Saint Joseph - the Family Man

We continue our Week of Prayer as we prepare to celebrate the special year on the ‘The Joy of Love’ in family life. We have chosen Saint Joseph as our inspiration for our week of prayer which will end on the Feast of Saint Joseph on 19 March.

Our reflection today is on Saint Joseph the family man. We pray for all families in our parish who have found lockdown a struggle. 

We pray that families will know the support that their faith can offer them in times of difficulty and that families can share hope and inspire patience in each other at all times. 

In Scripture we read: 

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." 

(Romans 12:12)

We pray Pope Francis' Prayer for the Year of Saint Joseph: 

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,

Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To you God entrusted his only Son;

in you Mary placed her trust;

with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too,

show yourself a father

and guide us in the path of life.

Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage,

and defend us from every evil. 

Amen.

Recite together: the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.

As we conclude day four of our Week of Prayer ahead of this special Year on the Family, I offer you a short reflection from Pope’ Francis from ‘The Joy of Love’: 

“The family is the first school of human values, where we learn the wise use of freedom.”

(Amoris Laetitia, 274)

God bless all families.

AMEN