On December 8, 2020, Pope Francis announced that a “Year of St. Joseph” will take place from December 8, 2020 until December 8, 2021. On that same day, Pope Francis released his Apostolic Letter Patris Corde (“A Father’s Heart”). It is available online, or as a PDF document to download and print:
Online (Vatican website) 11-page document (PDF)
Additionally, he authorized a number of ways of gaining special Plenary Indulgences during the “Year of St. Joseph”. The complete list is given in the following document:
“Year of St. Joseph Special
Indulgences” (full color PDF) Same “Special Indulgences”
document in Black and White (PDF)
To gain some of the Plenary Indulgences requires reciting specific prayers. They have been compiled into a single document: “Prayers for the Year of St. Joseph” (PDF):
Full page (2-sided) Booklet (bi-fold single sheet)
These resources,—the list of indulgences and the prayers—has been compiled into an e-book (EPUB format, DRM free). (To view this e-book, an e-book app needs to be installed on your computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone.)
The tradition of St. Joseph’s Table dates back to the Middle Ages. Today this tradition can be adapted for local communities.
The following books are available to help you complete a consecration to St. Joseph. (The links are to amazon.com. These titles are available from other vendors.)
Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Fr Donald Calloway
Consecration to Jesus through St. Joseph: An Integrated Look At the Holy Family by Dr. Gregory Bottaro and Jen Settle.
Click the button to download a handout for each painting.
Each handout contains the full image, as well as some notes.
What do we know about St. Joseph? Click the button to download this activity and teach your students about St. Joseph.
Top painting: “Saint Joseph with the Infant Saviour (Angels in the Clouds)” attributed to Bartolomé Esteban Murillo from about 1680.
Bottom painting: from the 1423 “Adoration of the Magi” altarpiece by Gentile da Fabriano, the left predella panel depicting “The Flight into Egypt”