Pope Francis on March 18, 2020, urged the faithful to invoke St. Joseph with trust during difficult times.
His comments came during his live-streamed general audience. He reminded listeners that tomorrow – March 19 – is the Solemnity of St. Joseph.
«I warmly greet the Italian-speaking faithful, with a special thought for the young people, the elderly, the sick and the newlyweds,» the Holy Father said. «Tomorrow we will celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Joseph. In life, in work, in the family, in joy and in sorrow, he always sought and loved the Lord, meriting Scripture’s praise as a just and wise man. Invoke him always with trust, especially in difficult moments, and entrust your existence to this great Saint.»
Pope Francis also appealed for prayer, especially the Rosary, during the current health crisis. He embraced the appeal for prayers of the Italian Bishops:
I make my own the appeal of the Italian Bishops who in this health emergency have promoted a moment of prayer for the whole country. Every family, every faithful, every Religious Community, all united spiritually tomorrow at 9:00 pm for the recitation of the Rosary, with the Mysteries of Light. I will accompany you from here. Mary, Mother of God, Health of the Sick, leads us to the luminous and transfigured face of Jesus Christ and to His Heart. We turn to Her with the prayer of the Rosary, under the loving gaze of Saint Joseph, Custodian of the Holy Family and of our families. And we ask him to guard our family, our families, in a special way, in particular the sick and the persons taking care of the sick: the doctors, the men and women nurses, the volunteers, who risk their lives in this service.
