In keeping with a long standing annual tradition, the Italian Catholic Federation (ICF) branch at St. Bede the Venerable Church in La Cañada Flintridge has announced that this year’s St. Joseph Table event will exceed expectations with a large table of donated baked goods, focaccia, homemade tomato sauce and a variety of specially prepared foods for sale. The event will take place on Sunday, March 17 after the 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Masses.

ICF Branch 374 president Al Restivo recently announced that Phyllis Harb will once again manage the annual event. Harb, a well-known successful local Realtor and member of ICF, managed a very successful event last year with results that exceeded expectations.

“We expect that, with Phyllis’ energy and management ability, the 2019 event will exceed our goals again to raise money for our charities and for the current St. Bede Parish Hall construction fund. Phyllis is one special kind of person who has the fire in her to really get things done,” Restivo said.

In addition to the festive food-laden table, this year the organization will feature an Italian luncheon at 12:30 p.m. at $15 per person with advanced reservations, and $17 at the door, if space is available. Contact Phyllis Harb for luncheon tickets at phyllis@realtorharb.com or (818) 790-7325.

As the popularity of the event grows, ICF will feature the biggest to date silent auction with bidding taking place the entire morning with awardees selected at the conclusion of the luncheon. This year’s selection of auctioned offerings includes many vacation packages and is the most extensive ever offered.

The St. Joseph Table is an annual parish event featured at ICF branches throughout California. The tradition of the table began in Sicily where each year people gathered at a special church service dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus and patron Saint of Italy, to donate food for the poor. Today the organization provides for the poor and others in need by donating proceeds from the event to support St. John’s Seminary scholarships, research for a cure for Cooley’s Anemia at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the building fund for St. Bede Parish.

Founded in 1924, the ICF is a nonprofit, family-oriented organization open to men, women, and children of all ages and heritages. With thousands of members across four states, the ICF participates in social, religious and heritage-themed events, takes part in apostolic and charitable works in the church and community, and supports college scholarships and seminarian education.

The ICF has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to more than 6,000 high school students and donated over $2 million to improve the lives of Thalassemia (Cooley’s Anemia) patients.

St. Bede is at located at 215 Foothill Blvd.