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The Year of St Joseph

“So when I have a problem, a difficulty, I write a little note and I put it underneath Saint Joseph, so that he can dream about it! In other words I tell him: pray for this problem!” ~Pope Francis

The Year of St Joseph

Pope Francis has dedicated this year to St. Joseph, under the title “Patris Corde”: With a Father’s Heart. He concluded this letter stating that its aim was to:

  • Increase: Increase our love for this great saint
  • Implore: To encourage us to implore his intercession
  • Imitate: To imitate his virtues and his zeal

This is a particularly poignant theme as we know that Joseph was Jesus’ step-father; not his actual father – but he was a father to him nonetheless. This reminds us that all family life (in whatever form that takes) is sacred. Due to this reason, amongst many others, Joseph is the patron saint of families. He knows the joys, and the struggles, of what it means to be a family.

Celebrating St Joseph's Day

Novena to St Joseph

Along with our diocesan, national and international faith family, we lifted up our hearts in prayer with a Novena to St. Joseph. This 9-day period of prayer ended in advance of St. Joseph’s feast day on the 19th March. On this day, we celebrated St. Joseph through regular opportunities for prayer, our work and our actions.

Prayer to St Joseph:

St. Joseph,

Watch over me and care for me

Just as you cared for the child Jesus;

And, by your help,

May I come to know your Son and grow

In strength

And wisdom

And the favour of God.

Amen. 

St. Joseph, pray for us.

Home Worship Pack

We made a pack with a number of resources to support with family devotion to St. Joseph at home.

With St Joseph the Worker as our inspiration, this year, we aim to celebrate the work we do – big and small – as important and holy work. This is especially important within the family.

We gave each family a chart to record some of the  Work they do at home to contribute to family life. With St Joseph as our guide, all work is Holy Work.

We celebrated both St Josephs feast days in school.  On the  19th of March we celebrated with each class looking at St Joseph and his role as father to Joseph. Each class drew portraits of St Joseph in the style of Romero Britto. We also wrote prayers to St Joseph.

On May 1st we celebrated St Joseph the worker. We learnt more about St Joseph and researched his role in Jesus life.