this week's feasts
St. Patrick
The gravestone marking the place where St. Patrick is believed to be buried in Downpatrick, Ireland.
Monday, March 17, is the Feast of St. Patrick. Patrick is, of course, the fourth century saint who is the patron saint of Ireland. He grew up in Britain (probably in Wales) and was captured by pirates when he was a teenager. They took him to Ireland, and he was a slave to a Druid priest. After a few years, Patrick escaped and made his way back home. Somewhat later he became a priest while studying in France and then was made a bishop. Patrick asked to be sent to the Irish people, whom he had come to love while living there.
Once in Ireland, Patrick set out to bring the Catholic faith to the people there, travelling the length of the entire island, preaching and teaching. One of the most successful of his evangelization efforts was when he converted one of the Irish kings, which drew many more people.
St. Patrick is one of the most successful preachers and evangelists that the Church has ever seen. The Irish Church has seen terrible consequences of the sexual abuse crisis and is a Church in great decline. As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, let us pray for the Church in Ireland and the people of Ireland.
Rejoicing is certainly in the spirit of Patrick and the people of Ireland, but the excuse for drunkenness and debauchery is not. Let us celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with joy and with devotion to our Catholic faith.
Once in Ireland, Patrick set out to bring the Catholic faith to the people there, travelling the length of the entire island, preaching and teaching. One of the most successful of his evangelization efforts was when he converted one of the Irish kings, which drew many more people.
St. Patrick is one of the most successful preachers and evangelists that the Church has ever seen. The Irish Church has seen terrible consequences of the sexual abuse crisis and is a Church in great decline. As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, let us pray for the Church in Ireland and the people of Ireland.
Rejoicing is certainly in the spirit of Patrick and the people of Ireland, but the excuse for drunkenness and debauchery is not. Let us celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with joy and with devotion to our Catholic faith.
St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
St. Joseph has two feasts. On Wednesday of this week, we celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and on May 1, we celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.
This week’s feast focuses on Joseph’s relationship with Mary. The Church holds him up for us as a patron saint for all husbands. What are a few of the virtues that make Joseph such an important role model?
Our first introduction to Joseph, in the Gospel of St. Matthew, is shortly after he has learned that Mary, his betrothed spouse, is pregnant. He is crushed. He is devastated. And he is unsure what to do. The law says that Mary should be exposed as an adulterous and that she should be stoned to death as such. And we are told that Joseph is a righteous man. That means that he strives to live according to God’s law. But the Scripture also tells us that he is unwilling to expose her to the law. Joseph is a faithful Jew, and he is a compassionate man. Husbands, you, too, are called to be faithful worshipers of God and disciples of Jesus Christ. You are also called to be compassionate in your application to the law of God. The law without compassion can become a brutal weapon, and compassion without the law becomes weak and meaningless.
Joseph takes Mary to be his wife, and he accepts her son as his own. All too often we call Joseph a stepfather to Jesus. He is much more than that. Joseph is an adoptive father to Jesus. Mary, in the scene of the finding of Jesus in the Temple, asks Jesus “Why have you done this to your father and me?” Mary calls Joseph Jesus’ father; we should do the same. In this scene we see Joseph and Mary desperately searching for the child. Like Joseph, all fathers are called to be protectors of their children, defending them from all that can harm them, and supporters of their wives, especially in times of trouble.
As a carpenter, Joseph works hard to provide for his wife and child. Although the separation of responsibilities between husbands and wives is different in our culture, with wives and moms going out into the work force, husbands have a serious duty to make sure that their families have the essentials of life.
Finally, Joseph, in that Jewish world, would have been seen as the primary spiritual leader within the family. The husband and father in every household had a responsibility to make sure that the family participated in the synagogue services and in the ritual prayers and activities within the home. All fathers are called to be spiritual leaders, with their wives, in the home.
This week’s feast focuses on Joseph’s relationship with Mary. The Church holds him up for us as a patron saint for all husbands. What are a few of the virtues that make Joseph such an important role model?
Our first introduction to Joseph, in the Gospel of St. Matthew, is shortly after he has learned that Mary, his betrothed spouse, is pregnant. He is crushed. He is devastated. And he is unsure what to do. The law says that Mary should be exposed as an adulterous and that she should be stoned to death as such. And we are told that Joseph is a righteous man. That means that he strives to live according to God’s law. But the Scripture also tells us that he is unwilling to expose her to the law. Joseph is a faithful Jew, and he is a compassionate man. Husbands, you, too, are called to be faithful worshipers of God and disciples of Jesus Christ. You are also called to be compassionate in your application to the law of God. The law without compassion can become a brutal weapon, and compassion without the law becomes weak and meaningless.
Joseph takes Mary to be his wife, and he accepts her son as his own. All too often we call Joseph a stepfather to Jesus. He is much more than that. Joseph is an adoptive father to Jesus. Mary, in the scene of the finding of Jesus in the Temple, asks Jesus “Why have you done this to your father and me?” Mary calls Joseph Jesus’ father; we should do the same. In this scene we see Joseph and Mary desperately searching for the child. Like Joseph, all fathers are called to be protectors of their children, defending them from all that can harm them, and supporters of their wives, especially in times of trouble.
As a carpenter, Joseph works hard to provide for his wife and child. Although the separation of responsibilities between husbands and wives is different in our culture, with wives and moms going out into the work force, husbands have a serious duty to make sure that their families have the essentials of life.
Finally, Joseph, in that Jewish world, would have been seen as the primary spiritual leader within the family. The husband and father in every household had a responsibility to make sure that the family participated in the synagogue services and in the ritual prayers and activities within the home. All fathers are called to be spiritual leaders, with their wives, in the home.
