St. Joseph Sebastian Pelczar: The Imitation of St. Joseph in the Interior Life

The Misuse of Church Authority on Vaccination, by Phil Lawler
August 26, 2021
What Ever Happened to the “Lay Moment”? by Stephen P. White
August 26, 2021

Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash

By St. Joseph Sebastian Pelczar, Catholic Exchange, Aug. 25, 2021

Joseph Sebastian Pelczar was born on January 17, 1842 in Korczyna in the diocese of Przemysl, Poland. Raised in a religious atmosphere, he entered the Seminary and in 1864 was ordained to the holy priesthood. …

Editor’s note: This article is a translation from the original Polish by Mother Agnieszka Kijowska, SSCJ. It is provided to Catholic Exchange with kind permission from the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Imagine that you see Saint Joseph in the home at Nazareth, at the stable in Bethlehem and in exile in Egypt.

Point 1. With what virtues did the interior life of Saint Joseph radiate?

Consider that the entire life of Saint Joseph was interior and hidden in God; so little known to the world that but a few holy writers mention him in some few places; and of his death give no information. This was a life of prayer, quiet work, and constant sacrifice, and at the same time, a life shining with the splendor of all virtues.

Ponder only that by having married the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph renounced the dignity of fatherhood—so dear to the Israelites, and voluntarily lived in lifelong virginity so that he could belong totally to God. This was a life of mortification and chastity. …