Pope Francis Announces Holy Year of St. Joseph

One hundred and fifty years ago, Blessed Pope Pius IX declared St. Joseph as “Patron of the Universal Church.” To mark the 150th anniversary of this occasion, Pope Francis has proclaimed a Holy Year of St. Joseph from Dec. 8, 2020, to Dec. 8, 2021.
In the Pope’s proclamation of the Year of St. Joseph, Patris corde (“With a father’s heart”), he drew connections between St. Joseph and the humble people working throughout the pandemic. “People who do not appear in newspaper and magazine headlines, or on the latest television show, yet in these very days are surely shaping the decisive events of our history.” The Holy Father notes, “how many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday ways, how to accept and deal with a crisis by adjusting their routines, looking ahead and encouraging the practice of prayer. How many are praying, making sacrifices and interceding for the good of all.”
 St. Joseph was a man of sacrifice and prayer for the good of the Holy Family. Even today, he continues to inspire others to reach out to those in need, especially during this difficult time.
 For more information on the Holy Year of St. Joseph, please visit: https://www.rcan.org/joseph

“St. Joseph, pray for us!”

​Stained Glass Window is from Saint Valentine, Bloomfield, New Jersey