The Feast of St. Joseph
March 19th is the day we celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph. We honor St. Joseph as the man who led by example, taking care of Mary and Jesus. Through his inspiration, the Sisters of St. Joseph order was founded. We remember and pay tribute to the Sisters of St. Joseph, who have touched our school on this Feast Day. We are blessed at St. Cecilia’s, to have Sr. Alicia Perna SSJ as our principal. We celebrate and thank her for her commitment to our school and her religious community.
Mrs. Rhea and students led our prayer service honoring St. Joseph. During the service, Sister Alicia renewed her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as a Sister of St Joseph. Janiah sang Michal C Saint Joseph, Sr. Alicia’s favorite song of Joseph.
Hannah read the following love letter written by our students to honor Sr. Alicia:
Dear Sister,
On this beautiful Feast of Saint Joseph, we write with hearts full of gratitude a love letter for you. As a Sister of Saint Joseph, you truly live out his quiet strength, gentle guidance, and unwavering faith each and every day in our school.
Like Saint Joseph, you lead not with loudness, but with love. You are calm in moments of chaos, steady when we feel unsure, and always present when we need you most. You light up every room you enter—not just with your smile, but with your kindness, your humor, and your deep understanding of each of us.
You are a mother to our school family. You lift us up when we fall short, reminding us that mistakes are not the end, but a chance to grow. You gently guide us back to the right path, just as Scripture reminds us: “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure.” You are that faithful guide—honest when we need correction, yet always filled with compassion and hope.
You keep us safe, not only in body but in spirit. Every decision you make is rooted in love for your students, always seeking what is best for us. You are cool when things get stressful, optimistic when things seem hard, calming when we feel overwhelmed, and even in serious moments, you bring joy and laughter that reminds us we are loved.
You are our leader, our hero, and truly the heart of our school.
On this special day, we thank God for your vocation, your example, and the beautiful way you reflect Saint Joseph’s virtues in our lives. Because of you, we are better, stronger, and closer to becoming who God calls us to be.
With love and gratitude,
All your 185 Children
P.S Janiah and Jullian said you're not normal…Principals are supposed to be mean and strict but your hands are loving.
Once the prayer service was finished, Mrs. Rhea invited each teacher to take a tool box back to their classroom for an activity - listen to a song about St. Joseph. Think of the tools/gifts that God has given each of us, as a reminder to live a life like St. Joseph.
We thank all the Sisters of St. Joseph for their dedication to live like St. Joseph and serve God in our communities.