I have the above image hanging in my office as a gift from my previous parish. It is a reminder to me of the steady and necessary work of St. Joseph who was an invaluable presence in the life of Jesus.

Pope Francis has called for this year to be the Year of St. Joseph. He is, as Pope Francis says, “the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence.” This means that he is accessible to us. He was not without sin, but he was a righteous man who loved Mary and Jesus with tenderness and strength.

In order to celebrate this year, I am inviting you to share in the Consecration to St. Joseph. Last year during my sabbatical many of you joined me in the total consecration to Mary. I hope that this spiritual exercise can be fruitful for all of us.

In particular, I want to strongly urge all fathers to participate in this consecration. We especially need you to be witnesses like St. Joseph and to take up your role as Christian fathers with wisdom and fortitude.

Specifically, I would like to invite you to read and pray with me the book, Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of our Spiritual Father, by Donald H. Calloway, MC. This book provides a 34-day retreat (33 days of preparation with the 34^th day as the day of consecration) with short reflections each day that lead us to the point of being able to consecrate ourselves to St. Joseph. I have ordered 20 copies that can be purchased at the parish for $15 (for fear that it would sell out) or you can buy it at these vendors:
Catholic Books Direct
EWTN
Catholic Supply
Amazon

I am proposing that we begin this retreat on Monday, February 15 and complete our consecration on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on March 19, 2021.

So what do you need?

1. You will need the book, Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of our Spiritual Father by Donald H. Calloway, MC. Again, we have some copies in the office or it can be found online or you could order it through a local bookstore. There is a link on our website to purchase the book online at various retailers. You are encouraged to order it by February 1 at the latest to ensure you have it in time.
2. You will need a desire to grow in your relationship with St. Joseph. Joseph wants to lead us to Jesus. I encourage you to pray for the desire to be led there.
3. You will need the schedule below. For your convenience, the schedule for all the days is shown there. The book is laid out very simply and is clear about how to follow these 34 days.

The Daily Calendar in preparation for total consecration