March 20 – Saint Joseph, the Spouse of the Virgin Mary Mary and Joseph, model of perfect spouses Mary was perfect and very beautiful; Joseph must have loved her passionately. They had probably made a vow [...] model and the Queen of virgins and consecrated people. But a more recent tradition sees in Mary and Joseph the model of spouses. In fact the feast of the Holy Family sets them as an example for the faithful [...] apparent paradox shows that we can’t reduce the incomparable mystery of Mary (and naturally that of Joseph) to one aspect of our individual experiences. And of course none of us is expected to be exactly

Beginning of the novena of prayer to St Joseph Mary’s motherhood called for Joseph’s fatherhood In this month of March, traditionally dedicated in the Church to Saint Joseph, and on this first day of the novena [...] meditate on the mystery of Joseph's paternity, with the help of Mary. Indeed, the mystery of Mary's motherhood is so great that it has until now sort of covered up the mystery of Joseph's paternity. We should [...] bond of Joseph's paternity that Jesus is recognized as being connected with his Davidic ancestry, since lineage was transmitted through the male channel (see Mt 1: 1 and 16 - 20). After Joseph wholeheartedly

(Bari, Italy, 1576) Devotion to Saint Joseph is inseparable from that of the Blessed Virgin It’s a good thing that part of the month of March, dedicated to Saint Joseph, is in Lent, since during this time [...] time each one of us is supposed to do exactly what Saint Joseph did—strive to glorify the Lord by offering ourselves to Him for the salvation of the world, in silence and humility, as we heard on Ash Wednesday [...] union with His own sacrifice, for the salvation of the world. Through grace, the love that Saint Joseph, guardian of the divine mystery, had for Mary as a husband and his sense of fatherhood, were renewed

(Constantinople, 460) March is the month of Saint Joseph God chose Saint Joseph to care for the virgin Mother and to be Christ’s foster father. Saint Joseph protected and served the Mother of God with virginal [...] life of the Lord and the Mother of God. It is because of this pious solicitude that we invoke Saint Joseph to protect Christianity as he once protected Christ and Mary. In addition to the March 19th feast

March 19 – Solemnity of Saint Joseph, the Spouse of the Virgin Mary Saint Joseph, Mary’s husband, is mentioned in the Eucharistic prayer Saint Joseph of Nazareth, set over the Lord’s family, marvelously [...] XXIII, in the days of the Most Holy Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, decreed that Saint Joseph’s name be added to the ancient Roman Canon… Today this Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline [...] the faculties granted by the Supreme Pontiff Francis, is pleased to decree that the name of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is henceforth to be added to Eucharistic Prayers II, III, and

Birth of visionary Lucia of Fatima (1907) Mary and Joseph talk to each other about their common secret After the angel's liberating message to Joseph, the latter must have run to knock on Mary's door, [...] the intense and silent exchange of their looks, Mary immediately understood that Joseph finally knew her secret! Joseph was able to tell Mary his suffering and his joy; he probably also asked her to forgive [...] Excerpt from Regard sur les épreuves de Marie et de Joseph durant les 24 premiers mois où ils se sont connus (A look at the trials of Mary and Joseph during the first 24 months of their meeting each other)

March 20 - Saint Joseph, Spouse of Mary - Our Lady of Abundance (Italy, 1603) Joseph understood Mary's silence A shadow has crept into Joseph's happiness. Mary is now lost to him: he will be alone, and [...] back. This greatness of Joseph's soul is rooted in God. And God comes to the rescue of his servant by revealing his plan to him. From then on, everything becomes clear: Joseph understands Mary's silence [...] and she too will be alone forever. All this is so unexpected, so mysterious and so incredible that Joseph does not know what to do; but it is then that his holiness and spiritual wisdom come to the fore

March 18 - Our Lady of Ajaccio (Corsica, France) Joseph’s test (2) Joseph was naturally afraid at the novelty and splendor of the miracle and the depth of the mystery. We need not wonder that he thought [...] and trembling : “Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” That is why Joseph wanted to send her away. But why in secret and not openly? To avoid any investigation of the reason

(Romania) Joseph’s test (1) Since Joseph was just and unwilling to expose Mary, why had he a mind to put her away ? I give you on this point not my own opinion, but that of the Fathers. Joseph’s reason was [...] that of the centurion when he exclaimed, “I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof.” Joseph looked on himself as a sinner and as unworthy to entertain one in whom he beheld a superhuman dignity

30 - St. Jerome, Doctor of the Church (d. 420) St. Jerome and the perpetual virginity of Mary and Joseph Concerning Helvidius's (1) mention of Jesus' "brothers", St. Jerome explains that this designation [...] suggested in the Protoevangelium of James, that the "brothers" were the sons of a first marriage of Joseph. He explained that in the case of the Lord's brothers they were actually cousins (sons of maternal [...] affirm that Mary did not remain a virgin. On the contrary, I will go even further and affirm that Joseph, following the example of Mary, also lived as a virgin, so that the virginal Son was begotten by