The ULTIMATE GIFT for a priest revisited: Portable altar from St. Joseph’s Apprentice
I have written before about the ULTIMATE gift for a priest: the marvelous portable altars by St. Joseph’s Apprentice. In 2014 HERE and in 2015 HERE
With each iteration, these altars are being perfected. He has taken some of my past suggestions and incorporated into the design.
St. Joseph’s Apprentice sent me an altar for my 25th anniversary (which was 26 May).
Let’s unbox it!
First, it was well-protected in the shipping box, but that part – important as it is – is boring.
It has a protective case and suitcase handle.
Beautiful glossy finish.
The underside is smooth and it won’t scratch any surface. There are brass fittings to protect the corners, but they are raised from the bottom and there is a felt pad.
The cover lifts up, that’s the vertical part. Wings fold out. There is an altar stone set into the hinged lid that opens to reveal in the inner compartment.
This is what he carved on the underside of the cover to the central, inner compartment.
There are two brass bars which you push outward from the inner compartment to act as supports to the side wings.
Fit these two pieces together: book stand.
Inside the bag was the crucifix for the summit of the top lid. You can see the tongue that fits into a groove on the top of the lid, to keep it in place.
Beautifully packaged altar cloths, including a vesperale.
A proper Roman altar has three altar cloths.
Set up with two little votive candles, a set of the travel altar cards from SPORCH. A Missale Romanum which I bought through the FSSP.
With the vesperale.
It came with nice altar cards, which were described as being from a priest who was a Franciscan of the Immaculate who is now, after the persecution began, trying to eke out a living. They are a little too flexible to stand up straight in the grooves, but they could easily be reinforced or given an extra stability by an additional lamination.
The altar, when opened, is 36″ wide and it weighs only 17 lbs!
The maker, Joseph’s Apprentice, Rick Murphey, said that this is of the same quality that all his other altars are. If there are any problems or defects, he will remedy them. He also wrote:
“Pray for me and for benefactors for those priests who are not able to afford one. We are keeping you in our prayers during these troubling times and ask that you remember us too”
Outstanding, all the way around.
Keep this in mind for your priest’s, for their ordinations and their anniversaries.
St. Joseph’s Apprentice.
