March is a month of new beginnings, and the Church fills it with the quiet strength of St. Joseph, the month’s devotion, along with St. Felicity, St. Louise de Marillac, St. Photina, and St. Simon of Cyrene. As spring stirs and Lent begins, these feast days are a simple, joyful way to keep Christ at the center of your family’s days.

Monthly Overview

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• Monthly Devotion: St. Joseph

• Key Feast Days & Saint Celebrations:

  • March 7: St. Felicity

  • March 15: St. Louise de Marillac

  • March 19: St. Joseph

  • March 20: St. Photina (the Samaritan Woman)

  • March 23: St. Simon of Cyrene

About the Monthly Devotion: St. Joseph

March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus. A humble carpenter, St. Joseph shows us how to love God through quiet obedience, hard work, and faithful care for our families. He is the patron of the universal Church, of workers, of fathers, and of a happy death, and he watches over every family that turns to him.

Family Ideas for March:

• Display an image of St. Joseph in your home.

• Pray a short prayer together: “St. Joseph, protector of families, pray for us.”

• Talk about the good work each person in your family does, and thank God for it.

• Do one quiet act of service for someone, the way St. Joseph served his family.

Bring the March devotion into your mornings. Our Catholic Morning Menu features a beautiful cover and tracing page for each month’s traditional devotion—including March’s devotion to St. Joseph—plus prayers, a Bible memory verse, the liturgical season, and gentle preschool learning to start each day with the faith. See the Morning Menu →

March 7: St. Felicity

Fun Facts:

1. Her name comes from the Latin word for happiness.

2. She is honored together with her friend St. Perpetua, a young mother like her, and they share the same feast day.

3. Both of their names are prayed at Mass in the first Eucharistic Prayer.

Ways to Celebrate:

• Read a short story about Sts. Felicity and Perpetua and talk about being brave friends for Jesus.

• Make a “friendship” craft, like two paper dolls holding hands.

• Pray for new mothers and babies.

• Write or draw a card for a friend to thank God for them.

• Find North Africa on a map and talk about the early Christians who lived there.

Her Story:
St. Felicity lived long ago in Carthage, in North Africa, in the early years of the Church, when it was against the law to be a Christian. She was a servant and a young mother-to-be, and she was arrested along with her friend St. Perpetua and a small group of other new Christians who were preparing to be baptized. While they were in prison, Felicity gave birth to a baby girl, who was lovingly cared for by another Christian family. Felicity and Perpetua stayed close to Jesus and to each other, encouraging one another to be brave, and they gave their lives rather than turn away from their faith. Their story was written down and treasured by Christians from the very beginning.

What Kids Can Learn from St. Felicity:
Good friends help each other stay close to Jesus. Like St. Felicity, we can be brave and faithful, knowing that God is always with us—and that true happiness comes from loving Him.

A Little Prayer:
St. Felicity, you loved Jesus with a brave and joyful heart. Help our family to be faithful friends to one another and to always stay close to God. St. Felicity, pray for us. Amen.

March 15: St. Louise de Marillac

Fun Facts:

1. She was a widow and mother before she became a nun.

2. She established free schools for poor children.

3. St. Vincent de Paul was her spiritual mentor and friend.

Ways to Celebrate:

• Read a short story about St. Louise and talk about charity.

• Volunteer as a family or donate to a local charity.

• Make a “kindness jar” where children write ways to serve others.

• Pray for those who work in charities and hospitals.

• Do one small act of service for someone in need.

Her Story:
St. Louise de Marillac was a wife and mother in France who, after her husband died, gave her life to serving the poor. Together with St. Vincent de Paul, she founded the Daughters of Charity, a community of sisters who cared for the sick, the hungry, and children with nowhere to go. She opened free schools for poor children and taught the sisters to see the face of Jesus in everyone they served. Her life shows us that ordinary people can do great good when their hearts are full of love.

What Kids Can Learn from St. Louise:
We can serve Jesus by serving others, especially the poor and forgotten. Like St. Louise, even small acts of charity are a beautiful way to love God.

A Little Prayer:
St. Louise de Marillac, you cared for the poor and taught others to do the same. Help our family to be generous and to see Jesus in everyone we meet. St. Louise, pray for us. Amen.

