Out of all the men in the world, St. Joseph was chosen by God to be the head of the Holy Family. In the Bismarck Diocese, 110 men including six priests, also chose him on March 19, the feast of St. Joseph.
Using Fr. Donald Calloway’s new book,
Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father, the men completed a 33-day preparation for consecration based on prayers, Scripture and reflections; and consecrated their lives to him as their spiritual father, to protect and guide them to heaven.
Around 40 of those men attended Mass Thursday morning on March 19, on the feast day at St. Joseph’s Church in Mandan, presided over by Fr. Josh Waltz. They recited the consecration prayer together after Mass. It was the last day before public Masses were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. The group was organized by John Berger, parishioner at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit who also began a “Dads in Prayer” group at St. Mary’s Central High School (SMCHS) three years ago, open to all regardless of school affiliation.
“Several years ago, when Fr. Josh Waltz was the chaplain at SMCHS, I completed the St. Louis de Montfort consecration to Jesus through Mary,” he explained. “It had a big impact on my life. I heard about Fr. Donald Calloway’s new book on Catholic radio (Real Presence), and I thought it would be great to participate in this consecration to St. Joseph with a group of men.”
He ordered 33 books hoping the Holy Spirit would help him find 32 other men. “Before I knew it, I was out of books,” he said. “My son Michael had invited Fr. Waltz to join us, and thankfully, I was able to partner with Shawna Helbling from the Church of Saint Joseph in Mandan in getting another 35 books.” Those quickly sold out, as did another 40 books from St. Joseph’s.
“Fathers Jarad Wolf, John Paul Gardner, Wayne Sattler and Josh Ehli all participated in the consecration with our group,” Berger said. “Father Wolf did a ‘kick off’ at the St. Mary’s Academy with over 60 men physically in attendance, and Fr. Gardner and Fr. Ehli each gave a talk along the 33-day journey.”
Berger did not think it was a coincidence that the last day of Masses in our Diocese due to the coronavirus was on the feast of Saint Joseph. “He is the Patron of Holy Church and he will protect and lead us through this,” he said. “The Litany of Saint Joseph is a beautiful prayer for us to be praying during these difficult times.”
Father Calloway’s book
“That’s awesome!” Father Calloway, member of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, said when he learned about the Bismarck Diocese group. In an interview for this article, he explained his reason for writing the book. “St. Joseph is so important at this time in the Church,” he said. “I think the reason is two-fold. One goes back to so much confusion and misunderstanding about what marriage is.”
He explained that the culture has redefined marriage with so much gender confusion, all while men are being called toxic. The second reason, he said, is that it takes a father to restore order in a house, and we are in need of order in our homes and in our churches. “We need St. Joseph’s spiritual fatherhood more than we have ever needed it before,” he said. “That’s why I think the consecration is for our time. We need the leadership, correction and the guidance of a loving father.”
Saint Joseph will help us get back to the basics, according to Fr. Calloway. “We’ve gotten so far away from the central truths of our faith that people are so confused about so many things, even the teachings of the Church. Something like 60% of Catholics don’t believe in the Eucharist as the Real Presence, for example. Saint John Paul II wrote in one of his books that we need to invoke the fatherhood of St. Joseph for the re-evangelization of the world. Saint Joseph was the first one to bring Christ to the world, and he can reintroduce us to our Lord in our pagan culture.”
Father Calloway had a personal devotion to St. Joseph for many years and wondered if there was a formal consecration to him similar to the consecration to the Blessed Mary as developed by St. Louis de Montfort. When he learned there wasn’t, he spent the next three years researching, praying and writing the book.
There is no conflict with also consecrating ourselves to Mary as our spiritual mother, according to Fr. Calloway, and having a spiritual mother and a spiritual father is actually the ideal.
Transforming mission
Father Waltz said he had two reasons for participating in the consecration. “I wanted to get to know St. Joseph better because he is patron of my church and school. And, with so many things going on within the parish, I wanted to consecrate the whole thing to him.”
He explained that the school is taking on a new focus, reclaiming the family, and they are placing it under the patronage of the Holy Family. Using the method pioneered by Marie Montessori, treating the school as an extension of families and the parish community centered on a sacramental life, is transforming it. Volunteers are contributing everything from woodworking to building furniture to remodeling classrooms. “There are so many things that still need to be provided for this mission to be accomplished,” Fr. Waltz said. “I want St. Joseph to provide; that was talked about over and over in the book. We are even going to have a St. Joseph’s workshop where we will teach children woodworking.”
Participant feedback
An anonymous participant shared that the consecration has increased his resolve and focus and given him a sense of calm. “I find that St. Joseph really helps ‘lead me not into temptation.’ I also think he is helping with all the home chaos resulting from the social distancing and the distance learning.”
John Dinius, another who took part in the consecration, said, “I would consider myself a good father and husband, but after reading that book, it has driven me to be even better, and more pure and lead my children (three boys) to all grow up like and be like St. Joseph. This book has truly changed my life and what it means to be a father, and husband.”
Another anonymous participant, referring to the lily as a symbol of St. Joseph’s purity as a weapon against the devil, commented, “I was really moved by this and think of it when I’m struggling or tempted, or anytime I see a picture of St. Joseph. I talk to him (St. Joseph) about it regularly and ask for him to help me have the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus that keeps me safe through temptation.”
He also credited the consecration with, “the ability to let go, to rest and trust in God and know that His power to act is greater than my own (and is often most fully seen when I am at rest and not working against Him). I was deeply moved by the sections on St. Joseph’s silence and how he knew that his life was to be spent in raising up the Son of God and he literally poured out his life in love for that purpose. I think about this when I feel at my wits’ end, particularly with family situations, and when I feel like I don’t know what to do or can’t see my way forward, I talk to St. Joseph and remember his silence and hiddenness so that Jesus could be everything.”
Another participant, Jim Kuznia found the consecration especially beneficial in this time of the coronavirus pandemic. His and his wife, Tracy’s, daughter, Paige, was one of the first people in the state to test positive with COVID-19 in March, from which she has recovered. “Our faith has been our greatest asset during this trying time,” Jim said “My studying the consecration to St. Joseph could not have come at a better time. It has taught me to be even more courageous, faithful and, most of all, patient.”
The consecration is for everyone with some wives having joined their husbands in the devotion. Only a month after Fr. Calloway’s book’s January publication, it had already sold 40,000 copies. Books can be purchased locally at Mayo Pharmacy in Bismarck or throught Fr. Calloway’s website at fathercalloway.com.