Friends, I have some good news. The Church is still in the midst of the Year of St. Joseph! We have a little more than two months to go in the year that marks the 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX’s proclamation of Joseph as patron of the universal Church, and it’s not too late to invite St. Joseph into your hearts.
“Each of us can discover in Joseph — the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence — an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble,” Pope Francis wrote in Patris Corde (“With a father’s heart”).
As we approach the final weeks of the year, we still have a chance to connect with St. Joseph during this special year. If you’re looking for some timely reading, check out “A Man Named Joseph: Guardian for Our Times” by Joe Heschmeyer (OSV, $14.95), which looks at what St. Joseph, as patron of the Church, offers the Church and each one of us. With discussion questions at the end of each chapter, it is ideal for group study. If you’re looking for a more spiritual read, the St. Joseph Prayer Book (Pauline Books and Media, $24.95) offers a treasury of prayers, devotions and practices that can help you grow closer to Jesus through his foster father. And just because the Year of St. Joseph is ending in December doesn’t mean that you can’t continue growing in devotion to him. Coming out at the end of year, just in time for your 2022 New Year’s resolution, is “Every Day with Saint Joseph” (OSV, $19.95), a daily devotional to help Catholics continue growing in relationship with Joseph.
Another resource includes the monthly “Through the Year of St. Joseph” newsletter, which you can sign up for at OSV’s website devoted to the Year of St. Joseph, catholicyearof.com, and which includes timely content about the year and special offers. The website itself, too, is a handy resource that offers prayers to and content on St. Joseph, including information on the spiritual benefits of making a consecration to St. Joseph and the conditions needed to obtain a plenary indulgence during the year.
Finally, coming up from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 is the Saint Joseph Summit: Pilgrimage to the Heart of Saint Joseph. This free, virtual three-day experience is bringing Catholics around the world together out of love for Joseph. The event, which begins on Sept. 30 at 9 p.m. Eastern, includes live events, such as morning prayer, and pre-recorded talks. For attendees who purchase an all-access passport, there will be live panel discussions. Included in the summit will be presentations from more than 50 speakers, including American Cardinals Raymond L. Burke, Timothy M. Dolan, Seán P. O’Malley, and Archbishops Salvatore Cordileone and Joseph F. Naumann. (Full disclosure: I did a presentation on how to grow closer to St. Joseph through the Rosary.) It also includes talks by Father Donald Calloway, the popular author of “Consecration to St. Joseph” (Marian Press, $14.95), Scott Hahn, Father Robert Spitzer, Chris Stefanick, James Wahlberg, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers and many other bishops, priests, religious sisters and laypeople.
The event is being put together by Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry, a ministry of the Diocese of Orange, California, founded by Deacon Steve Greco.
In short, though we might be in the waning weeks of the Year of St. Joseph, there’s still plenty of time to learn from and about the man who, though silent, lived a life of virtue and selfless care for others. A man who was devoted to Our Lord, Joseph is a model for our challenging times. Don’t let the rest of the year slip away.
Gretchen R. Crowe is editorial director for periodicals at OSV. Follow her on Twitter @GretchenOSV.
