Page 20 - Reflections on St. Joseph

OBLATI DI SAN GIUSEPPE
P. JAN PELCZARSKI, OSJ
SUPERIORE GENERALE

To you O Blessed Joseph

Letter for the Conclusion of the Year of St. Joseph

To the Josephite Marellian Family
Dear Confreres and Friends,

I
n difficult times for believers, on December 8, 1870, Pope Pius IX entrusted the Church to the special
protection of St. Joseph, declaring him to be “Patron of the Catholic Church”. The faithful were
exhorted to invoke the patronage of him, who in his time, with a fatherly love, knew how to
accompany Jesus who “grew in age, wisdom and grace before God and men” (Lk 2,52). He was also able
to take care of Him and defend Him “from the many perils which came upon the Holy Family”. In
accomplishing his mission, St. Joseph also knew persecution and exile, and his sole recompense was to
be able to love Jesus and be loved by Him.

“I like St. Joseph”

The young Father Giuseppe Marello was witness to the proclamation of the Patronage, and in a letter
sent to a priest friend, mentioned the preparations for the event (Cf. Letter 64). In his preaching to the
Sisters of the Milliavacca Institute, he dwelt upon the present day mission of the Guardian of the
Redeemer: “who has no need of anything for himself, but asks and receives for us, who are his heartfelt
devotees.” (Sunday, April 22, 1888).

At 150 years since the proclamation of the Patronage, the Church, confronted with numerous challenges
at the present moment, continues to invoke its Protector with the words of the prayer To you O Blessed
Joseph, commonly said after reciting the Rosary. Effectively, we ask that he protect us from errors and
vices, and that he sustain us in the battle with the powers of darkness and that he help us to overcome
adversity.

Two years ago, Pope Francis, at the beginning of his message addressed to our Chapter Delegates, shared
this insight: “I like St. Joseph, he has so much ‘power’! For more than 40 years I recite a prayer that I
found in an old French missal which says about St. Joseph: ‘dont la puissance sait rendre possibles les choses
impossibles’ (his power knows how to make impossible things, possible). The power of St. Joseph! He has
never said no. We need to take courage from this.” (August 30, 2018).

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