St Joseph: Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

‘Jeppu Church’ is dedicated to St Joseph, who is the spouse of Our Lady and the foster-father of the Incarnate Word. In the Gospels, he is known as the ‘Just Man’ who protected the dignity and took care of Virgin Mary.  He took care of Jesus and protected him from the wrath of King Herod. When Jesus was found missing in the temple, both Joseph and Mary went in search of Him. Since there is no reference of Joseph after this incident, it has been reasonably inferred that he did not live to see the beginning of Our Lord's public ministry. The date and place of his death and burial are unknown, but devotion has been shown to him since the earliest times; the eastern Copts already celebrated a feast in his honour in the 4th century, and his cult has been steadily increasing in a marvelous manner.

Joseph is, no doubt, the greatest and most beloved of all the saints of the Catholic Church next only to Mary. His greatness and that of Mary are measured by their closeness to Jesus Christ when he came to earth two millennia ago as the Word-Made-Flesh, the God-With-Us, to impart eternal life to all who believed in him. Little wonder then that St Joseph is also invoked for a happy death. "All should go to Joseph in their difficulties," the Church advises and urges!

Great in spirit, great in faith, St Joseph comes through as a man who heard the words of the living God he listened to those words in silence, and became, as it were, the first witness of the Divine Mystery.

In 1870, on 8 December Pope Pius IX, proclaimed Joseph the Patron Saint of the Universal Church. In 1955 Pope Pius XII added the title, "Patron of workmen", the feast to be celebrated on 1 May. St Joseph is the Patron of the Diocese of Mangalore and there are many churches and institutions named after St Joseph in the Diocese of Mangalore.

Pope Francis says, "Joseph found happiness not in mere self-sacrifice but in self-gift. In him, we never see frustration but only trust. His patient silence was the prelude to concrete expressions of trust. " (Patris Corde, 7).

St Joseph who took care of Mary and Jesus, of the Holy Family is the best person to take care of the followers of Jesus. ‘Jeppu Church’ which is under the protection and care of St Joseph, is growing steadily through his intercession.

 "When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took Mary as his wife" (Matthew 1:24). May St Joseph help us to listen to the voice of the Lord and to do His will to live a holy life like St Joseph.

St Joseph, Pray For Us