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St. Joseph Resources: March 2026 Newsletter

Go To Joseph image of Joseph with Jesus

St. Joseph resources for the Feast of St. Joseph (March 19) — reflections, prayers, and audio to strengthen Catholic families.

From the Desk of Steve Wood (March 2026 Newsletter)

For the Feast of St. Joseph on March 19th, we are featuring the timeless acrostic by Fr. Francis Peffley of the Diocese of Arlington, VA. Fr. Peffley was one of the first priests to speak at our Catholic fatherhood conferences.

Four Dreams That Guided St. Joseph (Matthew’s Gospel)

  1. Dream #1 (1:18–24): Your fiancé is pregnant out of wedlock, and in a dream, God says to take her as your wife. Her child is Emmanuel: God with us!

  2. Dream #2 (2:13–14): God commands Joseph to depart for Egypt in the middle of the night in order to protect Jesus, leaving his job and home.

  3. Dream #3 (2:19): He’s told that it’s time to leave Egypt and go back to Israel.

  4. Dream #4 (2:22): To avoid threats to Jesus, he’s told to go and live in Nazareth.

God thought otherwise. Without Joseph’s leadership and protection, Jesus would be dead, and Mary could be vulnerable to judicial punishment.

Listen: Episode 571 — “The Man God Chose as the Father of Jesus”

In a recent (politically incorrect) episode of Faith & Family Bible Studies, Steve reflects on why God chose a father for the Holy Family — and why fatherhood remains essential for the Church and the world today. Episode teaser below:

Listen Now to the full Episode 571 – The Man God Chose as the Father of Jesus: St. Joseph

Prayer for Protection Through St. Joseph

A prayer, along with the prayer to St. Michael, that’s appropriate for the times we are living in.

Full Prayer of Pope Leo XIII for St. Joseph’s Protection

To thee, O blessed Joseph, we have recourse in our affliction; and, having implored the help of thy thrice holy Spouse, we now, with hearts filled with confidence, earnestly beg thee also to take us under thy protection.

By that charity which bound thee to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and by the paternal love with which thou didst embrace the Child Jesus, we humbly beseech thee graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by His Blood, and with thy power and strength to aid us in our necessities.

O most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be kind to us and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness.

As once thou didst rescue the Child Jesus from deadly peril, so now protect God’s Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity; shield, too, each one of us by thy constant protection, so that, supported by thine example and strengthened by thy aid, we may be able to live a holy life, to die a happy death, and to obtain eternal bliss in heaven.

Amen.

Why Go to Joseph — Six Reflections

Adapted from reflections by Rev. Francis J. Peffley, Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Lourdes, Arlington, VA.

St. Joseph’s strength is quiet, but decisive. In these reflections, we consider the virtues God chose to safeguard the Holy Family — virtues every Catholic is called to grow in.

J — Joseph the Just Man

John Paul II, in The Guardian of the Redeemer, calls Joseph the just man — a holy man of honesty, integrity, and virtue. St. Joseph is the greatest and holiest saint after the Blessed Mother. Some Doctors of the Church even said that no grace was given to any saint (except Mary) that was not also given to St. Joseph.

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that God gives grace proportionate to our vocation. A husband and father receive grace for that calling; a priest receives grace for his. Consider the grace given to St. Joseph as foster father of the Son of God and virginal spouse of the Immaculate Conception. He was closest to Jesus and Mary.

All are called to holiness. We must ask: Am I developing the virtues and integrity of St. Joseph?

O — Joseph the Obedient One

Joseph was obedient to God’s will. When the angel told him to take Mary as his wife, he obeyed. When warned of danger, he rose and fled to Egypt.

Though some ancient writings portray him as elderly, Scripture gives no such indication. He was strong enough to protect and provide for his family.

Whenever Joseph received direction from God, he obeyed without hesitation or complaint. Even when traveling to Bethlehem before Jesus’ birth, he trusted Divine Providence.

Ask yourself: Am I obedient to God’s will and the teachings of His Church?

S — Joseph the Silent One

No words of St. Joseph are recorded in the New Testament, yet his silent presence speaks powerfully. He was a strong man with a deep interior life.

Silence fosters prayer. Joseph listened to God and accepted trials without complaint. He worked and suffered quietly, trusting in the Lord.

Do I cultivate silence? Do I guard my speech? Do I make time for prayer?

E — Joseph the Example

God the Father chose Joseph to raise His only begotten Son. Joseph was a true father to Jesus in every way except physical generation. He taught Him to speak, read, and work.

“Your example shouts so loudly I cannot hear what you say.” Children learn from what they see. Jesus grew under Joseph’s guidance.

What example do I give my spouse and children? Do I lead them in faith?

P — Joseph the Patron

St. Joseph is patron of fathers, husbands, workers, the universal Church, and a happy death. We pray to die as he did — in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

What Joseph did for Jesus, he now does for the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. We should confidently seek his intercession and ask him to protect our families and lead us to a holy death.

H — Joseph the Helper of the Blessed Mother

Joseph was the loving, self-sacrificing spouse of Mary and spiritual head of the Holy Family. Though Mary was immaculately conceived and Jesus was the Son of God, Joseph was chosen to lead that family.

Joseph and Mary worked together. When husband and wife unite in leading their family toward God, they accomplish far more than either could alone.

Am I helping my spouse and leading my family toward Heaven?

Let us reflect on St. Joseph — the Just Man, the Obedient One, the Silent Saint, the Perfect Example, the Patron, and the Helper of Mary — and strive to imitate him in our own lives.

Download an easy-to-follow Go To Joseph Resource. 

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