The General Audience this morning, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary's spouse, and Patron of the Universal Church, began at 10:30am in Saint Peter's Square. His Holiness, Pope Francis met there with groups of pilgrims and the faithful who had come from various parts of Italy and all corners of the world.
During his catechesis, spoken in Italian, the Pope presented a meditation on the theme of Saint Joseph the teacher. After the resumes of His catechesis, presented in various languages, the Holy Father expressed particular greetings to groups of the faithful who were present.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imposition of the Apostolic Blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, March 19, we celebrate the solemn Feast of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary and Patron of the universal Church. Let us therefore dedicate this catechesis to him, who deserves all our attention and our devotion because he was the one who took care of the Holy Virgin and her Son Jesus. Joseph's best-known characteristic was (and is) to be a guardian: it was and is his great mission to be a guardian.
Today I want to take up the topic of guardianship according to a particular perspective: the perspective of education. We look at Joseph as the model for educators, as one who takes care of and supports Jesus in the course of his growth in wisdom, age and grace, as the Gospel says. He was not Jesus’ father: Jesus’ Father was God, but he behaved as a father to Jesus, he behaved as a father to Jesus in order to allow him to grow. And in what way did he allow him to grow? In wisdom, age and grace.
We begin with age, which is the most natural dimension, marking physical and psychological growth. Joseph, together with Mary, took care of Jesus especially from this point of view, namely, he brought him up, taking care that he did not lack the necessities for healthy development. Let us not forget that the diligent caring for the life of this Child entailed also the flight into Egypt, the harsh experience of living as refugees – Joseph was a refugee, with Mary and Jesus – in order to escape Herod’s threat. Then, once they had returned to their homeland and were established at Nazareth, there was the whole long period of Jesus’ life as a child in his family. During those years, Joseph also taught Jesus his work, and Jesus learned to be a carpenter with his father Joseph. So Joseph brought Jesus up.
Let us go on to the second dimension of education, that of wisdom. Joseph was an example and a teacher of this wisdom, which is nourished by the Word of God. We can think of how Joseph taught the child Jesus to listen to the Sacred Scriptures, above all accompanying him on Saturdays to the synagogue in Nazareth. And Joseph went with him so that Jesus could hear the Word of God in the synagogue.
Finally, there is the dimension of grace. Referring to Jesus, Saint Luke says: And the grace of God was upon him (Luke 2:40). Here, certainly, the role reserved for Saint Joseph is more limited compared to the effects of age and of wisdom. However, it would be a grave error to think that a father and a mother can do nothing to help their children to grow in the grace of God. To grow in age, to grow in wisdom, to grow in grace: this is the work that Joseph did with Jesus, to make him grow in these three dimensions, to help him to grow.
Dear brothers and sisters, Saint Joseph’s mission is certainly unique and unrepeatable, because Jesus is absolutely unique. And yet, in his caring for Jesus, teaching him to grow in age, wisdom and grace Joseph is a model for every educator, in particular for every father. Saint Joseph is the model of the educator and of the daddy, of the father. Therefore, I entrust to his protection all parents, and all priests – who are also Fathers – and those who have an educational responsibility in the Church and in society. In a special way, I would like to greet today, on the occasion of Fathers' Day, all parents, all daddies: I greet you with all my heart! Let’s see: are there some daddies in the Square? Daddies, raise your hand! But how many daddies there are! My best wishes, my best wishes to you all on your special day! I ask for you the grace to be always very close to your children, letting them grow but being close to them, close to them! They need you, they need your presence, they need you to be close to them, they need your love. Be like Saint Joseph for your children: guardians as they grow in age, wisdom and grace. Guardians of their paths; their first and best teachers; and walk together with them. And with this closeness you will be true educators. Thank you for all you do for your children, thank you. Best wishes to you and happy Fathers' Day to all the daddies who are here, to all the daddies. May Saint Joseph bless you and accompany you all. Some of us have lost our daddy, he has gone, the Lord has called him. So many who are in the Square do not have their daddies. We can pray for all the daddies of the world, for the living daddies and also for the deceased ones and for our own, and we can do so together, each one remembering his daddy, whether he is alive or dead. And we pray to the great Daddy of us all, the Father. Let's pray an Our Father for our daddies: Our Father …
Our very best wishes to all the daddies!
Following the syntheses of this catechesis presented in various languages, the Holy Father spoke particular greetings to each group of pilgrims. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I am pleased to greet the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Ireland, Denmark, Indonesia, Canada - St. Joseph is the Patron of Canada! Let pray for Canada - and the United States. In a special way I greet the delegation from Sophia University in Japan, which this year marks the centenary of its founding. Upon all of you I invoke the joy and peace of Jesus our Lord!
