The presence of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Virgin Mary

In this month of Saint Joseph, which began on March 1st, we should remember how much the discreet and holy husband of Mary has been present throughout the history of the Church. Following are a few important dates:

Saint Joseph appeared in Cotignac, France in 1660. He revealed the location of a spring hidden under a rock to a shepherd. In Kalisz, Poland (1670), Saint Joseph healed a man after showing a painting representing the family, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father – this painting is entitled “Go to Joseph.” In 1870, Pope Pius IX entrusted the Church to the special protection of St Joseph, declaring him "patron of the Universal Church." In 1879, the silent apparitions Knock, Ireland, showed the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint John, the altar and Christ the Lamb. In October 1917, Saint Joseph was present in one of the apparitions of Fatima. From 1904 to 1967, Brother André built a monumental oratory to Saint Joseph on a hill in Montreal, Quebec (Canada). Many miracles and healings have occurred at that shrine.

At the beginning of the 21^st century, the reported apparitions of Itapiranga in Brazil recommended the devotion to St Joseph's very chaste heart, on the Wednesday following the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Finally, Pope Francis celebrated the inaugural Mass of his pontificate on March 19th, feast of St Joseph, and in the first year after his election, he promulgated a decree to add the mention of Saint Joseph to the canon of all Eucharistic prayers.

The Marie de Nazareth Team