{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Homilies from the National Shrine","title":"The Hidden Father Who Protects the Church - Fr. Matthew Tomeny | 3/19/26","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":814,"description":"The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031926.cfmHappy St. Joseph's Day! Five years ago marked a historic milestone — the Church's first year ever dedicated to St. Joseph. This is no accident. Though St. Joseph was humbly hidden, he played the most significant role after the Blessed Virgin Mary in assisting Christ's plan of redemption. After Mary, he remains the most significant figure in Christ's plan of salvation for all people.Father Matthew Tomeny, MIC, reflects on this profound truth, exploring how devotion to St. Joseph has grown organically over time, rather like the Church has grown in her devotion to and understanding of the Eucharist. In the last 150 years, the Holy Spirit has moved the Church to develop her teaching about and devotion to St. Joseph. Since the Holy Father’s declaration of St, Joseph as universal patron of the Church in 1870, we have seen encyclicals, religious orders, and shrines dedicated to him. Pope Leo XIII dedicated March to Saint Joseph. In 1955, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker was added to the calendar. In the 1962 revision of the Roman Missal, St. Joseph was inserted into the Roman Canon. In 2013, Pope Francis added St. Joseph to the rest of the Eucharistic Prayers, as well.Pope Francis also declared a Year of Saint Joseph from Dec. 8, 2020 through Dec. 8, 2021, and consecration to him has grown rapidly. As our Lord tells us in the “Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska,” God is preparing us for His second coming, giving us the Day of Mercy before the Day of Judgment. With this will come the triumph of the Immaculate Heart, joined to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.We are living in a time of moral and spiritual famine. The Church must go to St. Joseph, just as Israel went to Joseph in times of famine. Saint Joseph protects the Church from real attacks threatening destruction. During the Holy Family's exile in Egypt, it must have been tempting to think Jesus was not the Messiah. Similarly, when...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/RyS-C2ZLvo8KH5NqfI6NL8IYJ95DYB9GdIPXRzHWFC4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzE3MzgyLzE2Mjc2/NTE3MjQtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}