During his catechesis, spoken in Italian, the Pope presented a meditation on the theme of Saint Joseph the teacher. After the resumes of His catechesis, presented in various languages, the Holy Father expressed particular greetings to groups of the faithful who were present.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imposition of the Apostolic Blessing.
Catechesis of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, March 19, we celebrate the solemn Feast of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary and Patron of the universal Church. Let us therefore dedicate this catechesis to him, who deserves all our attention and our devotion because he was the one who took care of the Holy Virgin and her Son Jesus. Joseph's best-known characteristic was (and is) to be a guardian: it was and is his great mission to be a guardian.
Today I want to take up the topic of guardianship according to a particular perspective: the perspective of education. We look at Joseph as the model for educators, as one who takes care of and supports Jesus in the course of his growth in wisdom, age and grace, as the Gospel says. He was not Jesus’ father: Jesus’ Father was God, but he behaved as a father to Jesus, he behaved as a father to Jesus in order to allow him to grow. And in what way did he allow him to grow? In wisdom, age and grace.
We begin with age, which is the most natural dimension, marking physical and psychological growth. Joseph, together with Mary, took care of Jesus especially from this point of view, namely, he brought him up, taking care that he did not lack the necessities for healthy development. Let us not forget that the diligent caring for the life of this Child entailed also the flight into Egypt, the harsh experience of living as refugees – Joseph was a refugee, with Mary and Jesus – in order to escape Herod’s threat. Then, once they had returned to their homeland and were established at Nazareth, there was the whole long period of Jesus’ life as a child in his family. During those years, Joseph also taught Jesus his work, and Jesus learned to be a carpenter with his father Joseph. So Joseph brought Jesus up.
Let us go on to the second dimension of education, that of wisdom. Joseph was an example and a teacher of this wisdom, which is nourished by the Word of God. We can think of how Joseph taught the child Jesus to listen to the Sacred Scriptures, above all accompanying him on Saturdays to the synagogue in Nazareth. And Joseph went with him so that Jesus could hear the Word of God in the synagogue.
Finally, there is the dimension of grace. Referring to Jesus, Saint Luke says: And the grace of God was upon him (Luke 2:40). Here, certainly, the role reserved for Saint Joseph is more limited compared to the effects of age and of wisdom. However, it would be a grave error to think that a father and a mother can do nothing to help their children to grow in the grace of God. To grow in age, to grow in wisdom, to grow in grace: this is the work that Joseph did with Jesus, to make him grow in these three dimensions, to help him to grow.
Dear brothers and sisters, Saint Joseph’s mission is certainly unique and unrepeatable, because Jesus is absolutely unique. And yet, in his caring for Jesus, teaching him to grow in age, wisdom and grace Joseph is a model for every educator, in particular for every father. Saint Joseph is the model of the educator and of the daddy, of the father. Therefore, I entrust to his protection all parents, and all priests – who are also Fathers – and those who have an educational responsibility in the Church and in society. In a special way, I would like to greet today, on the occasion of Fathers' Day, all parents, all daddies: I greet you with all my heart! Let’s see: are there some daddies in the Square? Daddies, raise your hand! But how many daddies there are! My best wishes, my best wishes to you all on your special day! I ask for you the grace to be always very close to your children, letting them grow but being close to them, close to them! They need you, they need your presence, they need you to be close to them, they need your love. Be like Saint Joseph for your children: guardians as they grow in age, wisdom and grace. Guardians of their paths; their first and best teachers; and walk together with them. And with this closeness you will be true educators. Thank you for all you do for your children, thank you. Best wishes to you and happy Fathers' Day to all the daddies who are here, to all the daddies. May Saint Joseph bless you and accompany you all. Some of us have lost our daddy, he has gone, the Lord has called him. So many who are in the Square do not have their daddies. We can pray for all the daddies of the world, for the living daddies and also for the deceased ones and for our own, and we can do so together, each one remembering his daddy, whether he is alive or dead. And we pray to the great Daddy of us all, the Father. Let's pray an Our Father for our daddies: Our Father …
Our very best wishes to all the daddies!
Following the syntheses of this catechesis presented in various languages, the Holy Father spoke particular greetings to each group of pilgrims. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I am pleased to greet the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Ireland, Denmark, Indonesia, Canada - St. Joseph is the Patron of Canada! Let pray for Canada - and the United States. In a special way I greet the delegation from Sophia University in Japan, which this year marks the centenary of its founding. Upon all of you I invoke the joy and peace of Jesus our Lord!
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