My writing seems to gravitate to discussions about saints lately….St. Valentine, St. Patrick, St. Joseph today…and we’ll get to St. Francis soon because the Franciscans play a major role in my book, Angel’s Requiem. Not to mention our new Pope took the name ‘Francis’ in his honor.
A quick note about St. Joseph’s Day. Yes, today, March 19, is the saint’s feast day on the Catholic calendar. Again, the cardinals in Rome have elected a Pope, this time from South America, but, still, Pope Francis is Italian by ethnicity. St. Joseph the Worker (as Italians call Jesus’ father) is a very popular saint among Italians. Could it be the reason Pope Francis chose his feast day to be installed as Pope? If so, that is certainly consistent with his love of the little man.
St. Joseph is regarded as a very powerful intercessor with Jesus. Believers credit him with providing employment and protecting the worker while he labors. Believers also trust him to protect them from the dangers of war, fire and poison. I’m sure he is enjoying more popularity than ever these days with the world as it is.
When I was a girl, Italians in our school took off from school for St. Joseph’s Day and had a traveling feast. Going from one neighbor or relative to another, they ate an ongoing selection of Old World foods that took days to prepare. I’ve often given them credit for their national pride, especially after being bombarded by the enormous ethnic chest pounding by the Irish the whole previous week because March 17, two days earlier, is St. Patrick’s Day.
1 Comments on St. Joseph's Day Today!, last added: 4/17/2013
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I love the stories about why certain beliefs are important. They are kind of like mysteries of human nature, telling us why we are how we are and what matters to us, if you look carefully.