It’s hard not to bring our own cultural experiences to our vision of Joseph. When we combine that with the gloss of theology that has built up over the centuries, […]
Our vision of the Nativity assumes that the shepherds were the first to see Jesus. Like the ideas that Jesus was born in a stable/shed or that Joseph acted as […]
Most Americans put on the green on March 17, Saint Patrick’s Day, but just two days later—March 19—is the Feast of Saint Joseph. Celebrated especially in Sicily, the Solemnity of […]
Artists almost always show Mary, Joseph, and the new-born Jesus all alone—except for a cow, a donkey, and eventually some sheep and scruffy shepherds. Like the idea of Jesus being […]
Our traditional Nativity scenes show the Holy Family in a drafty, often three-sided stable, in some desolate location. While scholars debate if Jesus was really born in Bethlehem and in […]
Our historical information about Joseph is limited, but the pious legends that have developed over the centuries abound because humans long to know the “rest of the story.” The Protoevangelium […]
We are told in Matthew 1:18 that Joseph was betrothed to Mary. Betrothal is a confusing concept especially for those in Western cultures. In biblical times, it was a serious […]
How do you envision Saint Joseph? Is he the grey-haired grandfatherly figure of Renaissance paintings or the young, buff man shown in some modern portrayals? While it is a bit […]
The first thing Pope Francis says about Joseph is that he is a “beloved father.” A beloved person is one who is deeply and profoundly loved. In the Song of […]
As the Catholic Church continues the mission of teaching the Christian faith, the new Directory for Catechesis (2020) lays out the how-to guidelines for catechesis and presents universal norms to […]
