Consecration to St Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father
Recommened by Rev Pius Collins O.Praem
Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father, Donald H. Calloway, MIC (Stockbridge, MA: Marian Press, 2020)
Ite ad Ioseph! Go to Joseph! This phrase occurs in Gen 41:55, “When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, ‘Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do’.” (ESV) These words spoken by Pharaoh about Joseph, son of Jacob, the Church has long applied to St Joseph, the Foster Father of Our Lord. This injunction should resonate in our ears all the more loudly as His Holiness Pope Francis announced, to the surprise of many, that the year from December 8th 2020 to December 8th 2021 is to be the ‘Year of St Joseph’, in his apostolic letter Patris Corde. It is believed that this was inspired by the request and work of Fr Donald Calloway whose mission in spreading devotion to St Joseph produced this wonderful book Consecration to St Joseph.
The format of Consecration to St Joseph is based on St Louis Marie De Montfort’s 33 day consecration; however, it is also designed so that it can be read outside of a consecration period as a book of meditations, devotions, and reflections on St Joseph and the importance of devotion to him for Christians in this present time. As I write this I have just begun the Consecration leading up to March 19th (Solemnity of St Joseph) with Catholic Man UK (https://catholicman.uk/), but a period of consecration could be made leading up to Easter Sunday starting on March 2nd 2021, or for another period.
Fr Calloway repeats, many times, that now is the time of St Joseph, “Why? Simply put, the majority of men no longer know or understand what it means to be a gentleman, let alone what it means to be a good father…Contraception, pornography, abortion, gender confusion, moral depravity, empty churches, morally corrupt clergy, and cultural chaos are only a few of the fruits of a society that lack real men and fathers.” These are just some of the reasons that now is the time of St Joseph; now is the time for us to consecrate ourselves to St Joseph, claim him as our spiritual father and imitate him in the world. This book is not just for men, any more than devotion to St Joseph is just for men, it is for every Christian who wishes to deepen his or her relationship to God our Heavenly Father. Therefore, I encourage you to pick up, read, and inwardly digest this book for the sake of your soul and the conversion of the World. Ite ad Ioseph! Go to Joseph!
Rev Pius Collins o.praem.