On December 8, 2020, Pope Francis declared a special Year of St. Joseph to run through December 8, 2021. This marks the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church by Pope Pius IX. Pope Francis began the year with a new Apostolic Letter entitled Patris Corde (With a Father’s Heart) or (Con corazón de padre).

The Holy Father reflected that Covid-19 “has helped us see more clearly the importance of ordinary people who, though far from the limelight exercise patience and offer hope every day.” St. Joseph is the epitome of an ordinary person moving behind the scenes – and yet he shapes all of human history with his quiet guidance, protection, holiness, and acceptance of God’s will.

Pope Francis has encouraged Catholics throughout the world to join him in praying this prayer:
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, and defend us from every evil.  Amen.

We hope that through using these resources you will grow in love and devotion St. Joseph as the guardian and protector of God’s people, the Church. May Saint Joseph and the Holy Family intercede for us in this work of rededicating ourselves to the mission of Jesus Christ.

Read the letter from Bishop Cantú about the Year of St. Joseph, our 40th Jubilee, and the ten pilgrimage sites within our Diocese for the Year of Saint Joseph. ENGLISH | SPANISH | VIETNAMESE

Year of St. Joseph
Indulgences

Year of St. Joseph Indulgences

The plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the intentions of the Holy Father) to the faithful who, with a spirit detached from any sin, participate in the Year of Saint Joseph in the following ways, each associated with a quality of Saint Joseph, as indicated by the Apostolic Penitentiary. Read More: ENGLISH | SPANISH | VIETNAMESE

 

Pray with St. Joseph

Pray with St. Joseph

Activities Honoring St. Joseph

Activities Honoring St. Joseph

  • The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy were recommended as ways to witness to and make tangible the merciful love of God. These concrete expressions of mercy are deeply embedded in the history and tradition of the Church. They were practiced exquisitely by the saints who walked in the footsteps of Christ in the reality of the world into which they were born and lived.
  • Blessings of St. Joseph’s Table
  • Prepare a  Joseph’s Table at Home on March 19, the Solemnity of St. Joseph
  • Make a pilgrimage to a church or shrine dedicated to St. Joseph

Year of St. Joseph
Pilgrimage Sites

Year of St. Joseph Pilgrimage Sites

A pilgrimage is no ordinary journey. It’s a kind of “holy traveling” undertaken with resolve for a particular spiritual purpose. To have a fruitful pilgrimage, simply carry a special prayer intention in your mind and heart. You can have a single intention, or a different one for each destination asking St. Joseph or the Virgin Mary to intercede with Jesus Christ for your request. Conclude by offering prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving. This act of faith, made during the Year of St. Joseph, will gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions(sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the intentions of the Holy Father) to the faithful who, with a spirit detached from any sin, visit any of the following 10 pilgrimage sites within our Diocese for the Year of Saint Joseph through December 8, 2021.  Download Year of St. Joseph Pilgrimage sites Flyer: English, Spanish, Vietnamese

Life of St. Joseph

Life of St. Joseph

St. Joseph in Sacred Art

St. Joseph in Sacred Art

  • In the Early centuries of Christianity, Saint Joseph appeared only in images of the Nativity, likely because that is where he is found in Scripture. Most of the narrative surrounding Joseph comes from the Gospel of Matthew and the traditional accounts documented in the Protoevangelium of James. Some of the oldest extent images of Joseph can be seen among the icons of Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt’s Sinai.
  • Learn more about St Joseph in art
  • Explore the various ways St. Joseph has been depicted in Christian art and iconography