Feast of Saint Joseph

Good morning. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Scripture offers us very little information regarding Saint Joseph. What we do know about him is that he provided for Mary and Jesus, and he saw to their well-being. Scripture tells us he was a righteous man. We likewise know that he, along with Mary, attended to the moral and religious upbringing of Jesus. In fact the Gospel today tells us of a trip the family made to Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover. In looking at his life it doesn’t seem like much, but the little we do know about Saint Joseph and his involvement as a member of the Holy Family would be a welcomed part of many families in our current day culture. There seems to be a neglectful attitude in our culture regarding the importance of fathers in the lives of their children. Wade Horn, founder of the National Fatherhood Initiative, suggests that there are efforts toward reclaiming the role of the father in the lives of children, and studies note the debilitating impact father absence has in the lives of children. This issue is not just limited to that of fathers and sons; we likewise are aware of the importance of fathers in the lives of their daughters. There are numerous benefits to a healthy relationship between a father and his daughter. A renowned presenter on the topic of the importance of the father in the home, Dr. Meg Meeker, notes that we tend to greatly underestimate the importance fathers have in the healthy formation of their daughters. Most fatherlessness or absence of fathers in the lives of their children is caused by divorce or out-of-wedlock births. David Blankenhorn, founder of the Institute for American Values suggests that the real issue is that of providing for healthy and lasting marriages. When we look at the academic and social outcomes on the part of the children of unwed or divorced family situations it is clear that the American experiment with unencumbered individualism has failed. The evidence is clear that sound marriages and the presence of fathers is critical to the healthy development of children; the research tells us this time and time again. What do you think? As we celebrate the feast of Saint Joseph let us pray that more children can come to know the benefits of having a healthy relationship with a father. Make a great day!

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and works of Saint Joseph.