If Catholics are aware of the tensions occurring in the Church and the world, and if they pay attention to the apparitions approved by the Church — foremost among them being Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Revelation and Our Lady of Knock — they will notice that things are heading in a bad direction for the Church and for the world.

In light of this, Fr. Mark Goring recently posted on YouTube a video urging Catholics to “Go to St. Joseph before it’s too late.” This is a message of urgency, that this Year of the Great Patriarch seems to be a bestowal of grace before something worse befalls both the Church and the world.

This Year of St. Joseph was proclaimed both on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and on the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of St. Joseph as patron of the Catholic Church — and both of these proclamations caused a huge bestowal of grace which solved tensions that were happening in the Church and in the world at their respective times.

Does it seem to be mere coincidence that the Holy Spirit inspired Pope Francis to proclaim this Year of St. Joseph in a time where these tensions are happening both in the Church and in the world?

Fr. Donald Calloway’s book Consecration to Saint Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father was released nearly a year before the proclamation of the Year of St. Joseph. The book achieved such popularity that it appeared to me that it was one of the inspirations behind the Pope proclaiming a year to St. Joseph.

This is not uncommon in the history of the Church either; whenever people started discussing and learning more about a certain aspect of Catholic teaching, the Holy Spirit has spoken through the Pope to clarify the truth of the matter people were discussing.

Moreover, for hundreds of years there has been debate about certain privileges that were conferred on St. Joseph, and if Catholics continue to know and love the just man, as the relationship between Fr. Calloway’s book and the proclamation of the Year of St. Joseph has shown us, it seems that this is a sign, an encouragement for Catholics to continue to know and honour Joseph in preparation for something worse that is coming. In other words, this is the significance of the Year of St. Joseph as it draws to a close.

Jacob’s son Joseph fed bread to Egypt and the world when both Pharoah and the Egyptians and all people of the ancient world recognized the greatness of Joseph. I believe St. Joseph will feed the Church and the world with the Bread of Life when the Pope and all Catholics and people of the modern world recognize the greatness of St. Joseph by acknowledging his privileges.

This is the significance of the Year of St. Joseph, that St. Joseph is the patron of the Triumph of Mary’s Immaculate Heart and of the Age of Peace promised at Fatima. Therefore, go to Joseph — before it’s too late.

(Filipetto, 22, is finishing his third year of his Bachelor of Catholic Studies at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College in Barry’s Bay, Ont.)