Feast Day of St. Joseph Mass Readings
Daily Mass Readings:
Reading 1: Second Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29
Reading 2: Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22
Gospel: Matthew 1:16,18-21,24
Articles about St. Joseph:
Joseph, the Father of God by Michelle Arnold, Catholic Answers
Was St. Joseph a virgin or a widower with children? by Catholic Answers staff
Did St. Joseph have a first wife named Melcha? by Peggy Frye, Catholic Answers
Who was St. Joseph? by Catholic Straight Answers
Five Lessons from Saint Joseph by Randy Hain
Stuff about St. Joseph
A 16th-Century Prophecy
Isidore of Isolanis, a pious Dominican of the 16th century, prophesied that “the sound of victory” will be heard in the Church Militant “when the faithful recognize the sanctity of St. Joseph.” He continues: “The Lord will let His light shine, He will lift the veil, and great men will search out the interior gifts of God that are hidden in St. Joseph; they will find in him a priceless treasure, the like of which they had never found in other saints of the Old Testament. We are inclined to believe that toward the end of time God will overwhelm St. Joseph with glorious honors. If in the past ages, during the storms of persecution, these honors could not be shown to St. Joseph, we must conclude that they have been reserved for later times. At some future time the feast of St. Joseph will be celebrated as one of the greatest of feasts. The Vicar of Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit, will order this feast to be celebrated in the Universal Church.
St. Joseph at Fatima (From Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words)
“In October Our Lord will come, as well as Our Lady of Dolors and Our Lady of Carmel. St. Joseph will appear with the Child Jesus to bless the world…” (Words of Our Lady, apparition of September 13, 1917).
“After Our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of the firmament, we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus appeared to bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the Cross with their hands. When, a little later, this apparition disappeared, I saw Our Lord and Our Lady; it seemed to me that it was Our Lady of Dolors. Our Lord appeared to bless the world in the same manner as St. Joseph had done. This apparition also vanished, and I saw Our Lady once more, this time resembling Our Lady of Carmel.” (Lucia’s description of the vision of October 13, 1917).
Feasts of St. Joseph
The primary feast of St. Joseph is March 19. It is believed that his death occurred on that day. This feast was fixed in the 15th century and was extended to the whole Church by Pope Gregory XV in 1621. On December 8, 1870, Pope Pius IX ordered that this feast be celebrated throughout the Church as a double of the first class. Holy Church also dedicates to St. Joseph the entire month of March. In addition, pious custom dedicates Wednesday of each week to the honor of St. Joseph.
May 1 was established as the feast of St. Joseph the Workman by Pope Pius XIII in 1955. The date was chosen to coincide with the date on which Labor Day is observed in many countries, thus to elevate and sanctify the observance.
Formerly there was a solemnity of the Patronage of St. Joseph, which was celebrated each year on the third Sunday after Easter, then changed to the Wednesday following the Second Sunday after Easter, with an octave following. On that day St. Joseph was honored especially as the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and as Patron of the Universal Church. Formerly, there was also a feast of the Espousal of St. Joseph on January 23.
