March

🌱 Seed Reflection

Seeds are small, hidden, and often overlooked, yet they hold the mystery of life within. March is the month when soil begins to stir, and seeds awaken. The Gospel reminds us that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit (John 12:24). Seeds teach us patience, surrender, and hope. They remind us that growth requires burial, humility, and trust in God’s timing.

📖 Overview of March 2026

✨ Highlights of the Month

March is traditionally dedicated to St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church and model of fatherhood, labor, and quiet fidelity.

St. Katharine Drexel (Mar 3) – American saint devoted to Native and African American missions.
Laetare Sunday (Mar 15) – Midpoint of Lent, a day of joy and rose vestments.
St. Patrick’s Day (Mar 17) – Missionary to Ireland, symbol of evangelization and courage.
St. Joseph’s Day (Mar 19) – Patron of workers, families, and the dying.
Annunciation (Mar 25) – Mary’s “yes” to God, the Incarnation begins.
Palm Sunday (Mar 29) – Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, beginning Holy Week.

🕯️ Liturgical Flow

Lent deepens through March, with Laetare Sunday (Mar 15) offering a pause of joy.
St. Joseph (Mar 19) anchors the month, reminding families of work, fidelity, and hidden holiness.
The Annunciation (Mar 25) shifts focus to Mary’s fiat, preparing hearts for Easter.
Palm Sunday (Mar 29) ushers in Holy Week, the solemn journey to the Cross.

✈️ March Travel 2026

Cherry Blossom Season (late March–early April) – Washington, D.C. National Cherry Blossom Festival.
St. Patrick’s Day Parades (Mar 17) – Dublin, Boston, New York City, Chicago (river dyed green).
SXSW Festival (Mar 6–15, 2026) – Austin, TX, music, film, and tech.
Venice Carnival (continues into early March) – Masks, gondolas, and feasts.
Spring Equinox (Mar 20) – Chichen Itza, Mexico: serpent shadow on El Castillo pyramid.
Holy Week Pilgrimages (Mar 29 onward) – Jerusalem, Rome, Seville, and local parish traditions.

🏜️ Iceman’s Calendar – Arizona Anchors

Arizona Renaissance Festival (Jan 31–Mar 29, 2026) – Ongoing medieval fair.
Tucson Festival of Books (Mar 14–15, 2026) – Literary pilgrimage in the desert.
Grand Canyon Spring Hiking – Snow melting, rivers swelling, breathtaking vistas.
St. Joseph of the Mountains, Yarnell – Pilgrimage site for St. Joseph’s feast (Mar 19).
Spring Equinox at Canyon de Chelly – Navajo lands, sacred balance of light and shadow.