Welcome to our St. Joseph page during this year in honor of the foster father of Jesus and spouse of the Blessed Mother.
Introduction- St. Joseph- “A father in the shadows”
Back in December 2020, Pope Francis declared a year in honor of St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus and spouse of the Blessed Mother. Marking the 150th anniversary of his declaration as Patron of the Universal Church, the Pope invited all Catholics to reflect on the person and role of Joseph in the great drama of salvation.
Writing against the backdrop of the pandemic and world events, the Holy Father hoped that every Catholic would use time to strengthen their own daily life of faith and to deepen their relationship with Christ and the Gospel, pointing out that there is much that each of us can learn from this holy man.
In his apostolic letter “Patris Corde” (with a father’s heart) the pope described Joseph as “a strong and courageous man, a working man, yet in his heart we see great tenderness, which is not the virtue of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love.”
Highlighting his silent and yet powerful presence in the Gospels, the Pontiff hoped that this “father in the shadows” would be for us an intercessor, a support and a guide as we strive to remain faithful. Pointing out the fatherly qualities of Joseph and reminding us that in him Jesus saw the tender love of God, Pope Francis underlined that Joseph was also a working father, who balanced family life with his other responsibilities, while at the same time pointing to a greater fatherhood- the eternal fatherhood of God!
Click below for the full text of the Holy Father’s Apostolic Letter:
Patris corde (“With a Father’s Heart”)
Celebrating St. Joseph here at St. Francis of Assisi…
Here at St. Francis Parish, we plan to take up this papal invitation. In addition to commissioning a new icon for our Church, we invite you to join us in reflecting on and learning from the life of St. Joseph. Using Fr. Don Calloway’s book “Consecration to St. Joseph; the wonders of our Spiritual Father” and beginning on the vigil of his feast day, March 19, we will study, share and pray with and through this holy man, who was set as a wise and faithful servant in charge of the God’s earthly household. Copies of Fr. Calloway’s book are available for purchase on the bookrack of church.
March 19th:
SOLEMNITY OF SAINT JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Thursday, March 18: Join us the day before for Evening Prayer and talk by Dcn. Gene on the special role St. Joseph plays as foster father to Jesus and husband to the Virgin Mary.
Friday, March 19th: Join us for Mass to celebrate the feast of St. Joseph.
After the Mass, Father will offer a special blessing for all fathers and men who play a fatherly role in the lives of others.
May 1st:
FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH, THE WORKER
Join us for a special bilingual Mass
Saturday 5:00 pm Mass
St. Joseph, Our Spiritual Father
Thursday evenings, March 18-Apr. 29
(in church)
6:30 pm Evening Prayer ; 7-8 pm Talk on St. Joseph
Join us as we explore the life of St. Joseph. Pope Francis declared this year (Dec. 8, 2020-Dec. 8, 2021) as the Year of St. Joseph. Come learn about the life of this holy man, his relationship to Jesus and Mary, and how the Church understands and venerates him. We will also explain and offer the opportunity to do a consecration to St. Joseph for you and your family. More info here…
Consecration to St. Joseph
We encourage you and your families to do a consecration to St. Joseph. In his book “Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father,” Fr. Calloway urges us to entrust ourselves, our Church, and our world to the loving care of St. Joseph, our spiritual father. Pick up a copy of his book and check out the other books and resources on St. Joseph available on the bookrack of Church.
Tuesday, Feb. 23rd 5 pm: A Special Mass for all grieving the loss of a loved one
St. Joseph is also called the “patron of a happy death,” and his intercession is often sought for one’s own asking to share in a “pious union” of that same happy death. Many of us have been touched this year by the death of someone close, both from the Covid-19 pandemic and other illnesses or accidents.
We offer this Mass in a particular way for our passed loved ones, those near death and for us who continue to mourn their loss. We ask for St. Joseph’s intercession to our Lord, Jesus Christ, that those who’ve died or are near death may also share in the happy death that He granted St. Joseph, sharing in the eternal peace of heaven.
Before Mass begins we will have candles for you to write the names of your loved ones and place them on the altar to be offered up to the Lord.
Pilgrimage to the Shrine of of St. Joseph in Grass Lake, MI: Tuesday, March 16 (10am-1pm)
During this year of St. Joseph, join us for a Lenten pilgrimage with Fr. James Conlon on Tuesday, March 16 from 10am to 1pm. We’ll prayer the outdoor Stations of the Cross together, celebrate Mass in the shrine chapel, and share a light lunch in fellowship with one another. To sign up and learn more, please go here.
