MARCH 2015: MONTH OF THE PASSION OF ST. JOSEPH

March is honored as the month of the St. Joseph.  St. Joseph is the foster father of Jesus Christ as the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Because of his care and protection of them, he is considered the protector of the Catholic Church and families. Many countries have likewise adopted him as their protector, and more particularly, he is considered the patron of workers.  St. Joseph was considered a "just man" and earned his living as a carpenter.  He was engaged to Mary, and upon learning about her pregnancy, he considered breaking up with her.  An angel appeared to him in a dream and told him that Mary had not sinned against him; the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and would be the Saviour of the world.  St. Joseph then stayed with Mary and protected her and Jesus his whole life.  In Jesus' infancy, St. Joseph was awoken by an angel and told to flee with his family into Egypt because King Herod wanted to kill Jesus. He did this immediately. Later, when it was safe (King Herod had died) St. Joseph brought them back to Nazareth. St. Joseph's humility and obedience to God in the exact fulfillment of his duties is what makes him a model in heroic virtue.

Dates in BOLD are Holy Days of Obligation:

March 1: Second Sunday of Lent, St. David

Mar. 2: Bl. Charles the Good

Mar. 3: St. Katharine Drexel

March 4: St. Casimir

Mar. 5: St. John Joseph of the Cross

Mar. 6: St. Colette

Mar. 7: Sts. Perpetua and Felicity

March 8: Third Sunday of Lent, St. John of God

Mar. 9: St. Frances of Rome

Mar. 10: St. John Ogilvie

Mar. 11: St. Constantine

Mar. 12: St. Fina

Mar. 13: Bl. Agnello of Pisa

Mar.. 14: St. Matilda

March 15: Fourth Sunday of Lent,  Laetare Sunday (Mothering Sunday)

Mar. 16: St. Abban

Mar. 17: St. Patrick

Mar. 18: St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Mar. 19: The Solemnity of St Joseph

Mar. 20: Bl. John of Parma

Mar. 21: St. Edna

March 22: Passion Sunday, Fifth Sunday of Lent

Mar. 23: St. Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo

Mar. 24: St. Aldemar

Mar. 25: The Annunciation of the Lord, St. Dismas

Mar. 26: St. Margaret Clitherow

Mar. 27: St. Rupert

Mar. 28: Lazarus Saturday, St. Venturino of Bergamo

March 29:  Palm Sunday of the Passion of Our Lord

Mar. 30: Monday of Holy Week, St. Peter Regulatus

Mar. 31: Tuesday of Holy Week, St. Benjamin