SAN DIEGO — The Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is celebrated on March 19.
Who is St. Joseph?
St. Joseph was the “righteous man” chosen by God to be the spouse of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. He was a descendent of King David, and he made his livelihood as a carpenter.
Where do we find him in the Bible?
We encounter St. Joseph in the first two chapters of Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels.
We know that he was still alive when Jesus was 12, because he is present in the account of the Finding in the Temple. But he never reappears in Scripture, leading many to speculate that he died before Jesus began his public ministry at age 30.
How many words are attributed to him in Scripture?
St. Joseph certainly isn’t one of the Bible’s big talkers. In fact, the Gospels contain no recorded words of Jesus’ foster father.
Where does he rank among the saints in Heaven?
Many believe that, with the exception of the Blessed Mother, who was uniquely conceived without Original Sin and never sinned during her lifetime, St. Joseph ranks highest in the Communion of Saints.
St. Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274) said, “It is true that the other saints enjoy great power in Heaven, but they ask as servants, and do not command as masters. St. Joseph, to whose authority Jesus was subject on earth, obtains what he desires from his kingly foster Son in Heaven.”
He also said, “Some saints are privileged to extend to us their patronage with particular efficacy in certain needs, but not in others; but our holy patron St. Joseph has the power to assist us in all cases, in every necessity, in every undertaking.”
That sentiment was shared, among others, by St. Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582), who put it this way: “To other saints, Our Lord seems to have given power to succor us in some special necessity – but to this glorious saint (Joseph), I know by experience, he has given the power to help us in all.”
How long has St. Joseph’s name been among the saints referred to in the Eucharistic Prayers at Mass?
Pope St. John XXIII added him to Eucharistic Prayer I in 1962: “In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her spouse …”
In 2013, Pope Francis approved his addition to Eucharistic Prayers II, III and IV: “… with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with blessed Joseph, her spouse …”
What groups and causes claim St. Joseph as a patron saint?
In addition to such obvious groups as fathers, families and workers, St. Joseph is also the patron of the Universal Church and the patron of a “happy death” – the former, because he once protected Jesus as his foster father and now intercedes for the Church; the latter because he is believed to have died with Jesus and Mary beside him, as we also should hope to do.
How significant is the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary?
Solemnities are the highest-ranking classification of feasts on the liturgical calendar.
When St. Joseph’s feast day fell on a Lenten Friday in 2021 (and as it will in 2027), the obligation to abstain from meat was dispensed. The celebratory nature of solemnities trumps the penitential nature of Fridays.
In Italian culture, St. Joseph’s Day is an important cultural tradition. Families create a “St. Joseph’s Table,” with a panoply of food items surrounding a statue of the beloved saint. The tradition originated as an expression of gratitude to St. Joseph, whose intercession was credited with ending a drought in Sicily during the Middle Ages.
Are there other feast days celebrated in St. Joseph’s honor?
Yes, since 1955, May 1 has been observed as the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, which highlights the dignity and sanctity of work, in contrast to the materialistic “May Day” celebrations held on that same day by Communists.
It’s also worth mentioning the Feast of the Holy Family, which is celebrated on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Enough about “days” in honor of St. Joseph! How about “years”?
Pope Francis proclaimed a special Year of St. Joseph that ran from Dec. 8, 2020, to Dec. 8, 2021.
What churches and schools in San Diego are named after him?
Local churches and schools named after St. Joseph include St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown San Diego, St. Joseph Parish in Holtville, St. Joseph Parish in Westmorland, and St. Joseph Academy, a K-12 school in San Marcos.
Where can you read more about St. Joseph?
Pope Francis penned an apostolic letter about him in 2020. It was titled “Patris Corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”) and, in it, the late pontiff formally proclaimed the Year of St. Joseph.
“Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father,” written by Father Donald Calloway, MIC, and published that same year, also has many fans.
During an interview published in the January 2022 edition of The Southern Cross, Father Calloway said that, even after the Year of St. Joseph had ended, people should still turn to St. Joseph for assistance.
“In light of a lot of the anxieties in the world, the stress, and everything that’s going on,” he said, “we really need a loving father to comfort us, to give us hope, to give us peace.”
