2016 St. Joseph Novena Day 5 @Sista Felicia’s Photo Gallery!

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Paternal Grandparents Joseph & Felicia Ciaramitaro & Maternal Joseph & Rose Ciaramitaro

IMG_6956Andrea Carlson Lighting the altar candles

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Caryn Ryder, Marie Linquata, Fay Quinlan

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Sue and Katy Lovasco

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Novena Coffee Time!

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Reading the English Translation provided by Abbey Mathews, that are projected onto the wall adjacent to the altar

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The Vigil Candle Altar

 

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Play time for Coconut and son BJ after the rosary

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The Faces Pastries & Nightly Rituals of the St. Joseph Novena 

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Just prior to beginning our rosary prayer service, my “Cumnares” are buzzing around the altar, kitchen and dining room lending a helping hand with the many behind the scene rituals that are necessary to keep each evenings novena running smoothly and enjoyable for all who attend. It takes many helping hands to pull off this type of tradition for nine consecutive evenings. Many hosting families have a crew of  devoted helpers, who show up a little earlier each night and stay a little late to help with set up and clean up! The tasks of fixing the altar candles, adding new names to our growing prayer list, organizing and handing out prayer books, and preparing the dining room table for “Novena Coffee Time,” including the arrangement of  freshly baked desserts, preparing pots of Cappuccino, and the after coffee cleanup are all performed with love!

It’s with my deepest gratitude that I personally thank ! Bridgette Mathews Abbey Mathews, Andrea Randazza Carlson,Caryn Linquata Ryder, Nicole Imbrunone Curcuru, Mo Klop and Julie Sanfilippo, Eleanor Tucker, my mother Pat, daughter Amanda and all who pitch in to help me keep this tradition alive night after night!

XO

Sista 

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The Novena Coffee desert assortment changes each evening, and never disappoints!

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 Click read more for~Last nights Novena Day 3 photo gallery

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The Saints Come Marching In!

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In the past hour, as I prepare for this evenings Novena, Saints continue to find their way to our St. Joseph Altar today in pairs.  My girlfriend Kerrie Callahan Donahue just stopped by to gift two St. Patrick statues to our  alter, as gifts from her Irish family. As Kerrie was placing the beautiful green and blue statues on the altar the door bell rang.  To my surprise stood Sebastian Lovasco with a matching St. Joseph Statue to the one I purchased this morning at Second Glance thrift Shop.  After reading my morning GMG post Sebastian went looking for the matching St Joseph statue he knew he had in his families collection, to gift to our family knowing it would keep with the old altar tradition of displaying everything in pairs! I’m truly speechless. If you look closely at the altar you will notice many of My Aunt Vincie and Uncle  Mike’s  antique paired statues and figurine that once adorned their altar for over 35 years.  Our 2015 altar continues to come together magically in pairs, just as it did generations ago!

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Thank you Sebastian and Kerrie for the gorgeous additions to the Ciaramitaro Family 2015  St. Joseph Altar!

The Linquata Family’s Altar Candelabras

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 Dolores Sheehan & son John Sheehan

Tonight Dolores Sheehan granddaughter of the late Francis Linquata will have the honor of placing her grandmother antique candelabras onto the top tier of our families altar this evening, during our official kickoff to 2015 Feast Of St. Joseph, and 10 rosary. The heirloom pieces were once displayed on the Linquata family’s St. Anthony Altar for over 70 years. Last year Dolores was brought to tears with happy memories of attending her grandmother prayers services in front of their families’ shrine after attending one of my rosaries.  After the tears were wiped and stories of novenas past were told around the dining room table during coffee time preceding that night’s rosary, Dolores pulled me aside to tell me that she had been storing her grandmother antique candelabras for several years waiting to find a special place for them to be once again displayed. Dolores then stated that, the special place she was looking for was our families’ altar.  After a long teary-eyed embrace, I accepted Dolores precious gift and we began planning their début for this year’s St. Joseph Altar. A few weeks ago Dolores invited my brother Joey and I over to her home and graciously gifted them to be displayed on the top tier of my family’s St. Joseph altar this year. In keeping with my Aunt Vincie & uncle Mike Militello’s tradition of adding one extra night to the traditional 9 day novena/rosary,( just in case you need to miss a night you still can fulfill your 10 day commitment/devotion,) we will be kicking off the 2015 Feast Of St, Joseph by once again extending an invitation to all other families who host a St. Joseph Altar, to join us tonight for the first rosary of the season. The rosary tonight will be  led by my dear friend Rosalie Orlando Foti.  Tonight’s services will begin at 7:00 pm in front of our family’s altar. ALL Host Families are welcome to attend. The gathering of families at one altar the past two years has been a wonderful experience for all who attended. Our Family is looking forward to seeing many altar hosting families in attendance tonight.

 

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Dolores Sheehan Writes~ Linquata family in the 40’s celebrating St, Josephs at 55r Main St (now the Dogbar Parking Lot).

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Sista Felicia Writes~ I personally would like to thank Dolores and the Linquata family, for entrusting me and my family with your precious family heirlooms. I’m deeply touched by your kindness and our family is honored to have a pieces of The Linquata Family history on the altar this year. Through years of friendships, and business the Linquata and Ciaramitaro families have shared a connection that has tightly been intertwined for generations. It’s only fitting that the linquata family be represented on the highest tier of our altar!

XO

Sista Felicia

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