SFDA-Tagakpan Celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“O Saint Joseph, humble and mild. You gave yourself to comfort me and the child.”

San Francisco De Asis Parish-Tagakpan which is led by the Oblates of Saint Joseph, celebrated on Saturday, March 19, 2022 the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin at 7:30 in the morning. The solemnity of St. Joseph began with a holy mass presided by parish priest, Rev. Fr. Mark Jann Perez, OSJ, and was concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Delbert Jardinaso, OSJ, and Rev. Fr. Jeffrey Dinglasan, OSJ. The mass was attended by several parishioners and the Caballeros de San Jose.

St. Joseph was an average laborer despite being a descendant of King David. Sacred Scripture says little more about him except that he was a just man, a statement that reflects how faithfully he protected and guarded God’s greatest gifts on earth: Jesus and Mary. He is sometimes called “silent one”, as no utterances of his are recorded in the Gospels. In the early Church, there was no devotion to St. Joseph to firmly impress upon the minds of the faithful the virgin birth of our Lord. But later by the early Middle Ages, he became venerated as a great saint. (Saint Joseph-Spouse of the Virgin Mary | Newman Ministry, 2013)

According to Rev. Fr. Jeffrey Dinglasan OSJ, the novena masses and the feast of St. Joseph is a commemoration of his goodness as the foster-father of Jesus.

The novena masses were initiated and heralded by the Caballeros de San Jose – an organization within the parish that is composed of dedicated and responsible fathers. They aim to be like St. Joseph as he stood as the head of the Holy Family and took charge in looking after the best interests of Jesus. Today these fathers stand as promoters and missionaries of Jesus to families in our parish. It is a good picture and reminder that men would always be “custos” (guardians) like St. Joseph in this modern world.

There are currently two major feasts in St. Joseph’s honor. On March 19, we honor him personally as Mary’s husband and for his role in the work of redemption, while on May 1 we honor him as the patron of workers all over the world and as our guide in the difficult task of establishing equitable norms regarding obligations and rights in the social order.

As the Church celebrates this feast day, the parishioners and men of St. Joseph in San Francisco De Asis Parish-Tagakpan continue to serve and pray for more blessings and guidance from St. Joseph to their families and loved ones. (Adonis Y. Bono, Jr., SFDA-SoCCom)