A Letter From Our Pastor: We Have a Powerful Ally in St. Joseph

Dear Parishioners,

Count a tree’s rings and you discover the years it has passed through. You catch a glimpse of the journey it’s made. Thin rings may depict a particularly cold winter — blackened rings, a fire that passed through the forest.

Our Lenten journey marks for us another passing of a year, another cycle returning. What distinguishes Lent this year? What stands out this spring?

As we undertake our practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we find elements that are very familiar. As we become more fully a stewardship parish, we recognize that our prayer builds up the whole parish, that our fasting benefits the whole community and frees up more that we can give to the parish and others, that our almsgiving builds up the church so we can live out God’s commission.

But in addition to the familiar, Lent 2021 also has distinctive characteristics of its own. As the fallout of our global pandemic continues to wreak havoc, Pope Francis points us to a guide for this critical moment. Declaring this year the Year of St. Joseph, the Holy Father draws our focus back to another tumultuous moment, when kings raged and empires were in upheaval, but when a newborn brought the promise of new life.

St. Joseph, in the face of so much uncertainty, so much opposition, and so much responsibility, relentlessly trusted in God, and kept moving forward. His faith was invisible in the eyes of the world, but unlocked life for all of us. Pope Francis in his declaration writes: “Each of us can discover in Joseph — the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence — an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble.”

This month, smack dab in the middle of Lent on March 19, we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary. God introduces rescue, God saves a devastated world, through the family — through a husband, a wife, and a newborn child.

Let this Lent be the Lent when you discover you have a powerful ally, a friend in high places. You can gain extraordinary graces and indulgences (see note below) with St. Joseph. St. Isidore’s, our families, our school, our town and county — and the world — need help from heaven. Look to the giant among the saints, known as the Terror of Demons, and start winning with St. Joseph.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. Avram Brown, Pastor

To read more about Pope Francis’ declaration on the Church granting plenary indulgences for the year of St. Joseph, visit www.bit.ly/StJoseph2021

Pope Francis’ Prayer to St. Joseph

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted His only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

Rev. Avram Brown, Pastor