Thomas Griffin 3/19/24
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Both St. Patrick (3/17) and St. Joseph (3/19) are hallmark Catholic saints that have inserted themselves into the fabric of American culture in some way. They both have become domesticated in their importance and in the facts that made them the great saints they were and are. Recovering who they were can aid the American project, and help us stay true to what it means to celebrate their lives.
Way too often, the Catholic Church is viewed as out-of-touch for their fairy tales in the Bible or superstitious for their belief that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. However, it is society that has accepted false understandings of what it means to remember St. Patrick and St. Joseph. Orthodoxy means we stay rooted in the truth. Unveiling the facts about these two tremendous men of history is completely necessary considering what has become of their celebrations.
St. Patrick has become an excuse for Irish families, and many others, to place more lights on their homes. The month of March has become green across the nation. It has also become inebriated. Towns and villages across the 50 states have St. Patrick’s Day parades throughout the month.
But who was St. Patrick, really? And what can we learn from him for today? He was an Englishman who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland. For years, he lived enslaved against his will but he always turned to God in prayer. After he broke from his slavery he returned to his homeland, studied to be a priest, and desired to return to Ireland to bring the truth and love of God to its people.
Patrick wanted people to know that God was real and that living in relation with Him brough true freedom. Perhaps, a return to his focus on prayer, silence and relationships can aid our culture which is wrapped up in itself and enslaved to screen time and ego.
In a culture that claims that prayer is a waste of time or childish, St. Patrick stands as a witness to the fact that when things go very wrong (in his case being enslaved) we instinctively turn to God. Prayer is a part of our DNA because we are made for God. This comes out the most when we are lonely or are suffering. When things get rough, we must be like Patrick and turn to God in radical trust.
St. Joseph is a whole other story. He’s more overlooked than he is misunderstood.
Primarily, St. Joseph’s Day is celebrated more in Italian households but Americans hear about it as well with many “Garlic and Gaelic” events across the country. Joseph is usually combined with the celebration of Patrick or forgotten altogether. He evaporates into the background of Christian life in particular and American life in general. There is nothing particularly exciting about his story or applauded in his celebration; so people eat pastries from the bakery.
The story of St. Joseph in America today is the same story from 2,000 years ago: he was humble and quietly overlooked. In fact, there is not one word spoken by Joseph in the New Testament. His story revolves around commands given to him by God, and his immediate response is always “yes.” In fact, he does not even respond in the affirmative, he simply does as commanded.
In a culture that prides itself on being independent and able to make one’s own decisions, no matter what other people say – Joseph stands in opposition. He was a man of grit. He did what was necessary, he did not complain, and he remained strong for those who needed him the most. There is nothing soft like pastries about loving a woman unconditionally who was found pregnant (not by you) and protecting that child against murderers even when that meant fleeing to a foreign country (Egypt).
Today, so many people are having an identity crisis. They do not know not who they are or what they should do with their lives or their time. When trouble hits, we can too easily blame God and flee our commitments. Joseph tells us that we are called to remain faithful and obedient to where we are. Whatever our circumstances are, God is in them and with us. Remaining steadfast to this truth makes us like Joseph.
In an age addicted to feeling numb and consistently chooses selfishness over sacrifice, the true St. Patrick and St. Joseph rise to show that faith and obedience are the destiny of the human condition. If America, and the Church, desires to renew its current status it would do well to honor who these men actually were so that their power to change the world may become ours as well.
Thomas Griffin is the chairperson of the religion department at a Catholic high school on Long Island where he lives with his wife and two sons. He has a masters degree in theology and is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Empty Tomb Project: The Magazine.
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