Fatima, St. Joseph, Fatherhood

Greetings in Jesus and Mary....

I am a day late on an article for Father's Day. I pray that all Fathers were treated with love, thankfulness and respect. At Mass yesterday, the chaplain for the Carmelite Nuns in Traverse City gave an excellent homily related to the errors of communism spoken of by Our Blessed Mother and their destruction of the family.

On October 13th, 1917, the miracle of the sun was accompanied by visions for the three children. One of them was the Holy Family and the blessing to the world. The appearance of the Holy Family is significant since the destruction of the family is one of the key goals of the communists in the world to destabilize it for world domination.

Father's homily pointed out the goals of the communists when writing the Communist Manifesto. We have seen nothing but the destruction of the family for the past 100 years. Feminism, lack of modesty, lack of respect for parents, fathers not knowing their roles in their families, transgenderism, mutilation of our children and last but certainly not least.....denying the existence of God as Father.  The true fatherhood of God and the strong role of the father of the family are rejected by mankind today and have been perpetrated by the socialist idealogies in the world.

 Father, in his homily, mentioned that St. Joseph was the head of the Holy Family, not because he was the most holy (he was least in that respect next to Jesus and Mary); he was the head of the Holy Family because he was the FATHER of the family. As such he represented God the Father.

St. Paul said in Ephesians 3:14-15, "I bow my knees to the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ of whom all paternity in Heaven and earth is named." The fatherhood of St. Joseph, as with all human fathers, is a reflection in a creature of the fatherhood of God the Father.

If we understand that the first family on earth was to be a reflection of the Triune God, of Three in One, we can see that this first family was a prototype of all families. Families are the most basic unit of society, and the plan for the human family was a true reflection of God Himself.

St. Joseph, as the head of the family, shared God's authority, as does every human father.  The source of the authority comes from the "office," not the "person." Yet because of that role, St. Joseph was burdened with responsibilities and duties that came along with his fatherhood.  This is the same for all fathers. No father is perfect.  St. Joseph was as close to that as a human being could be.

It is apparent, now more than ever, that fatherhood has been diminished and that many see it as old-fashioned or unnecessary.  Even the role of the priests as fathers is challenged in society today.  Yet there is no denying that the role of fathers is crucial to family life and to life in the Church.

May we pray for our Church leaders, our fathers and husbands to St. Joseph to help them and guide them in this very trying time in the world.


The Earliest Known Prayer to St. Joseph (circa 50 A.D.)
O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

O St. Joseph, I never tire of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen.

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