The Faithful Steward: A Lenten Retreat Guide on Saint Joseph

The Faithful Steward: A Lenten Retreat Guide on Saint Joseph
(A Retreat Guide from RCSpirituality.org)

He is the universal patron and protector of the Catholic Church. He is the traditional patron of a happy death, of fathers and of unborn children, of immigrants and workers, of home hunters and people facing doubt and hesitation, and of dozens of countries, regions, and cities across the world. Who is he? St. Joseph, the carpenter from Nazareth, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and foster-father of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Why is St. Joseph such a popular patron, such an important figure for Catholics of all times and places? What do we really know about him? What does he have to teach us about what it means to follow Christ and experience the fulfillment that comes from spiritual maturity, the fulfillment we all long for?

Those are some of the questions we will explore in The Faithful Steward: A Lenten Retreat Guide on Saint Joseph.

  • In the First Meditation, we will reflect on how the Church’s liturgy presents St. Joseph and the lessons contained there.
  • In the Second Meditation, we will look at the artistic tradition surrounding St. Joseph, reflecting on the wisdom of its beauty and symbolism.
  • And in the Conference, we will delve into the spiritual discipline of silence—something present in St. Joseph’s example and too often absent in our own pursuit of deeper friendship with Christ.

This may seem a strange topic for a Lenten Retreat Guide, but reflecting on St. Joseph will bring us back to the spiritual fundamentals – and getting back to spiritual basics is a great way to live Lent. Let’s ask him for all the graces we need, and most especially, for the grace of interior renewal through the example and intercession of St. Joseph, the faithful and prudent steward.

God bless you during this Lenten season.

In Him,

Fr. John Bartunek, LC, ThD
[email protected]

Profile photo of Fr. Bartunek

About Fr. John Bartunek, LC

Fr. John Bartunek, LC, S.Th.D, received his BA in History from Stanford University in 1990. He comes from an evangelical Christian background and became a member of the Catholic Church in 1991. After college, he worked as a high school history teacher, drama director, and baseball coach. He then spent a year as a professional actor in Chicago before entering the religious Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in 1993. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 2003 and earned his doctorate in moral theology in 2010. He provided spiritual support on the set of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” while researching the 2005 Catholic best seller, “Inside the Passion”–the only authorized, behind-the-scene explanation of the film. Fr. John has contributed news commentary regarding religious issues on NBC, CNN, Fox, and the BBC. He also served as the English-language press liaison for the Vatican’s 2005 Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist. His most widely known book is called: “The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer”. His most recent books are “Spring Meditations”, “Seeking First the Kingdom: 30 Meditations on How to Love God with All Your Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength”, and “Answers: Catholic Advice for Your Spiritual Questions”. Fr. John currently splits his time between Michigan (where he continues his writing apostolate and serves as a confessor and spiritual director at the Queen of the Family Retreat Center) and Rome, where he teaches theology at Regina Apostolorum. His online, do-it-yourself retreats are available at RCSpirituality.org, and he answers questions about the spiritual life at SpiritualDirection.com.

This article is reprinted with permission from our friends at Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction.

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