The 2021, the Year of St. Joseph, the Year of Grace

Jan 11, 2021 Leader Editorial 0

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In December 8th, 2020, Pope Francis in his Apostolic letter “Patris Corde” declared the beginning of a Year of St. Joseph from December 8 2020, until December 8th, 2021, (the day being the Feast of Immaculate Conception). This is the year for us all to gain the plenary indulgence. This is good news for us to hold onto the graces that 2021 will bring after the heartaches of 2020. You might be wondering what this plenary indulgence implies.

But, as explained in this issue in our Column on Doctrine; “An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the Saints” (The Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1471).

The Apostolic Penitentiary notes that the “gift of the plenary indulgence is particularly extended to the elderly, the sick, the dying and all those who for legitimate reasons are unable to leave the house, who with a soul detached from any sin and with the intention of fulfilling, as soon as possible, the three usual conditions, in their own home or where the impediment holds them, they will recite an act of piety in honour of St. Joseph, trust in God [in] the pains and discomforts of their life”.

Pope Francis Quoting his predecessor St. Pope Paul VI describes St. Joseph thus; “A beloved, tender, obedient father Saint Joseph, in fact, “concretely expressed his fatherhood” by making an offering of himself in love “a love placed at the service of the Messiah who was growing to maturity in his home…”

2021 is therefore a year of grace and consolation. It is a year where we should not be burdened by the troubles of this passing world but hold onto the saving Grace of God. Yes, diseases may put us down through the year, we may be weighed down by the death of our close relatives and friends, election results may not come out as expected, we may be challenged by finances and unemployment, we may even have a setback in our education or our plans and resolutions may not come out as planned, but, we should never forget like St. Joseph to place ourselves at the service of others in love.
It is important for us to seize this great opportunity to receive plenary indulgence during this year of St. Joseph to have hope and be patient, to recognize our human weaknesses and universality, for this year, “Each of us can discover in Joseph the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble… “

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