On May 1, 2021, the Catholic bishops of the Philippines will consecrate the nation under the patronage of Saint Joseph. This will be on the feast of St. Joseph the Worker.
The Year of St. Joseph was declared by His Holiness Pope Francis last December 8, 2020, which will last until December 8, 2021. This year is the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.
“Hopefully this can push us on to increase our devotion to Saint Joseph,” Apostolic Administrator Bishop Pabillo said in his opening message in the Consecration Conversation with Fr. Don Calloway last February 13, 2021.
“This is another special thing of this year, the Year of St. Joseph, where we are all excited to consecrate ourselves and to make St. Joseph really part of our families, and part of the expression of our faith to St. Joseph who guarded and guided the Holy Family; and also guide the Church especially during this time,” he added.
Fr. Donald “Don” Calloway, the author of the famous “Consecration to St. Joseph”, had expressed his gratefulness to the Filipino community for having to introduce him to the saint, and how the saint had helped him change his life.
“Not only are the Filipinos in love with Mary, […] you’re also a people of Joseph,” Fr. Calloway said.
He had admired the national consecration of the Philippines to the Patron of the Universal Church.
“I know the Philippines is having a difficult time right now; [and] we can go to him for everything. For hope, for peace, for conversion to bring us closer to Jesus and Mary. […] St. Joseph will increase one’s virtue and holiness, because that’s what a good father does.”
Through St. Joseph, we ought to know the comfort of such a good father, “because that’s what he did for Jesus and Mary, and that is what he wants to do for us.”
Fr. Calloway had also stated, that as we have the Virgin Mary as our spiritual mother, we have St. Joseph as our spiritual father.
“I’ll be praying for you, especially from March 30th to May 1st when many people [there] are going to do this consecration. […] This will be something that will renew the Philippines, renew the Church, renew the parishes, renew marriages, [and] bring about conversions because this is the time of St. Joseph.” said Fr. Calloway. (Althea de Guzman/Volunteer Writer, RCAM-AOC)
