fruits. Try the recipe at ItalyMagazine.com, or stop by an Italian pastry shop near you.
During Lent, there’s a certain clearing of the decks as we give up attachments and create space for higher goods such as prayer and service. During this time of increased contemplation, you may begin to see the bigger picture, enabling you to develop your “Catholic worldview” – a way of looking at the natural and supernatural through the lens of the faith. Many colleges and universities offer a chance to do this in Catholic studies programs consisting of theology, philosophy, literature, arts and culture courses. However, there are many ways outside academia to hone your Catholic vision. Here are a few to get you started.