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Joseph, Patron of the Universal some of the main responsibilities of priests are to develop a devotion to
Church the Blessed Sacrament, to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, and to administer
“St. Joseph took loving care of Mary communion to the faithful.
and gladly dedicated himself to
Jesus Christ’s upbringing, he likewise Medieval theologians and modern popes considered Joseph, the foster
watches over and protects Christ’s father of Jesus, as the antitype of the type of Joseph in the Old Testament.
Mystical Body, that is, the Church, of In Genesis, during the famine crisis, the Pharaoh made Joseph “lord of
which the Virgin Mary is the exemplar his house, and ruler of all his possessions” (Psalm 105:21) and the hungry
and model.” 5 were advised, “Go to Joseph!” (Genesis 41:55) and they received grain .
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“As patriarch of the New Covenant, Joseph defended and preserved the
Pope Pius IX, during troublesome Bread of Life from the moment of His first repose on the food trough of
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times in the history of the Church, the stable.” Joseph, perhaps, was the first one to lift the infant Jesus in
placed her under the patronage of St. his arms, thus, salus nostra in manu tua (Our salvation is in your hand).
Joseph and declared him “Patron of Extending our theological imagination, isn’t this a reflection of priests
the Universal Church” in the decree raising up the consecrated host, the Body of Christ, our salvation, and
Quemadmodum Deus (December 8, administering it to the faithful during holy communion?
1870) promulgated by the Sacred
Congregation of Rites. The fifth chapter of Redemptoris Custos is entitled, “The Primacy of Interior
Life.” Pope John Paul II explains that the aura of silence shrouding the
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The explanation is simple. Joseph is actions of Joseph is an aura of deep contemplation. Such proposition
the head, provider, and defender of is theologically sound since today we can pray before the Real Presence
the Holy Family. “It is, then, natural of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament but Joseph lived with Jesus in flesh
and worthy that as the Blessed and was absorbed in an atmosphere of contemplative prayer. Hence,
Joseph ministered to all the needs Joseph is a model of interior life and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament
of the family at Nazareth and girt it especially for priests who share with his mission.
about with his protection, he should
now cover with the cloak of his Henceforth, priests and especially members of the Oblates of Saint
heavenly patronage and defend the Joseph, bearing in mind the mission that Joseph accomplished in his
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Church of Jesus Christ.” Nonetheless, earthly life and that he continues to perform up to the present time, must
“this is not meant only to indicate heed the invitation of its founder, St. Joseph Marello, “Let us commend
that he has been assigned a place ourselves to St. Joseph, master and guide of the spiritual life, sublime
of honor. He is actively involved in model of interior and hidden life.” 12
the protection and progress of the
Church today.” 7 Footnotes:
1 Sacred Congregation of Rites, Decree Quemadmodum Deus (8 December 1870)
Joseph, Protector of the Blessed by Pius IX.
2 John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation On the Person and Mission of Saint Joseph in
Sacrament (Exemplar of Priests)
“He most diligently reared Him whom the Life of Christ and of the Church Redemptoris Custos (15 August 1989), no. 7.
3 Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum (18 Novem-
the faithful were to receive as the bread
that came down from heaven whereby ber 1965), no. 2.
John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos, no. 8.
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they might obtain eternal life.” 8 5 John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos, no. 1.
6 Leo XIII, Encyclical On Devotion to St. Joseph Quamquam Pluries (15 August
This might be an unofficial title 1889), no. 3
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for Joseph but the logic here is A. Devasahayam, St. Joseph for the Third Millenium (Pasay: Paulines Publishing
clear. Joseph is the Guardian of the House, 2002), 250-251.
8 Sacred Congregation of Rites, Decree Quemadmodum Deus (8 December 1870)
Redeemer. He is also the Patron
of the Universal Church since the by Pius IX.
9 The grain is a symbol of life and salvation for without food they will starve to
Church is Christ’s Mystical Body.
From this, it may also be inferred death.
10 Richard W. Gilsdorf, Go to Joseph (Wisconsin: Star of the Bay Press, 2009), 83.
that Joseph is the Protector of the
To add, Bethlehem literally means “House of Bread.”
Blessed Sacrament since the Blessed 11 John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos, no. 25.
Sacrament or the Eucharist is also 12 From Joseph Marello’s counsel to Miss Bice Graglia (15 March 1889), quoted in
Christ’s Real Presence. Thus, Joseph Larry Toschi, Saint Joseph in the Lives of Two Blesseds of the Church (Santa Cruz,
is also an exemplar of priests since CA: Guardian of the Redeemer Books, 1994), 78.