MARCH 19: FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH AND FATHER'S DAY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2001 (VIS) - At today's angelus, the Holy Father reminded the faithful present in St. Peter's Square that tomorrow, March 19, is the feast of St. Joseph, spouse of the Virgin Mary and patron of the universal Church. "In the heart of Lent," he said, "the liturgy gives us this great saint as an example to follow and a protector to invoke."

"St. Joseph is for us, in the first place, a model of faith. As did Abraham, he always lived a behavior of total abandonment to divine providence." The Pope went on to say that "we are also called to imitate him in the humble exercise of the virtue of obedience, a virtue which shines in him through his style of silence and hard-working obscurity. How precious is the 'school' of Nazareth for contemporary man, trapped by a culture which too often exalts appearance and success, autonomy and a false concept of individual freedom. How much need there is, on the contrary, to recover the values of simplicity and obedience, of respect and a loving search for the will of God."

After praying the angelus with the pilgrims in the square below his study window, John Paul II had special greetings for all fathers who tomorrow, the feast of St. Joseph, celebrate Father's Day in Italy.

He added that he was "happy to encourage the 'Adopt a Father' campaign promoted by the Liaison Committee of Catholics for a Civilization of Love. This is a new form of sponsorship which, directly through missionaries, allows people to assure a dignified job to the heads of families in the poorest countries. I give my heartfelt blessing to this initiative which helps families to remain united and which contributes to creating a world that is more fraternal and marked by solidarity."

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