1.   Welcoming

2. Opening Prayer

3. Theme of the Month:

Under the protection of St. Joseph, we are all called to be saints

         “To be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious. We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer. That is not the case. We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves”.

(Apostolic Exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate” –

On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World, 14)

         We continue the study of the precious guidelines of Pope Francis and also of Pope Saint John Paul II.

10) With Saint Joseph, let us learn that the vocation to holiness is the first step, which precedes the specific vocation, and that it must be cultivated in the family.

         In the Apostolic Exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate” (On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World), in its # 14, Pope Francis teaches us that the call to holiness is meant for everyone. Let’s see:

         “To be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious. We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer. That is not the case. We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves.

         “Are you called to the consecrated life? Be holy by living out your commitment with joy. Are you married? Be holy by loving and caring for your husband or wife, as Christ does for the Church. Do you work for a living? Be holy by labouring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters. Are you a parent or grandparent? Be holy by patiently teaching the little ones how to follow Jesus. Are you in a position of authority? Be holy by working for the common good and renouncing personal gain”.

(Apostolic Exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate” –

On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World, 14)

         In order for adolescents and young people to desire to be saints and seek a specific way to live this desire for holiness, it is very important that each Christian family discover its mission of encouraging vocations.

         At the General Audience held in Saint Peter’s Square on December 17, 2014, Pope Francis teaches us that, in families, “children could be encouraged by the adolescent Jesus to understand the necessity and beauty of cultivating their most profound vocation and of dreaming great dreams!”.

         He also teaches us that, in the family, “Jesus cultivated his vocation, for which the Father had sent him”. Listen to Pope Francis:

         “We are certainly moved by the story of how the adolescent Jesus followed the religious calendar of the community and the social duties; in knowing how, as a young worker, He worked with Joseph; and then how He attended the reading of the Scriptures, in praying the Psalms and in so many other customs of daily life.

         “The Gospels, in their sobriety, make no reference to Jesus’ adolescence and leave this task to our loving meditation. Art, literature, music have taken this journey through imagination. It is certainly not difficult to imagine how much mothers could learn from Mary’s care for that Son! And how much fathers could glean from the example of Joseph, a righteous man, who dedicated his life to supporting and protecting the Child and his wife — his family — in difficult times.

         “Not to mention how much children could be encouraged by the adolescent Jesus to understand the necessity and beauty of cultivating their most profound vocation and of dreaming great dreams! In those 30 years, Jesus cultivated his vocation, for which the Father had sent him. And in that time, Jesus never became discouraged, but increased in courage in order to carry his mission forward. ”

(Message of Pope Francis’ General Audience

occurred in Saint Peter’s Square: December 17, 2014)

In this educational mission, parents are not alone. They can count on the support of their ecclesial community and they can seek the spiritual support of Saint Joseph, the Guardian of Vocations. Let us listen to Pope Saint John Paul II:

         “The growth of Jesus “in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man” (Lk 2:52) took place within the Holy Family under the eyes of Joseph, who had the important task of “raising” Jesus, that is, feeding, clothing and educating him in the Law and in a trade, in keeping with the duties of a father”.

(Saint John Paul II, Pope, Apostolic Exhortation

“Redemptoris Custos”, 16)

          “At a difficult time in the Church’s history, Pope Pius IX, wishing to place her under the powerful patronage of the holy patriarch Joseph, declared him “Patron of the Catholic Church.” For Pius IX this was no idle gesture, since by virtue of the sublime dignity which God has granted to his most faithful servant Joseph, “the Church, after the Blessed Virgin, his spouse, has always held him in great honor and showered him with praise, having recourse to him amid tribulations.”

       “What are the reasons for such great confidence? Leo XIII explained it in this way: “The reasons why St. Joseph must be considered the special patron of the Church, and the Church in turn draws exceeding hope from his care and patronage, chiefly arise from his having been the husband of Mary and the presumed father of Jesus…, Joseph was in his day the lawful and natural guardian, head and defender of the Holy Family…. It is thus fitting and most worthy of Joseph’s dignity that, in the same way that he once kept unceasing holy watch over the family of Nazareth, so now does he protect and defend with his heavenly patronage the Church of Christ.“”.

(Saint John Paul II, Pope, Apostolic Exhortation

“Redemptoris Custos”, 28)

4. Reflection and Sharing

         Share about the teachings of Pope Francis and Pope Saint John Paul II, contained in this “Josephite Spirituality Seeds”.

5. Appointment of the Month

         Interact with your parish community in the preparations for the Month of Vocations that we will celebrate in August.

6. Final Prayer.