Catholic Fire

Today is the feast day of St. Joseph the Worker. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, is the patron saint of workers. Pope Pius XII decided in 1955 to add the optional feast day of Saint Joseph the Worker on May 1, to counteract the Communists’ May Day holiday by Christianizing this European Labor Day. Like St. Joseph, let us offer our work as an act of charity done for the love of God and for the love of others, for work well done is a work of love. Work has the capacity to perfect us in a heavenly way. Through our work, we share in the cross of Christ. Like the mystery of the Incarnation, Joseph performed his work in a quiet, hidden way, offering all that he did up to God. Let us imitate him in this way and thank God for the gift of our work, which draws us closer to Him. Prayer to St. Joseph, as Patron of Workers Blessed St. Joseph, patron of all working people, obtain for me the grace to labor in a spirit of penance for the atonement of my many sins. Help me to be conscientious in m...

“Work is not just another object, but rather the expression and condition of spiritual and social development of man. When we forget about this primary relationship of work with man’s dignity, it loses its cultural richness and moral value...When we take seriously the importance of work in the life of man, we cannot help but affirm that it is morally unjust and culturally poor for a society not to react in response to the scourge of unemployment and poverty or for it to accept inhumane conditions or take advantage of the employment of minors. To teach people to work is a sign of a wise society." ~ Archbishop Jose Maria Arancedo of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, Buenos Aires, on the feast of St. Joseph, the Worker

Today is the feast day of St. Joseph the Worker. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, is the patron saint of workers. Pope Pius XII decided in 1955 to add the optional feast day of Saint Joseph the Worker on May 1, to counteract the Communists’ May Day holiday by Christianizing this European Labor Day. He assured his audience and the working people of the world: “You have beside you a shepherd, a defender and a father” in Saint Joseph, the carpenter whom God in His providence chose to be the virginal father of Jesus and the head of the Holy Family. He is silent but has excellent hearing, and his intercession is very powerful over the Heart of the Savior." Prayer to Saint Joseph Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations; to gratefully and joyously deem it an honor to employ and to develop by labor the gifts I...