Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father

by Donald H. Calloway

Introduction I did not understand him [St. Joseph] well enough, but that will change.1 — St. John of the Cross In the 16th century, St. John of the Cross, one of the greatest mystics of the Church, humbly acknowledged that he lacked a proper understanding of the greatness of St. Joseph. Inspired by the tremendous love that his friend, St. Teresa of Avila, had for St. Joseph, St. John of the Cross made a firm resolution to get to know and love St. Joseph better. What about you? Do you know St. Joseph? Do you feel you understand his greatness and love for you? Well, my friends, get ready! Consecration to St. Joseph is going to unveil the wonders of St. Joseph like never before! Now is the time of St. Joseph! It’s a bold claim, I admit. Yet I truly believe that in our day the Lord wants to direct our hearts, families, parishes, dioceses, and Church to St. Joseph in a major way. This action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church has been gaining momentum for a very long time. Don’t get me wrong: Saint Joseph has always held a special place in Christians’ hearts. Across the centuries, saints, popes, mystics, scholars, and laity alike have praised and extolled the greatness of St. Joseph. In the 16th century, the Holy Spirit used St. Teresa of Avila to bring about a greater awareness of St. Joseph in the Church. Even before St. Teresa, saints such as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Bernardine of Siena, and St. Lawrence of Brindisi strongly emphasized the greatness of St. Jos...