Joe and the Priest

Last Saturday, I had the privilege of witnessing the priestly ordination of nine men. During which, I was reminded of a short section of St. John XXIII’s Apostolic Exhortation, Sacrae Laudis:

The recent Christmas festivities brought us during those holy days closer, not only to the Mother but to her spouse, dear St. Joseph, both on their way to Bethlehem, towards the accomplishment of the great mystery of the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Who is more worthy than the priest to be on familiar terms with St. Joseph 'to whom was given not only to see and hear God but to carry him, kiss him, dress him and guard him'? Therefore, on the occasion of his feast, on the nineteenth of March last year, we entrusted also to St. Joseph the supreme task of protecting this Council (Le Voci), as he had already been proclaimed Patron Saint of the Universal Church by the first Vatican Council on 8 December 1869.***

Let us pray for our priests, seminarians, and for an increase of men answering the call to discern priestly ministry!


***Interestingly, this decree was actually published on 8 December 1870 (not 1869) as Pope St. John XXIII wrote in his encyclical Le Voci (which by the way is a great summary of the 19th-20th century papal decrees regarding Joe).