March - The Month of San Giuseppe, Universal Padrone of the Catholic Church

Something that has been ignored way to much in recent years is the fact that certain months have been dedicated by the Church to honor a certain saint or to encourage a certain devotion like October is for the Rosary. March is dedicated to San Giuseppe, the spouse of Mary & adoptive father of Jesus. Because of his role as head & protector of the Holy Family, Blessed Pope Piux IX declared him the patron of the Universal Church. This was followed up by the 1889 encyclical Quamquam Pluries by Pope Leo XIII. It was written to build on his immediate predicessor's declaration & to encourage greater devotion to San Giuseppe. At the end of that encyclical he called for everyone to add what has now become known as the October Prayer to St. Joseph at the end of the Rosary. Pope Leo asked that prayer be said throughout the month of October. Sadly, it fell into disuse, but it never disappeared totally from use. In recent years there has been a revival in the use of the prayer, both after the Rosary (not only October but year round) as well as being used as a seperate prayer.

Of course this month long celebrate reaches its peak on the 19th of March when we celebrate the primary feast in his honor. Because it is a solemnity, his feast is 1 of the few days during Lent that we not only can but MUST say the Gloria in Mass & the Te Deum during the Office of Readings in the Latin Rite.

In the afore mentioned encyclical Pope Leo said the following about honoring San Giuseppe this month: "It is a salutary practice and very praiseworthy, already established in some countries, to consecrate the month of March to the honour of the holy Patriarch by daily exercises of piety. Where this custom cannot be easily established, it is as least desirable, that before the feast-day, in the principal church of each parish, a triduo of prayer be celebrated. In those lands where the 19th of March - the Feast of St. Joseph - is not a Festival of Obligation, We exhort the faithful to sanctify it as far as possible by private pious practices, in honour of their heavenly patron, as though it were a day of Obligation."

On the 100th anniversary of Pope Leo's encyclical Pope John Paul II released an apostolic exhortation to commemorate & build on the encyclical. Redemptoris Custos shows us that what may appear to be a very minimal mention of San Giuseppe in the Bible actually has a huge amount to teach all of us.

Refering to San Giuseppe's patronage, Pope John Paul says: "This patronage must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization in those lands and nations where-as I wrote in the Apostolic Exhortation Christideles Laici - "religion and the Christian life were formerly flourishing and...are now put to a hard test." In order to bring the first proclamation of Christ, or to bring it anew wherever it has been neglected or forgotten, the Church has need of special "power from on high" (cf. Lk 24:49; Acts 1:8): a gift of the Spirit of the Lord, a gift which is not unrelated to the intercession and example of his saints." In writing this Pope John Paul not only reminded us that not only should we evangelize, it IS our duty to evangelize. & that San Giuseppe will watch over our efforts to help us in this.

He went on to add: "Pope Paul VI invited us to invoke Joseph's patronage 's the Church has been wont to do in these recent times, for herself in the first place, with a spontaneous theological reflection on the marriage of divine and human action in the great economy of the Redemption, in which economy the first-the divine one-is wholly sufficient unto itself, while the second-the human action which is ours-though capable of nothing (cf. Jn 15:5), is never dispensed from a humble but conditional and ennobling collaboration. The Church also calls upon Joseph as her protector because of a profound and ever present desire to reinvigorate her ancient life with true evangelical virtues, such as shine forth in St. Joseph.'"

Naturally Papa Benedetto has a special devotion to San Giuseppe since his baptismal name is Joseph. At the 18 Dec 2005 Angelus address he said the following: "The silence of Saint Joseph is given a special emphasis. His silence is steeped in contemplation of the mystery of God in an attitude of total availability to divine desires. It is a silence thanks to which Joseph, in unison with Mary, watches over the Word of God, known through the Sacred Scriptures, continuously comparing it with the events of the life of Jesus; a silence woven of constant prayer, a prayer of blessing of the Lord, of the adoration of His holy will and of unreserved entrustment to his providence. It is no exaggeration to think that it was precisely from his "father" Joseph that Jesus learned -- at the human level -- that steadfast interiority which is a presupposition of authentic justice.... Let us allow ourselves to be "filled" with Saint Joseph's silence! In a world that is often too noisy, that encourages neither recollection nor listening to God's voice."

St. Theresa of Avila credits her success in her efforts to reform the Carmelites to San Giuseppe. She encouraged devotion to him as well. "I do not remember to have asked Saint Joseph for anything which he did not grant me. The great favors which God has granted me through him, and the many dangers of soul and body from which he has freed me, truly deserve admiration. It seems that God has granted to other saints the grace of assisting, in particular needs, those who invoke their intercession; but this glorious saint assists in all needs. The Lord seems thereby to indicate that, as He was subject to Joseph on earth, so now He grants him whatever he asks for. The same thing has been experienced by persons whom I have advised to recommend themselves to him."

Another Doctor of he Church, St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, also encouraged devotion to San Giuseppe. "I would gladly advise everyone to have a great devotion towards this saint, since I have experienced what graces he can obtain from God. For several years I have asked him, on his feast, for some particular grace, and every time my petition has been granted. As we all have to die, we should have a particular devotion towards Saint Joseph, that he may obtain for us a happy death; for all Catholic Christians consider him to be an intercessor for the dying, and that he assists, at the hour of death, those who venerate him; and this for three reasons:
1. Because Jesus loves him, not only as a friend, but as a father, on which account his intercession is more powerful than that of any other saint.
2. Because Saint Joseph obtained special power against the evil spirits who tempt us at the hour of death.
3. The assistance which Jesus and Mary gave to Joseph at the hour of his own death procured for him the right to obtain a holy and easy death for his dependants.If in their dying hour they invoke his aid, not only will he assist them, but he will obtain for them the assistance of Jesus and Mary."

So let us follow the example of the Popes & saints of the Catholic Church & grow in our devotion to him. San Giuseppe has been given his role as protector & padrone not by man but by God the Father. Who are we to question this? Rather we should gladly welcome this gift as its divine origin would have us to do.

Act of Consecration to San Giuseppe

O blessed Joseph, faithful guardian of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, protector of thy chaste spouse, the virgin Mother of God, I choose thee this day to be my special patron and advocate and I firmly resolve to honor thee all the days of my life. Therefore I humbly beseech thee to receive me as thy client, to instruct me in every doubt, to comfort me in every affliction, to obtain for me and for all the knowledge and love of the Heart of Jesus, and finally to defend and protect me at the hour of my death. Amen