March 19: St. Joseph

Fun Facts:

1. He is the patron saint of workers, fathers, and a happy death.

2. Many Italian families celebrate with a St. Joseph’s table, a feast for the poor.

3. He is often shown holding a lily, a symbol of purity.

Ways to Celebrate:

• Cook a special meal together in honor of St. Joseph’s table.

• Set up a little St. Joseph altar with candles, flowers, and holy images.

• Pray the Litany of St. Joseph as a family.

• Do a family service project to help those in need.

• Make a wooden craft, honoring St. Joseph the carpenter.

• Book recommendation: Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family

His Story:
St. Joseph was the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus—a humble carpenter with a quiet, faithful heart. When God asked hard and surprising things of him, Joseph always said yes, trusting and obeying without complaint. He protected Mary and Jesus, worked with his hands to provide for them, and taught Jesus his trade. Though the Gospels record none of his words, his loving actions speak loudly. He is honored as the patron of the universal Church, of workers, of fathers, and of a happy death.

What Kids Can Learn from St. Joseph:
Love is shown in quiet, faithful actions. Like St. Joseph, we can trust God, work hard, and take care of the people He gives us, even when no one is watching.

A Little Prayer:
St. Joseph, you cared for Jesus and Mary with a quiet, faithful heart. Help our family to trust God, to work with love, and to protect one another. St. Joseph, pray for us. Amen.

March 20: St. Photina (the Samaritan Woman)

Fun Facts:

1. Her conversation with Jesus is one of the longest recorded in the Gospels.

2. She became a missionary and was later martyred for her faith.

3. She is honored as a saint in both Eastern and Western Christianity.

Ways to Celebrate:

• Read the story of the Woman at the Well (John 4) together.

• Decorate a “water jug” craft to remember her meeting with Jesus.

• Talk about the importance of sharing our faith with others.

• Say a prayer for missionaries around the world.

• Reflect on how Jesus, the “living water,” nourishes our souls.

Her Story:
St. Photina is the name the Church gives to the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well, in one of the longest conversations in the Gospels. At first she came only to draw water, but Jesus offered her “living water”—His own life and love—and gently showed her that He knew everything about her. Filled with joy, she ran to tell her whole town about Him, and many came to believe because of her. Tradition says she became a bold missionary and later gave her life for her faith.

What Kids Can Learn from St. Photina:
When we meet Jesus, we can’t help but share Him with others. Like St. Photina, we can bring our friends and family to Jesus with joy.

A Little Prayer:
St. Photina, you met Jesus at the well and hurried to tell others about Him. Help our family to know Jesus, the living water, and to share His love joyfully. St. Photina, pray for us. Amen.

March 23: St. Simon of Cyrene

Fun Facts:

1. He helped Jesus carry His cross, which we remember in the 5th Station of the Cross.

2. He came from Cyrene, a city in North Africa (in what is now Libya).

3. The Gospel of Mark even names his two sons, Alexander and Rufus.

Ways to Celebrate:

• Read about Simon in Luke 23:26 or Mark 15:21 together.

• Pray the Stations of the Cross as a family, pausing at the 5th Station.

• Make a simple cross craft from sticks or craft sticks.

• Help someone carry something heavy, or do a chore for a family member.

• Talk about ways we can help others when they are tired or sad.

His Story:
Simon of Cyrene was a man traveling into Jerusalem from the countryside on the day Jesus carried His cross. The Gospels tell us that the soldiers asked Simon to help, and he carried the cross behind Jesus. He may not have expected to help that day, but he walked right beside Jesus when Jesus was tired and suffering. Because the Gospel of Mark mentions his sons by name, many believe Simon’s family became well known among the early Christians, and tradition says that meeting Jesus that day changed Simon’s heart forever.

What Kids Can Learn from St. Simon of Cyrene:
When we help others with their burdens, we are helping Jesus. Like Simon, we can say yes to helping, even when it’s unexpected or hard.

A Little Prayer:
St. Simon of Cyrene, you helped Jesus carry His cross. Help our family to notice when others need help and to lend a hand with love. St. Simon, pray for us. Amen.

More Monthly Feast Day Guides

Looking ahead or catching up? Explore more of our monthly feast day guides for Catholic families:

• February Feast Days — Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Scholastica & more.

• April Feast Days — St. Bernadette, St. Gemma Galgani, St. Richard & more.

Want to build your own family rhythms around the liturgical year? Start with Create Feast Day Traditions Based on Your Love Languages and Liturgical Living Made Simple.