The St. Joseph Altar at Santa Maria de la Paz Catholic Community in Santa Fe, New Mexico this March 2026.

Please inform your friends and relatives from our parish about this event. If they can’t help with the organizing process we can use their help in providing items to decorate the altar.

Statues of St. Joseph (San José) are especially welcomed as are statues of the Holy Family, Mother Mary and Jesus. At this time we also honor our deceased family and friends so photographs of deceased ones are also welcomed. Be sure to mark those items you want returned. As St. Joseph was a carpenter, items used in carpentry are welcomed, especially if they are constructed from baked bread such as hammers, saws, ladders, nails, and then crosses, sandals, fish, etc.

A basket for donations for our SMDLP Food Pantry run by Bernadette Bach will be on the altar as will a basket for intentions.

Fresh food such as bright raw peppers (Chile peppers too), oranges, grapes, artichokes, fennel, onions, garlic, apples and pears are traditionally found on the altar as is a bowl of dried fava beans. Lillies and palms typically are used to decorate the altar.

We will hope everyone will contribute to our potluck on March 21 after the 5pm Mass. Remember, it is the Lenten Season.

There will be 300 packets ready with a St. Joseph medal, a St. Joseph prayer card and three fava beans (first come, first served).

There will also be a jar of fava beans on the altar too. You can’t forget the fava beans!

The tentative dates are:
Before March 17 (TBD) Assemble prayer packets with three Fava Beans, A St. Joseph Medal and a St. Joseph Prayer Card
March 17-18 Set Up The Altar (Decorate the altar with food, bread in the shape of St. Joseph tools and religious items)
March 19-22 Altar is up for all Masses
March 21 Altar is blessed as is Prayer Packets and Potluck after 5pm Mass
March 23-24 Altar is taken down