Saint Joseph

FEASTS OF ST JOSEPH

The primary feast of St. Joseph is Match 19^th. 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 honour of St. Joseph.

May 1^st was established as the feast of St. Joseph the Workman by Pope Pius XII in 1955. The date was chosen to coincide with the date on which Labor Day is observed in many countries, thus elevating and sanctifying the observance.

Formerly there was a solemnity of the Patronage of St. Joseph which was celebrated each year on the third Sunday after Easter, this was then changed to the Wednesday following the Second Sunday after Easter, with an octave following. On that day St. Joseph was honoured 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^rd.

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 ovewhelm St. Joseph with glorious honours. If in the past ages, during the storms of persecutions these honours 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 of the greatest of feasts. The Vicar of Christ, inspired by Holy Spirit, will order this feast to be celebrated in the Universal Chutch."

ST. JOSEPH'S PATRONAGE

In 1847 Pope Pius IX solemnly proclaimed St. Joseph "Patron and Protector of the Universal Church." And although St. Joseph is our father and our advocate in all necessities, he is especially considered the Patron of a Happy Death, a provider of financial help - particularly to the poor and to religious communities - the patron of families, of laborers, of the sick, of the poor, of the rich ( to help them distribute their possessions charitably and to help them attain the riches of Heaven ), of the suffering, of travelers, of exiles, of the afflicted, of the married, of virgins, of youths, of priests and of those aspiring to the priesthood, of those advanced in virtue and those devoted to prayer; he is also a rescuer of sinners, consoler and liberator of the Poor Souls, terror of demons and conqueror of Hell. Pope Innocent XI made St. Joseph the patron of the Jesuit missions in China, and Pope Pius XI proclaimed, 'We place the vast campaign of the Church against world Communism under the standard of St. Joseph, her rnighy protector."

In short, St. Joseph is the Patron and Protector of all classes of Christians.