St. Joseph the Worker

 >>>Today's feast of St. Joseph the worker has been supressed because of the Octave of Easter and the Feast of Divine Mercy.  It is important to remember St. Joseph on this day because of Pope Pius XII desire to give St. Joseph to us a role model as a true Christian worker.  Pope Pius XII offered this date as the antidote for communist sponsored May Day celebrations.  So on this May 1st may we remember St. Joseph, foster-father of Jesus and role model for Christian workers!

FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER
SUNDAY, MAY 01, 2011


St. Joseph has two feast days on the liturgical calendar. The first is March 19—Joseph, the Husband of Mary. The second is May 1—Joseph, the Worker.

“Saint Joseph is a man of great spirit. He is great in faith, not because he speaks his own words, but above all because he listens to the words of the Living God. He listens in silence. And his heart ceaselessly perseveres in the readiness to accept the Truth contained in the word of the Living God,” Pope John Paul II had once said.

There is very little about Joseph in Scripture. Still, we know that he was the chaste husband of Mary, the foster father of Jesus, a carpenter and not a rich man. We also know that he came from the royal lineage of King David.

The actions of Joseph in Scripture show that Joseph was a compassionate man and obedient to the will of God. He also loved Mary and Jesus and wanted to protect and provide for them.

Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians believe Joseph probably had died before Jesus entered public ministry.

Joseph is the patron of many things, including the universal Church, fathers, the dying and social justice.