St. Joseph and His World
Popular Catholic speaker and author of many books including, “St. Joseph and His World,” Mike Aquilina, will join us for a special day to celebrate St. Joseph.
Thursday, Oct. 7th
9:15 am – Mass
10 am – Morning talk: St. Joseph and His Angels
6:30 pm – Evening Prayer
7 pm – Evening talk: St. Joseph and His Work
Register to attend
Further Resources…
Plenary indulgence during the Year of St. Joseph
As part of the holy year, the pope has also granted a plenary indulgence to all Catholics who recite an approved prayer or act of piety in honor of St. Joseph.
What is a Plenary indulgence? For a comprehensive explanation see here-
What is required to received a Plenary Indulgence
All indulgences are granted under the following conditions
• The person receives sacramental confession,
• Receives Holy Communion in a state of grace
• Prays for the pope’s intentions.
Prayers to St. Joseph…
Prayer to St. Joseph for Purity
Guardian of virgins, and holy father Joseph, to whose faithful custody Christ Jesus, Innocence itself, and Mary, Virgin of virgins, were committed; I pray and beseech thee, by these dear pledges, Jesus and Mary, that, being preserved from all uncleanness, I may with spotless mind, pure heart, and chaste body, ever serve Jesus and Mary most chastely all the days of my life. Amen.
Prayer to St Joseph
Written by Pope Francis, which he encourages all of us to pray together:
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;
with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage,
and defend us from every evil. Amen.
Pope Francis’ daily prayer to St. Joseph:
Glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph, whose power makes the impossible possible, come to my aid in these times of anguish and difficulty. Take under your protection the serious and troubling situations that I commend to you, that they may have a happy outcome. My beloved father, all my trust is in you. Let it not be said that I invoked you in vain, and since you can do everything with Jesus and Mary, show me that your goodness is as great as your power. Amen.
More prayers…
Prayer to St. Joseph at the end of the Rosary (composed by Pope Leo XIII)
The Seven Sorrows of St. Joseph.
INTRODUCTION: As Catholics we do not believe that the bonds of love that bind us together in life are suddenly broken by the grasp of death. Indeed, as we believe in the Communion of Saints, proclaimed in the Creed, we hold fast to the idea that those bonds are alive and well and continue to grow and strengthen through the Christian life lived well here on earth and the prayers and intercession of those who already have entered into the fullness of life- the saints!
Chief among the saints are those who participated in the events of the earthly life and ministry of Jesus. Clearly, St. Joseph must be one of them. As spouse of the Blessed Mother and foster-father of Jesus, he played a key role in mystery of the Incarnation. As foster father, he not only accepted and brought up a child not his own but fulfilled the responsibilities of every Jewish father to pass on the faith and to teach his son a trade.
But that is not to say that Joseph’s life was free from struggle or strife. Indeed, it is his struggles that make him such a powerful intercessor for us in our moments of trial. Similar to the Sorrows of Mary, the Seven Sorrows of Joseph recall key moments in his life where he experienced trial, confusion and suffering.
While based in scripture, this tradition found greater acceptance through the publication of the Annals of Saint Joseph in the 1890s. Written by two Franciscan friars who experienced the intercession of Joseph in the midst of a sea storm, in which their ship was sunk and their lives almost lost. Appearing to them, St. Joseph invited them to pray the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary seven times in memory of his seven sorrows. So what are these seven sorrows?
THE SEVEN SORROWS:
First, the confusion and pain that Joseph felt on discovering that Mary, his betrothed, was with child and that he might have to forsake her to avoid scandal and to abide by the Law of Moses. (Mt. 1:18-19)
Secondly, his inability at being unable to find suitable lodging for his wife to deliver her baby and having to use a stable for shelter in Bethlehem. (Lk 2:7)
Thirdly, fulfilling the Law of Moses, Joseph witnessed the shedding of the newborn’s precious blood at his circumcision. (Lk 2:21)
Fourthly, at the time of the Presentation of the Child in the Temple, Joseph heard the prophetic words of Simeon that the child would be sign of contradiction and that his beloved spouse would experience a sword of sorrow. (Lk 2:34-35)
Fifthly, on hearing that Herod the Great had ordered the death of all two year old males, Joseph had to escape with his family to Egypt, leaving behind the community and his profession. (Mt: 2:13)
Sixthly, on his return from Egypt, hearing that Archelaus, son of Herod and more cruel in his rule, had come to power: Joseph felt unable to return home and so settled in Nazareth of Galilee. (Mt 2:22)
Finally, the pain and confusion he felt when he and Mary discovered that Jesus had not returned with them from Jerusalem, causing them to panic and return to the city in search of him. (Lk 2:41-51)