Page 5 - Reflections on St. Joseph

F O R E W O R D

n January 23, 2019, in reference to Resolution 5 of the XVII General Chapter, the Superior
General announced the celebration of a Year of St. Joseph in our Congregation. It was
O officially inaugurated on March 19, 2019, on the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.

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There were some circumstances, such us the 30 anniversary of the Apostolic Exhortation
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Redemptoris Custos by St. John Paul II, the 130 anniversary of the Encyclical Quamquampluries
by Pope Leo XIII and the 150 years since the Decree Quemadmodum Deus by which Pope Pius IX
proclaimed St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, which prompted us to this initiative.

But the main reason behind the announcement was to provide us with an opportunity to go to
the roots of our spirituality in the light of the sacred Scripture and of the teaching of the
Magisterium of the Church. The words of Pope Francis, during the audience given to the Chapter
Fathers on August 31, were inspiring and encouraging for deepening our study and reflection
on the figure of St. Joseph.

Some of us may feel that we really haven’t been able to celebrate it as we wanted to due to the
pandemic. May be this is how St. Joseph wants it because, at least when it comes to the Gospel
accounts, he accepted with faith all the improvisations by surrendering his own plans to the
hands of God. The global situation of covid-19 gave us the possibility of focusing more on our
Patron by extending the year up to 8 December 2020, the date of 150th anniversary of the
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Decree of Quemadmodum Deus with which Pope Pius IX proclaimed St. Joseph patron of the
universal Church.

During this period of time we have been able to organize in the Congregation a variety of
programs of renewal like retreats, formation meetings, symposiums, seminars and monthly
reflections on St. Joseph. In this way we intended and managed to be together in order to bring

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Reflections on st. joseph