POPE FRANCIS DECLARED A YEAR DEVOTED TO ST. JOSEPH.

The Holy Father is telling the Church, especially those of us who are husbands and fathers, to “go to Joseph.”

In our noisy secular culture how can we learn from St. Joseph who does not a speak a single word in the Gospels?

FATHERS RECOMMEND…

Kurt Buckman of the FATHERS Team at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Anderson Township is one of several men who recommend Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Father Donald H. Calloway, MIC. The book features a 33-day preparation for consecration to St. Joseph, readings and prayers. Buckman also recommends that dads get together. He said an important practice for him is the group’s weekly hour-long meeting.

“Sharing and learning from our community of Catholic fathers is more personal,” he said. “Metal sharpens metal and Catholic fathers sharpen Catholic fathers.”

PRAY

It might sound simple, but fathers need to pray. Chris Weller of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Sharonville, became a dad last year. For Weller, daily prayer and Sunday Mass are most helpful for him in fulfilling his vocation as a father and as the spiritual leader of his household.

“I think Catholic fathers can learn faith and humility from St. Joseph. Jesus’ conception must have been an extremely trying experience, especially considering the culture during that time in history. He truly trusted in God, accepted God’s grace, and put the will of God ahead of any personal hopes and dreams,” Weller said.

“Our children will learn far more from our actions than our spoken words. Prayer to St. Joseph will help guide those actions,” said Steve Green, a member of IHM’s FATHERS Team.

MARIAN DEVOTION

Developing a relationship with the Blessed Mother is also key for fathers. Pray the Angelus, a Hail Mary or a decade of the Rosary. Include a statue of an image of the Blessed Mother that you see each day.

“Mary teaches us how to pray and meditate, especially because she treasured the moments of Jesus’ life in her heart,” said Father Edward Looney, a priest of the Diocese of Green Bay. “As a father, be like Mary and treasure the experiences of your life.”

Resources
BOOKS:
• Go to Joseph
by Father Richard W. Gilsdorf

• Keep Your Kids Catholic
by Marc Cardaronella

• The Fourth Cup by Scott Hahn

• Real Men Pray the Rosary
by David N. Calvillo

• The Return of the Prodigal Son
by Henri J.M. Nouwen

• St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body
series

HABITS:

• Eucharistic Adoration

• Read the daily Mass readings

• Pray the Rosary

• Build brotherhood with Catholic men in your parish

• Pray with, and for, your spouse

• Pray a daily Examen

This article appeared in the March 2021 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.