On the Solemnity of St. Joseph, we share with the entire Congregational family an excerpt from Circular Letter No. 52 of our Superior General, Graciela Francovig, fi.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph. His greatness lies in the fact that he was the husband of Mary and the father of Jesus. His feast day takes us to Jesus and to the heart of the Gospel, for he played an important role in the history of salvation. For this reason, the Christian people have a great devotion to this saint.
Pope Francis in his apostolic letter Patris Corde told us: “Everyone can find in St. Joseph – the man who goes unnoticed, the man of daily, discreet and hidden presence – an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of difficulty. St. Joseph reminds us that all those who are apparently hidden or in the “second line” have an unparalleled protagonism in the history of salvation”.
Mother Candida has also expressed a fine devotion to St. Joseph. We remember that our first house in Salamanca bore his name. And, in numerous letters, we find expressions of hers that make us feel her special devotion. To cite just one: ” I suppose they will be preparing for Sunday, the patronage of St. Joseph, to receive many graces, because St. Joseph can do much in heaven. Let us go with much faith and hope…”. (CMF 36)
Towards the end of the letter, Br. Graciela shares a text, of which she says: “I found it useful when I read it”.
“We need a change of paradigm, that is, a new way of following Jesus that takes charge of what is happening to us in this first third of the 21st century and that does not drag along by inertia heavy burdens that prevent us from living with serenity and joy. It is one thing to accept with peace the numerical decrease and aging and quite another to resign oneself to a moribund consecrated life that compromises with mediocrity and only seeks small oases of order and tranquility in the middle of the desert (…) No institute of consecrated life is asked to be very numerous or eternally young, but it is asked to have a clear project of evangelical life, and to help the Church to stay awake…”.
He ends the letter wishing us:
Very happy St. Joseph's Day! To him we entrust ourselves and pray for all the people who bear his name.
