Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter, Patris Corde, called the Church to set aside 2021 as a year to focus our attention on St Joseph as patron of the Universal Church.
The co-founders of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, St Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods, chose St Joseph to be the congregation’s patron. During this Year of St Joseph, the congregation will mark each of its primary feasts with special prayers and celebrations, including a week of “virtual” prayer with the sisters, affiliates and Josephite companions, beginning on 12 March up to the feast of St Joseph (19 March).
The Sisters have prepared a series of prayer resources to help people reflect on various aspects of St Joseph’s character and mission. The prayers include reflection questions and can be prayed individually or in groups:
- Day 1 – St Joseph, Deeply Loved
- Day 2 – St Joseph, Tender and Loving
- Day 3 – St Joseph, the Obedient One
- Day 4 – St Joseph, the Accepting One
- Day 5 – St Joseph, the Creative and Courageous Believer and Guide
- Day 6 – St Joseph, the Worker, Providing for All
- Day 7 – St Joseph, in the Shadows
Other events include the feast of St Joseph the Worker (1 May); the feast of St Mary MacKillop (8 August) and the anniversary of the death of Fr Julian Tenison Woods (7 October).
Visit the Sisters of St Joseph website for more information and resources.
