We are living in the Year of Saint Joseph, instituted in the Church by Pope Francis. And today, March 19th, the day dedicated to the saint, we will talk about the great devotion of Blessed Father Eustace to the husband of Mary.

Whenever he went to visit the sick, the Blessed One would turn to Saint Joseph to bring comfort and faith to those in need. During his visits, the priest always remembered that the saint died in the arms of his adopted son, Jesus, and the Blessed Mother.

Father Eustáquio's devotion was so great that, during the laying of the foundation stone for the Health and Peace Sanctuary, he placed the church under the protection of Saint Joseph, intending that the temple would have all the necessary resources for its construction. Read an excerpt from the Dutch priest's homily on the day of the blessing:

“Without hesitation, as I hear God’s voice again, for the time of need, ‘ite ad Joseph’ (Go to Joseph), and therefore, now, and not later, we lay the foundation stone and wish to place it under the protection of Saint Joseph. Will there be a lack of lime, a lack of cement? We will go to Saint Joseph, understanding that, from the first stone, the protection of Saint Joseph is pledged here, so that this stone may multiply into as many as are needed to complete the projected time.”

The blessed man's devotion to the saint also resulted in the writing of a beautiful prayer. (READ HERE) Dedicated to the adoptive father of Jesus, in which Father Eustáquio highlights the qualities of Saint Joseph and asks for his blessing and protection, so that he may, like him, follow the paths of Jesus and Mary.

“Saint Joseph, Consolation of the afflicted, pray for us!
Saint Joseph, Hope of the sick, pray for us!
Saint Joseph, Patron of the dying, pray for us!”