Sunday, June 16th is Father’s Day – a day set aside to honor all fathers and father figures.  Billy Graham once said, “a good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.”  As I think about this, I am reminded of St. Joseph who was entrusted by God to be the earthly father of Jesus.   St. Joseph was conscious of this responsibility and was a faithful and loving parent – a teacher, provider, and protector of Jesus. Scripture tells us that Joseph exhibited many wonderful virtues in his love and care for Mary and Jesus: compassion, courage, faith, humility and love.  Joseph was also a man of silence.  In silence he heard God’s voice speaking to him and he was obedient in doing God’s will.  He is designated by the church as the patron of fathers and he continues to be a model for all fathers and father figures today. 

Strength of a Mountain

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it … Dad

Anonymous

We wish all of our associates who are fathers or father figures a very Happy Father’s Day and we ask God’s blessings on them as they continue to care for their families.

We are grateful to them for being role models to their children and others and for exemplifying the virtues of St. Joseph by living the SSJ charism.  This is what makes the SSJ Mission Possible.