St Joseph Patron of the Universal Church
by William Hart McNichols
Title
St Joseph Patron of the Universal Church
Artist
William Hart McNichols
Medium
Painting - Acrylic And Gold Leaf On Wood
Description
St Joseph Patron of the Universal Church
(This icon was begun around March 15 - today, 21 April, Pope Francis passed into God.
Right now, I don’t have the words to express my grief but I can say I am overwhelmed with gratitude for his many years of service to God and all of us.)
“Ad te, beate Joseph, in tribulatione nostra confugimus …”
(To thee, O Blessed Joseph, do we come in our tribulation…”
Pope Leo XIII 1889
“I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of St Joseph which he has failed to grant…”
St Teresa of Avila
“…by a special decree of our Congregation of Sacred Rites ( which we ordered to be proclaimed during High Mass in our patriarchal basilicas …on December 8, of the past year 1870, the holy day of the Immaculate Conception of his spouse) We solemnly declared the Blessed Patriarch Joseph Patron of the Universal Church, and we ordered that his feast on the 19th of March should henceforth be celebrated in the whole world…”
Pope Pius IX, 1871
(In the Orthodox Church 19 March is traditionally believed to be the day Joseph passed into God)
With the Apostolic Letter “Patris Corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis recalls the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. To mark the occasion, the Holy Father has proclaimed a “Year of Saint Joseph” from 8 December 2020, to 8 December 2021.
“My desire to do so increased during these months of pandemic… St. Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.”
When Pope Francis was recently hospitalized with a severe illness, people began to fear that he might not live through it and I got requests to paint something about Pope Francis. I thought what on earth could I add to all the thousands of photographs and images already available of Pope Francis?
Then suddenly, as happens once in a blue moon, this icon filled my imagination as if already finished. When that happens, I believe I am strongly prodded by the Spirit to attempt to bring this image into the world. So here is my attempt to do that in obedience to what I believe is the Spirit’s prompting.
Now, you’re gonna have to trust me that the following is an understatement …
In 1990 when I began my apprenticeship in the sacred art of iconography, I began to receive by mail (because this was before internet etc.) news and wild conspiracy theories concerning about every purported and real apparition of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Mother as well as those about certain saints…especially St Joseph. The child in me is a natural believer in apparitions, miracles and positive prophecies; so I confess that I’m always open to a discernment about what is given to me. And this means investigating what or if, the Official Church has said anything. This is how I discovered approved apparitions like Pontmain, Pellovoisin, Amsterdam, and my favorites… Akita and Kibeho.
Of those sent to me, about Joseph, unapproved I should add, two stand out that I just can’t forget. One is that when Joseph is brought out of his relative “hiddenness,” then it will be very close to the Reign of Jesus as Christ the King. The other is another prophecy that when the incorrupt body of Joseph is found in Israel, it will also be very close to the coming of Christ the King.
Many Popes have loved and honored St. Joseph but none,
but Pope Francis,
has proclaimed an entire year for him, as well as making the statue of the “Sleeping Joseph” so popular, that they are obtainable in every Catholic gift shoppe round the world.
He says that before he goes to sleep, he puts all the attacks, and troubles, as well as the enormous good the Catholic Church initiates around the world, under Sleeping Joseph, and then falls into a sleep.
When I began to paint icons and images of Joseph, there were very few books on St Joseph (now there are plenty!) and the two, which are still my favorites are :
“St Joseph Shadow of the Father” by Fr Andre’ Doze and
“The Mystical Life of St Joseph” by Abbess Maria Cecilia Baij, OSB.
Authors of children’s books often say if you are too heavy handed and moralize, a child will naturally squirm, look away or get up and walk away. That’s probably why the second book I illustrated for Paulist Press, “The Hurt” is still in print because the author, Teddi Doleski has that gift of telling a vital truth without finger-wagging.
It’s the same with my two favorite books on Joseph; they seemingly reach right into your heart in such a natural way, and the authors almost disappear in the “way of St Joseph.”
I’ll end with the oldest known prayer to Joseph the …
🌿Ancient Prayer to Saint Joseph 🌿
O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of Gods, I place
in you
all my interests and desires.
O Saint Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, so that having experienced here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.
O Saint Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Hold Him close in my name and kiss His fine head from me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. Saint Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for me.
Amen
Fr William Hart Dominic McNichols 🌿 April 2025
Uploaded
April 21st, 2025
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