The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph. The Church encourages us to be devoted to Joseph because he was a model in the heroic practice of all the virtues.

In the Bible, he is referred to as a “just man,” a high compliment in his time. It also meant that he was willing and open to do whatever God asked of him, including taking Mary as his wife, despite her pregnancy (Matthew 1:19). He also loved and cared for Jesus.

Most of our information about St. Joseph comes from the opening two chapters of St. Matthew’s Gospel but there are no recorded words from the saint. True to his quiet, unassuming work under the radar, St. Joseph was the “silent” man.

The Chapel of Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is home to an exceptional work of carpentry and the story about the day St. Joseph built a staircase in New Mexico. Visit soon to see this miracle for yourself.

10 Facts About St. Joseph

1. In 1955, an additional feast day was declared by Pope Pius IX and is celebrated on May 1 as the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. This date is also International Workers’ Day and believed to reflect Joseph as the patron saint of workers.
2. Symbols associated with Joseph include the carpenter’s square and lily. The carpenter’s square not only symbolizes Joseph’s trade but also the concept of truth. The lily represents purity and Joseph’s celibate marriage to the Virgin Mary.
3. Joseph is the patron saint of the Universal Church, families, fathers, expectant mothers, travelers, immigrants, house sellers and buyers, craftsmen, engineers and working people, among others.
4. Joseph is also considered to be the patron saint of the New World, China, Canada, Korea, Mexico, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Peru, Vietnam and several cities and dioceses.
5. On the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church, Pope Francis proclaimed a Year of St. Joseph beginning Dec. 8, 2020 through Dec. 8, 2021.
6. Although we know Joseph as a working carpenter, he is descended from royal lineage, the line of David.
7. Joseph is portrayed in works of art with grey hair and a beard, an older figure next to Mary and Jesus, and often in the background. In the pope’s Apostolic Letter entitled Patris Corde, he wrote, “In his relationship to Jesus, Joseph was the earthly shadow of the heavenly Father. He watched over him and protected him, never leaving him to go his own way.”
8. The scriptures mention nothing of Joseph’s age and previous life. However, one early tradition believes he was an older man and a widower with children from a previous marriage.
9. The first apostolic mission entrusted by the Pope to the Society of Jesus was given on the Feast of St. Joseph, Mar. 19, 1539. On this auspicious feast day, the mission of the Jesuits began – and continues to this day around the world.
10. Most biblical scholars believe that St. Joseph died prior to Jesus’ crucifixion. Many traditions hold that Joseph died in the arms or presence of Jesus and Mary. It’s a beautiful image, one that has led the Church to proclaim Joseph the patron saint of a “happy death.”

St. Joseph, pray for us!