Joseph lived in the town of Nazareth
to fulfill what the prophets had foretold of Christ:
He will be called a Nazarean.

reni-saint-joseph

Happy Feast of Saint Joseph!

As the husband of Mary, St. Joseph holds a special place in God’s providence for the world’s salvation.  His guidance and protection of the Holy Family, especially during its sojourn in Egypt, continues even now as St. Joseph exercises his paternal care over the Church, Christ’s bride.  As she sojourns through history, awaiting its final fulfillment in the future kingdom, the Church draws strength from the carpenter’s prayers to evade the snares and corruptions of this world.  Like Christ and Our Lady, we place ourselves and our families under St. Joseph’s gentle protection.

As members of the Province of St. Joseph, we Dominicans here in the eastern United States celebrate today the feast of our great patron.  Join us in prayer as we place our priestly and religious lives again into his firm and just hands.  May he build up this Province dedicated to him into a bulwark of faith, hope, and charity, a strong city of fraternal love and zeal for the Word.

And remember . . . just like Wednesday, when we remembered St. Patrick, today is a day of feasting.  And remember, too, to pray for the Holy Father.  Today is his onomastico, his name day.

Click here for more on the life of St. Joseph.

Father,
you entrusted our Savior to the care of Saint Joseph.
By the help of his prayers
may your Church continue to serve its Lord, Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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