Exiit qui seminat - St. Patrick & St. Joseph
This week we celebrate two very important saints - one in the life of the Church in America, St. Patrick, and one in the life of the universal Church, St. Joseph. While culturally, St. Patrick's Day has turned into a more ... secular holiday, his feast day in Ireland is truly a day of thanksgiving and prayer to the man who brought the Catholic faith to the Emerald Isle. In particular, the Catholic Church in the Northeastern United States owes a great deal of gratitude, not only to the countless faithful Irish immigrants who practiced their faith in the midst of persecution and bigotry, but to the myriads of priests from Ireland who met both the spiritual needs of their countrymen and served so many parishes, especially in the absence of homegrown clergy. Our diocese in particular has reaped the benefits of these faithful priests who left their home and their families to come to America in order that the flock could be fled. One of those priests baptized my twin brother and myself in my home parish in Merchantville! The theology of St. Patrick is both ancient and practical focusing on the Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and how the three divine persons in one God blessed and protected all of creation. A true shepherd to his people, St. Patrick traveled Ireland preaching the faith and spreading the Gospel of his Lord and Savior.
The same can be said of St. Joseph. Although he never speaks a recorded word in Sacred Scripture, St. Joseph's whole life speaks volumes. The Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19th is the highest level of feast day in the life of the Church (and a celebration that even gives us a brief respite from the disciplines of Lent!). St. Joseph is considered the universal protector of the Church herself. One of the few people in the whole Bible to be called "just", St. Joseph was entrusted with the two most precious things ever - our Lord and our Blessed Mother. In an even more special way, Pope Francis has called a year dedicated to St. Joseph. As the Holy Father writes in his Apostolic Letter Patris corde ("With a Father's heart"), "Thanks to his role in salvation history, Saint Joseph has always been venerated as a father by the Christian people. This is shown by the countless churches dedicated to him worldwide, the numerous religious Institutes, Confraternities and ecclesial groups inspired by his spirituality and bearing his name, and the many traditional expressions of piety in his honor. Innumerable holy men and women were passionately devoted to him. Among them was Teresa of Avila, who chose him as her advocate and intercessor, had frequent recourse to him and received whatever graces she asked of him. Encouraged by her own experience, Teresa persuaded others to cultivate devotion to Joseph."
In the midst of our Lenten journey, let us continue to cultivate our devotions to both St. Patrick and St. Joseph as we strive to grow in holiness. May Christ be with us and in us and Ite ad Ioseph (Go to St. Joseph)!
Sincerely Yours in Christ
Fr. Rob Sinatra
