Why is March dedicated to St. Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the foster father of Jesus Christ? Besides tradition, another reason is because his feast day, March 19, occurs during this month.
In 1570, his festive memorial was included in the Catholic Church’s official calendar to be celebrated worldwide.
In 1870, Pope Pius IX proclaimed St. Joseph the “Patron and Protector of the Universal Church.” Likewise, as head of the holy family, he is the patron saint of fathers as well as workers, those living a chaste life, those who are sick, and those who hope to die a holy death—probably because he died surrounded by Jesus and Mary.
In 2025, we may also venerate St. Joseph as the patron saint of courageous people! Why? Pope Francis, in his proclamation designating our current Jubilee Year as a time for hope, stated that the “daughter of hope” is patience. Since this is so, perhaps we can appreciate how the “son of hope” would be courage. Both virtues, patience and courage, are required for anyone who is hoping to receive a specific blessing, special grace, or particular assistance from God.
Jesus said we must pray with perseverance and not become weary. He even told us to be so persistent when asking for some kindness as to become a nuisance if need be. Recall the parable of the dishonest judge who ruled in favor of a widow simply to stop her constant pestering. Apparently, her relentless petitioning annoyed him for so long that she eventually received the settlement she hoped for (Luke 18:1-8). Such determination took courage.
Hope requires patience and courage. What better model of the virtue of courage could we follow than the strength of character we find in St. Joseph? He took a young bride into his home even after discovering she was pregnant with a child he never fathered, housed her and the newborn in a stable because there was no room for them at the inn, took them to a foreign country to keep them safe from Herod’s brutal massacre, and searched three anxious days for the missing pre-teenager who decided that instructing teachers at the temple was where he had to be, even if it meant worrying his folks into distress (Luke 2:41-49).
St. Joseph, in this year of hope, give us your courage during difficult days.
HOLY HOMEWORK: For March and the Jubilee Year of Hope, let’s display a picture of St. Joseph in our home and our workplace to remind us that, along with patience, we need the virtue of courage to hope for a better tomorrow and the best for eternity.
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