Postponed the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Italian Catholic Federation (ICF) at St. Bede the Venerable Church will be holding its celebration of the feast of St. Joseph on Sunday, March 20 in the parish hall adjacent to the church. The table event will include the always bountiful silent auction and home-prepared foods and baked goods. The hall will be open to the public after each Sunday Mass with the table being blessed after the 7:30 a.m. Mass by Monsignor Antonio Cacciapuoti, pastor of St. Bede parish and archdiocesan director of ICF. Masses at St. Bede are at 7:30, 9 and 11 a.m.

The St. Joseph feast is dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ, and is a tradition that began in Sicily, Italy centuries ago. Each year residents of Sicilian communities provided food for the poor and distributed it at their parish centers.

Local businesses are encouraged to donate gifts and gift certificates for the silent auction. They can do so by contacting Phyllis Harb at (818) 790-7325. St. Bede parishioners and friends of the St. Bede parish community can donate home-made foods and baked goods by contacting Maria De Salguero at (626) 791-6035.

Proceeds from the event go to the many charitable efforts of the local ICF branch, an annual scholarship for a high school senior from local schools and to students at St. Bede School. A portion of the proceeds will also go toward the St. Bede Church Building Fund.

The Italian Catholic Federation is a Catholic Christian organization with branches throughout California, Illinois and Arizona with a virtual national branch for the U.S. based at St. Peter Church in Los Angeles. Through families and fellowship, the Italian Catholic Federation:

• Promotes and supports the Catholic faith and its values;
• Encourages apostolic and charitable works
• Celebrates our Italian American heritage and all the heritages of our communities.

Membership is open to all Catholic ethnic individuals and families. Branch 374 meets at St. Bede Parish Center every third Wednesday of the month.