WASHINGTON (OSV News) — President Donald Trump issued two messages marking prominent Catholic feast days, the feast of St. Joseph on March 19 and St. Patrick’s Day on March 17.
In a message addressed to Catholics and other Christians celebrating the feast of St. Joseph, Trump described the saint as “a model father, husband, and worker, as well as a living embodiment of Christian virtue.”
“He spent his life working tirelessly, without accolades or recognition, to protect his family and raise the Son of God,” the message said. “Through every trial and tribulation, Saint Joseph led his family with dignity, strength, and moral courage. In the face of uncertainty and danger, time and again, he valiantly surrendered to God’s will with faith, fortitude, humility, and obedience — playing a central role in the life of Jesus Christ and the history of salvation.”
Trump noted the feast has special meaning “for the Italian-American community.”
“Every March 19, Catholics in New Orleans, Louisiana, and throughout the Nation construct beautiful altars in his honor,” he said. “From the factories of St. Louis, Missouri, and the deserts of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to churches, chapels, and homes all across our country, Catholics have credited him with extraordinary miracles.”
Praising St. Joseph
St. Joseph “is recognized as the head of the Holy Family, the patron saint of workers, and the ‘Terror of Demons,’ and he remains revered by countless citizens for his tremendous example of what it means to be a man, father, and husband,” Trump said.
The statement denounced what it called “an extremist cultural movement that has sought to weaken the values championed by Saint Joseph.”
“But my Administration is offering a much brighter vision for our rising generation,” Trump said. “Instead of indoctrinating our young men with radicalism and hate, we must encourage them to embrace faith, get married, start a family, and raise the next generation of proud, freedom-loving, God-fearing American citizens. Guided by his example, we will never stop fighting for Saint Joseph’s legacy in our homes, churches, culture, and public square.”
Trump celebrates St. Patrick on his feast day
In a similar message issued March 17, Trump said he joined “the Irish American community and all American citizens in celebrating the bond between our two nations and commemorating the towering life and legacy of Saint Patrick — the patron Saint of Ireland and an immortal icon of faith, freedom, and fortitude.”
“Saint Patrick lives on in our country and around the world as a heroic Christian witness, a testament to the power of prayer, and a timeless exemplar of the strength of the Irish people,” Trump said.
The statement cited immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries by “millions of Irish natives” who “brought his faith and missionary spirit across the Atlantic and onto American shores.”
“Inspired by his example, countless churches, hospitals, schools, and charities in the United States bear his name, including the majestic Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. And every March, in his honor, hundreds of thousands of Americans flood our biggest cities and towns in endless seas of green in an epic celebration of Irish heritage,” Trump said.
“As we celebrate 250 glorious years of American independence, we also pay tribute to the distinct role of Irish Americans in our national journey,” the statement continued. “Beginning with the first shots of the Revolutionary War at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, droves of Ireland-born soldiers joined the Patriots to secure our independence and defend our liberty on the field of battle, with popular legend stating that Sons of Ireland comprised as much as half of the Continental Army.”
Contributions of Irish Americans highlighted
The statement also highlighted “the gallant leadership of John Barry,” the “courage of Hercules Mulligan,” the “valor of President Andrew Jackson,” and the “tenacity of Audie Murphy.”
Of the three figures Trump mentioned, only Commodore John Barry (1745-1803), father of the U.S. Navy, was an Irish Catholic. Trump’s statement did not reference John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), the nation’s first Irish-Catholic elected president of the U.S.
“Americans with Irish roots have fortified our freedom,” it said, “invigorated our culture, and immeasurably elevated our traditions and way of life toward the true, the good, and the beautiful.”
Trump publicly identifies as a nondenominational Christian, while first lady Melania Trump is Catholic. Vice President JD Vance is the second Catholic to hold that office.
In 2025, the first year of his second term, Trump issued statements honoring other Catholic feast days, a rarity for U.S. presidents, including on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, Sept. 29, and on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8.
