Did you know that Pope Francis on December 8, 2020 (the 150th Anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as the patron of the Catholic Church by blessed Pius IX), declared the beginning of a "Year of St. Joseph?" As we have begun the month of March that celebrates the Feast of St. Joseph (March 19) it is appropriate to dedicate a pastor's column to St. Joseph. In his apostolic letter "Patris Corde" (with a Father's Heart), Pope Francis describes St. Joseph as a beloved father, an accepting father, a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in the shadows. Of the many ways Pope Francis speaks about St. Joseph as our role model and sure intercessor, I like the following: "Joseph's spiritual path is not one that explains, but "accepts" which does not mean that he is "resigned." Instead he is "courageously and firmly proactive" because with the "Holy Sprit's gift of fortitude," and full of hope, he is able "to accept" life as it is, with all its contradictions, frustrations, and disappointments. How blessed we would be (or maybe are) when we seek St. Joseph's help to be, "as he was" in our own lives.
I invite and encourage all of us to participate in a 9 day Novena to St. Joseph from March 10-18. Two possibilities can be found at www.divinemercy.org/articles/nineday-joseph or www.josephsite.com/wordpress/nine-days-novena. Participating in a Novena to St. Joseph will not only ask St. Joseph's intercession for us, our family and the Church, and help us grow in appreciation of who he was (for Jesus and Mary) and is (for us), it will also prepare us for the main Feast of St. Joseph that will happen on Friday, March 19. I'm proud and happy to say that I chose St. Joseph as my Confirmation name and hope we will all grow in appreciation of this special saint in this year that is dedicated to him.
I invite and encourage all of us to participate in a 9 day Novena to St. Joseph from March 10-18. Two possibilities can be found at www.divinemercy.org/articles/nineday-joseph or www.josephsite.com/wordpress/nine-days-novena. Participating in a Novena to St. Joseph will not only ask St. Joseph's intercession for us, our family and the Church, and help us grow in appreciation of who he was (for Jesus and Mary) and is (for us), it will also prepare us for the main Feast of St. Joseph that will happen on Friday, March 19. I'm proud and happy to say that I chose St. Joseph as my Confirmation name and hope we will all grow in appreciation of this special saint in this year that is dedicated to him.