St. Joseph was the earthly father of Jesus and husband of Mary. His family roots can be traced back to King David. St. Joseph does not speak in the Bible but Scripture reveals that he deeply trusted and obeyed God.
He supported and provided for the Holy Family by working as a carpenter in Nazareth. As protector of the Holy Family, St. Joseph serves as an model for husbands, fathers, and all Christians.
He is the patron saint of the Universal Church, fathers, families, workers, and a happy death.
There are two feast days on the Church’s calendar to honor St. Joseph. March 19 recognizes St. Joseph as the Husband of Mary and May 1 celebrates St. Joseph, the Worker.
On December 8, 1870 Pope Pius IX named St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church
150 years later, on December 8, 2020 Pope Francis announced a year dedicated to honoring St. Joseph.
Chosen by God to be the foster father of Jesus:
St. Joseph plays a vital role in salvation:
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.
Matthew 1: 18-25
A model of virtue:
Scripture tells us he was a righteous man:
Protector of Jesus and protector of the Church:
To the shepherds, the angel announced the birth of Jesus as the Messiah promised to Israel: “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” From the beginning he was “the one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world”, conceived as “holy” in Mary’s virginal womb. God called Joseph to “take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”, so that Jesus, “who is called Christ”, should be born of Joseph’s spouse into the messianic lineage of David.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 437
The earthly father of Jesus was absent during Jesus public ministry:
Joseph likely died before Jesus began his mission:
I am convinced that by reflection upon the way that Mary’s spouse shared in the divine mystery, the Church – on the road towards the future with all of humanity – will be enabled to discover ever anew her own identity within this redemptive plan, which is founded on the mystery of the Incarnation. This is precisely the mystery in which Joseph of Nazareth “shared” like no other human being except Mary, the Mother of the Incarnate Word. He shared in it with her; he was involved in the same salvific event; he was the guardian of the same love, through the power of which the eternal Father “destined us to be his sons through Jesus Christ”.
Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos, August 15, 1989
A model husband and father:
St. Joseph worked to support his family:
The Truth, Goodness, and Beauty of the Catholic Church
God loved you first:
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