Celebrating St. Joseph {Feast Day Ideas}

March is dedicated to my dear St. Joseph, husband of Mary and guardian of our Redeemer.  St. Joseph important in the life of every believer, but as he is the patron Saint of my school, we try to make his feast day special.  I've got a collection of posts that share some of the ways we've celebrated in case you'd like to learn and pray with St. Joseph this month and especially on his feast day March 19th.   However, many of these ideas would be applicable with any Saint that you are trying to celebrate- especially a patron Saint of your parish, school, or home.

In the round up of ideas below, click on any title with a *** to take you to a more detailed post or printable.

Easy St. Joseph Shrines ***

Holy Family Coloring Page***

Sleeping St. Joseph Devotion***

A few years ago while visiting the Philippines, Pope Francis wove his love for St. Joseph into an address on prayer and family.  Specifically, he spoke about a statue he has on his desk of the Sleeping St. Joseph.  From the Gospels, we know that St. Joseph listened to God in his dreams and then rose to act on His will.  Pope Francis shared with his audience that he asks St. Joseph to pray for his intentions by writing them down and slipping the paper under the statue of St. Joseph.

This sweet devotion has been spreading slowly across the world.  A dear friend was the first to introduce it to me, and I just love this new connection with one of my very favorite Saints.  How comforting to think of St. Joseph caring for the Church, for us and our concerns, while resting in God.  Go check out this post for all kinds of ideas and activities about the devotion to the Sleeping St. Joseph.

Here are a few Murals/Posters we've created to display on St. Joseph Day:

This one was made of wooden popsicle sticks representing Joseph's work as a carpenter.  Each student took one and wrote a title or role of St. Joseph and we assembled them into this mural.

St. Joseph's Day Bread:

Our school has a tradition that fresh bread is blessed on his feast day and passed out to everyone.  Each class shares a loaf while thanking St. Joseph for his provision and protection, and each student takes a small loaf home to share with their families.

Holy Family Hearts Coloring Page***

Pure Heart of St. Joseph Coloring page***

I usually read this book called St. Joseph's Story from Word Among Us Press (affiliate link):

It has beautiful pictures:

St. Joseph Color-a-Novena***

Novenas are powerful- well, they are powerful if you are seeking God's will and are prepared for his answer.  You can read this post about the most obvious answer to a novena I have received, when I started praying this novena to St. Joseph the Worker, which resulted in my current job at St. Joseph School.  It was kind of crazy amazing at the time, and looking back, I can see God's hand in it even more clearly.

If you  would like to join in praying the St. Joseph novena leading up to his March 19th Solemnity, you could use this color-a-novena printable.  There's one lily to color in for each day you pray.  If you would like to finish the nine days on his actual feast, you should start on March 11th.  Or you can begin this novena any time and for any length to increase your devotion to St. Joseph and ask his powerful intercession.

St. Joseph the Worker Coloring Page***

St. Joseph also has a feast day on May 1st, celebrating his work and provision and protection for the Holy Family and for the Church.  This quote from St. John Paul II has long been one of my favorites, and I lettered it as a reminder to pray for the work of the leaders in our lives and homes.

"St. Joseph was a just man, a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care.  May he always guard, protect, and enlighten families." ~St. John Paul II

St. Joseph Holy Saturday Coloring Page***
Click here for some resources for Holy Saturday and a couple of printables with a line about St. Joseph from a favorite poem:

St. Joseph Memorare Prayer Cards***

Similar in wording to the original Memorare, this one asks for the intercession of St. Joseph.

St. Joseph Traveling Shrine or Statue

One year we sent a small St. Joseph statue to visit each classroom in the school for a day in March leading up to St. Joseph's Feast.  It traveled with a couple of books and a prayer journal that each class wrote in.  The Shrine was then displayed in the school office for the rest of the month.

I hope you have a blessed March and St. Joseph Day!  I'd love to hear how you celebrate Saint's Feast Days with your groups of kiddos!