Why should we be dedicated to St. Joseph?

Find out from my good friend Esther, at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii.

St. Joseph paper doll

They are actually called Paper Dalis, and there are lots to choose from. Veronica, at Paper Dalis, offers saints and historical characters to print, color, cut, and play with.

All Saints Day is coming and these are perfect for a parade of saints. Don't miss St. Joseph!

Catholic book review -- St. Joseph, My Real Estate Agent

St. Joseph, My Real Estate Agent
by Stephen J. Binz
Servant Books ©2003
ISBN 1-56955-361-0

The intercession of St. Joseph is sought in all sorts of family matters, including the sale of a home. It is now a popular belief that burying a St. Joseph statue on your property can help you in the sale of your house. As webmaster of the Virtual St. Joseph Altar, I get many questions about burying St. Joseph. It was my hope that St. Joseph, My Real Estate Agent would shed a bit more light on this increasingly popular practice.

Author Stephen J. Binz presents a light and sometimes personal look at the life of St. Joseph. Although not much is actually known or written about St. Joseph, Binz, a Catholic biblical scholar, brings the reader to the town of Nazareth where he explores the details of the daily life of the foster-father of Jesus. St. Joseph becomes your friend as his life as a carpenter, husband, and father unfolds. The author shares with the reader his own personal journey towards true devotion to St. Joseph.

Only a small portion of the book delves into the actual practice of burying a statue of St. Joseph. Binz rightly encourages the reader to get to know St. Joseph and cultivate a friendship with him. This is not a superstitious ritual and it must be approached with faith and sincerity. In fact, you don't even need to bury the statue. At the back of the book there is a section of prayers which includes: a prayer service for the burial of a St. Joseph statue; blessing a home; a spouse's prayer; a parent's prayer; and a prayer for daily work.

Binz confirms that the statue burying ritual has no endorsement by the Church and no one knows how or where it began, but I have my own theory. The tradition may have began hundreds of years ago during the time when St.Teresa of Avila was opening Carmelite Convents throughout Europe. Taking only the bare necessities and their statue of St. Joseph, her nuns would set out in search of land or buildings suitable for a new convent. St. Teresa of Avila always encouraged her nuns to pray to St. Joseph. It is believed that, on one particular search, the nuns found a piece of property perfect for their needs. Having no money, the nuns immediately started to petition St. Joseph for the funds needed to buy the property. In the meantime, having no place to stay, the nuns decided to bury their statue of St. Joseph on the property so he would not get stolen or broken. After the nuns prayed to St. Joseph, someone purchased the land and built them a convent. When it was finished, the sisters dug up the statue and built a beautiful shrine inside in honor of St. Joseph.

St. Joseph's popularity is on the rise and not just because of his so-called home selling skills. Binz states:

. . . Our society has been described as father-hungry. We have too many absent fathers, deadbeat dads, daughters without fathers to encourage them, and sons without dads to look up to. . . . For the father-hungry people of the world, for the million deprived of a healthy, fulfilling relationship with a father, Joseph is an ideal foster father. When we need the attention that only a father can give, the man that Jesus called Dad is ready to listen.

St. Joseph is a saint for today. Seek his intercession and you will be pleasantly surprised. When asking for the intercession of St Joseph to sell your home, the emphasis should properly be placed on our belief in the communion of the Saints and our desire to do all things according to the will of God.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on St. Joseph, My Real Estate Agent.

Prayer for workers on Labor Day

Let us pray to St. Joseph, patron of workers, for the employed, under-employed, and unemployed.

O Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph. Such shall be my watch-word in life and in death.
Amen
-- Pope Saint Pius X

To Saint Joseph on Labor Day Eve

This is from one of my favorite blogs, Les Femmes:

Poor St. Joseph, he is one of the greatest saints in the Church, but so often overlooked. I just reviewed several of my books about selected saints and not one mentioned St. Joseph. Perhaps they assume devotion to the foster father of Jesus and choose to focus on the lesser known servants of God.

Whatever the reason, I think we need to reflect every day on dear St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death. Since all of us are moving in that direction, prudence dictates friendship with this "just man." Please, St. Joseph, be at my bedside when I am preparing to meet my God. . . . keep reading!

Appreciating St. Joseph

Please visit A Catholic Mom in Hawaii for this beautiful post on St. Joseph: Appreciating St. Joseph.

Thank you, Esther!

Happy Father's Day to St. Joseph

St. Joseph - The Earthly Reflection of Our Heavenly Father
With today being Father's Day in the USA, I think it is a good time for us to take a quick look at St. Joseph & see how his actions reflect those of God the Father. . . .

Keep reading Allen's great Father's Day post at Is Anybody There?

More on St. Joseph the Worker

Karin at Daughter of the King has a wonderful post on St. Joseph the Worker:

In today's culture work is often seen as something that is just necessary to pay the bills. While this is true, our work can and should be offered to God for His glory. . . .read more!

St. Joseph the Worker Feast Day

Happy Saint Joseph the Worker Feast Day. St. Joseph rates two special days in the Church year: The Feast of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary -- March 19, Solemnity, and The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker -- May 1, Memorial. Pope Pius XII instituted today's Feast in 1955.

Daily Prayer to Saint Joseph, the Worker
Glorious Saint Joseph,
pattern of all who are devoted to toil,
obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance,
in order thereby to atone for my many sins;
to work conscientiously, putting devotion to duty
before my own inclinations;
to work with thankfulness and joy,
deeming it an honor to employ and to develop,
by my labor, the gifts I have received from Almighty God;
to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience,
without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties;
to work, above all, with pure intention
and with a spirit of detachment from self,
having always before my eyes the hour of death
and the accounting which I must then render
of time ill-spent, of talents unemployed, of good undone,
and of my empty pride in success,
which is so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus,
all through Mary,
all in imitation of thee,
O Blessed Joseph!
This shall be my motto in life and in death.
Amen.

New St. Joseph Altar Cookbook

From the Times Picayune:

According to Our Lady of Lourdes St. Joseph Altar Ministry Chairwoman Mary Leonard, this year it will offer the largest cookbook to date at the altar. It contains more than 100 recipes for the traditional cookies and foods, many of which have been handed down for generations, she said.

"It's a collage of recipes from people who have come here over the years," she said.

Their first printing of 150 copies sold out quickly, so they are in the process of reprinting. The cookbooks will be $5 each. Mary is asking that people write to her. Include your name, address, phone number, and the number of cookbooks you are interested in. You should probably figure on $5 or so for shipping. Do not send money at this time! When they reprint, they will contact and collect the money/orders.

write to: Mary Leonard
219 Carr Drive
Slidell, LA 70458

Many thanks to Jenn for sending this info to me!