Celebrate a ‘Father’s Heart’ and year of St. Joseph

With an Apostolic Letter titled “Patris corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis celebrates the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as patron of the Universal Church. To mark this milestone in the life of the Roman Catholic Church, the Holy Father has proclaimed a “Year of St. Joseph” extending from the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, December 8, 2020 until December 8, 2021. In his Apostolic Letter Pope Francis describes St. Joseph as a beloved, tender and loving father. He was obedient by accepting the role of teacher and protector of the child Jesus and his wife, the Blessed Virgin Mary, with courage, love and hard work. This document was written by Pope Francis in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, which helps us see more clearly the importance of “ordinary” people who through patience and hope help others by imitating St. Joseph who often goes unnoticed by his discreet and hidden presence in the history of salvation.

St. Joseph showed unconditional love toward his wife and child as he placed himself always at the service of the Messiah, who was growing to maturity in his home. He was also obedient to God as he protected Mary and Jesus and taught his Son “to do the will of the Father.” Called by God to help in the mission of Jesus Christ, St. Joseph cooperated with the mystery of Redemption, like Saint John Paul II described him, “He is truly a minister of salvation.” Trusting in the Lord, St. Joseph accepted in his life those events that he did not understand, setting aside his own ideas and reconciling himself with God i.e., marrying the Blessed Virgin Mary. This great saint was not afraid, but confronted reality with personal responsibility as he continues even today to teach us by his example to accept and welcome others as they are, without exception, and to show special concern for the weak. This carpenter was able to turn an ordeal into a possibility by trusting in God as he had to face serious problems as others in the world, especially those of migrants. In this sense, St. Joseph is the special patron of those forced to leave their native countries because of war, hatred, persecution and poverty. As the guardian of Jesus and Mary both in Israel and in Egypt, he can easily be seen as the guardian of the Church. Consequently, every poor, needy, suffering or dying person, every stranger, every prisoner is the child whom Joseph continues to protect. According to Pope Francis, we must learn from St. Joseph “to love the Church and the poor.”

As a carpenter, St. Joseph

teaches us the value and dignity of hard work. Pope Francis writes that “those who work are cooperating with God himself and in some way also become creators of the world around us.” Pope Francis encourages us to rediscover the value and importance of work for bringing about a new normality from which all can participate in light of the rising unemployment due to Covid-19.

The fatherhood of St. Joseph can be described as the earthly shadow of the heavenly Father. In the Bible

St. Joseph never speaks, but he is the example of a true father. Pope Francis has insisted that a father is not simply one who brings a child into the world, but one who takes responsibility to care for that child. In today’s world, Pope Francis sees children as being “orphans, often lacking fathers.” Children need fathers who will not try to control them, but instead raise them to be capable of making good decisions, enjoying their freedom in a sane way and exploring new horizons. In this sense, St. Joseph seems very “chaste” as he is the opposite of a domineering and possessive father. He never made himself the center of attention, but focused instead on the lives of Mary and Jesus. Pope Francis