Within this “Year of Saint Joseph,” we now celebrate the “Month of Saint Joseph,” which also includes his feast on the 19th. We remain in Lent throughout the month. Perhaps some of our Lenten exercises can include devotions to the Foster-Father of Our Lord. We will be posting some prayers to Saint Joseph on his feastday.

March also includes 2 Marian feasts, the Annunciation and the lesser feast of the Seven Sorrows (one week before Good Friday). Interestingly, Saint Gabriel is celebrated the day before the feast of the Annunciation. We also honor 4 Doctors of the Church, including Pope St. Gregory the Great, who is considered by some “The Greatest of the Great” (in other words, the greatest Pope who ever lived, having a reign of only 14 years). This got me very curious about him, so look for a post on his feast, which will try to understand his charism. Saint Isidore the Farmer’s feast is on the 22nd, which brings to mind the mission of Nomen Christi Apostolate: the pursuit of a life closer to nature and more self-reliant. In the USA, I don’t think we are in danger of forgetting the feast of St. Patrick, much beloved by the many Irish whose ancestors settled here (myself included).

The month ends in Holy Week, our final Lenten penitential efforts, to prepare for the glorious feast of the Resurrection, the greatest of all solemnities. May we continue through the month of March to give the Most Holy Trinity our very best, to secure mercy for ourselves, our loved ones, Holy Church and the whole world at this hour. Here are some notable feasts coming up….

3/3-St. Katharine Drexel, 20th Century Saint

3/5-First Friday

3/6-First Saturday / Sts. Felicity & Perpetua, invoked in Canon of Mass (trad)

3/7-Sts. Felicity & Perpetua (new) / Saint Thomas Aquinas, Doctor, “The Angelic Doctor,” “The Common Doctor”

3/12-Pope St. Gregory the Great, Doctor, “The Greatest of the Great”

3/17-St. Patrick, Patron of Ireland

3/18-St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Doctor, “Doctor of Catechesis”

3/19-St. Joseph (solemnity, no Friday penance)

3/21-Passion Sunday (trad) / St. Benedict

3/22-St. Isidore the Farmer

3/24-St. Gabriel the Archangel, Angel of the Annunciation

3/25-THE ANNUNCIATION

3/26-SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

3/27-St. John Damascene, Doctor, “Doctor of Christian Art,” “Doctor of the Assumption”

3/28-PALM SUNDAY

3/31-Spy Wednesday

Image courtesy http://sacredheart-op.org