Quotes about St. Joseph
St. Joseph was chosen among all men, to be the protector and guardian of the Virgin Mother of God; the defender and foster-father of the Infant-God, and the only co-operator upon earth, the one confidant of the secret of God in the work of the redemption of mankind. – St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Though thou hast recourse to many saints as thine intercessors, go specially to St. Joseph, for he has great power with God. St. Teresa of Avila
Saint Joseph was a just man, a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care. May he always guard, protect and enlighten familes. – Pope John Paul II
The children of the world are ignorant regarding the privileges and rights which the Most High has conferred on my holy spouse, and the power of his intercession with the Divine Majesty and with me. But I assure you, my daughter, that in Heaven he is most intimate with the Lord, and has great power to avert the punishment of Divine justice from sinners. In all trials seek his intercession, because the Heavenly Father will grant whatever my spouse asks. – Ven. Mary of Agreda
Since we all must die, we should cherish a special devotion to St. Joseph, that he may obtain for us a happy death. All Christians regard him as the advocate of the dying who had honored him during their life, and they do so for three reasons: First, because Jesus Christ loved him not only as a friend, but as a father, and on this account his mediation is far more efficacious than that of any other Saint. Second, because St. Joseph has obtained special power against the evil spirits, who tempt us with redoubled vigor at the hour of death. Third, the assistance given St. Joseph at his death by Jesus and Mary obtained for him the right to secure a holy and peaceful death for his servants. Hence, if they invoke him at the hour of death he will not only help them, but he will also obtain for them the assistance of Jesus and Mary. – St. Alphonsus Liguori
The Lord has arrayed Joseph, like with a sun, in all which the saints possess together in regard to light and splendor. – St Gregory of Nazianzus
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. – St. Thomas Aquinas
We should, indeed, honor St. Joseph, since the Son of God Himself was graciously pleased to honor him by calling him father. The Holy Scriptures speak of him as the father of Jesus. “His father and mother were marveling at the things spoken -concerning Him” (Luke 2:33). Mary also used this name: “in sorrow thy father and I have been seeking thee” (Luke 2:48). If, then, the King of Kings was pleased to raise Joseph to so high a dignity, it is right and obligatory on our part to endeavor to honor him as much as we can. – St. Alphonsus Liguori
To other Saints Our Lord seems to have given power to succor us in some special necessity—but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, He has given the power to help us in all. Our Lord would have us understand that as He was subject to St. Joseph on earth—for St. Joseph, bearing the title of father and being His guardian, could command Him—so now in Heaven Our Lord grants all his petitions. I have asked others to recommend themselves to St. Joseph, and they, too, know the same thing by experience – St.Teresa of Avila
Go, then to Joseph, and do all that he shall say to you;
Go to Joseph, and obey him as Jesus and Mary obeyed him;
Go to Joseph, and speak to him as they spoke to him;
Go to Joseph, and consult him as they consulted him;
Go to Joseph, and honour him as they honoured him;
Go to Joseph, and be grateful to him as they were grateful to him;
Go to Joseph, and love him, as they love him still.
– St. Alphonsus Liguori
God, because of the great love He bears us, and His great desire to see us saved, has given us among other means of salvation the practice of devotion to the saints. It is His will that they, who are His friends, should intercede for us, and by their merits and prayers obtain graces for us which we ourselves do not deserve. But everyone must know that, after the Mother of God, St. Joseph is, of all the saints, the one dearest to God. He has, therefore, great power with Him and can obtain graces for His devout clients… – St. Alphonsus Liguori
The two disciples, going to Emmaus, (Lk. 24:13-31) were inflamed with divine love by the few moments which they spent in company with our Savior, and by His words. What flames of holy love must not, then, have been enkindled in the heart of St. Joseph, who for thirty years conversed with Jesus Christ, and listened to His words of eternal life; who observed the perfect example which Jesus gave of humility and patience, and saw the promptness with which He obeyed and helped him in his labors, and all that was needed for the household! – St. Alphonsus Liguori
Would that I could persuade all men to be devoted to this glorious Saint [St. Joseph], for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and honored him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue: for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now very many years since I began asking him for something on his feast, and I have always received it. If the petition was in any way amiss, he rectified it for my greater good . . . I ask for the love of God that he who does not believe me will make the trial for himself—then he will find out by experience the great good that results from commending oneself to this glorious Patriarch and in being devoted to him .- St.Teresa of Avila
“The type of marriage which took place between Mary and Joseph; it was such as the stars have, whose light unites in the atmosphere, though the stars themselves do not; a marriage like the flowers in the garden in springtime, who give forth perfume, though they themselves do not touch; a marriage like an orchestration where a great melody is produced, but where one instrument is without contact with the other. In such a marriage the use of the right to another is surrendered for a higher purpose. Mary wanted to know how she could be a virgin and a mother, and Joseph wanted to know how he could be a virgin and a father. It took an angel to reassure both that God had found a way. Only those who listen to angels’ voices can pierce that mystery. How much more beautiful Mary and Joseph become when we see in their lives what might be called the first Divine Romance. God loves bellowing waterfalls, but I believe He loves them better not when they overflow and drown His flowers, but when they are harnessed and bridled to light a city and to slake the thirst of a child. Not then in Joseph and Mary do we find one pure controlled waterfall and one dried-up lake, but rather two youths who before they knew the beauty of the one, and the handsome strength of the other, willed to surrender it for the ‘passionless passion’ and ‘wild tranquility’ of Jesus.” ~ Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
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