Happy Feast of St. Joseph!

A happy and most glorious feast of St. Joseph, spouse of Our Blessed Mother and foster-father of Jesus! With the exception of Our Lady herself, no human being was closer to Our Lord than St. Joseph. It is for this reason that the saints counsel us to go to Joseph in all our needs. As St. Teresa of Ávila says:

To other Saints Our Lord seems to have given power to succor us in some special necessity – but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, He has given the power to help us in all. Our Lord would have us understand that as He was subject to St. Joseph on earth – for St. Joseph, bearing the title of father and being His guardian, could command Him – so now in Heaven Our Lord grants all his petitions.

– from the autobiography of St. Teresa

Today is a first-class feast, a break, you might name it, in the midst of our Lenten penances. We encourage you to attend Mass in honor of St. Joseph today if you can, and to begin or renew your devotion to this most powerful intercessor.

We also wish a happy patronal feast day to our apostolates dedicated to St. Joseph in Rockdale, IL, Richmond, VA and Tacoma, WA.

Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David, to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins.

– Matthew 1:20-21, from the Gospel for today