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KC in TX
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| Posted: Sept 12 2006 at 2:32pm | IP Logged
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Based on this thread, I purchased the book Jenn had recommended by Marianna Mayer. Well, it arrived yesterday and when I read it, it said Joseph was a widower with grown sons. I feel really ignorant, but I had never read that anywhere. Now, I'm not as knowledgeable  about our faith as I would like (working on it), but this came as such a shock.
Can anyone point me to any resources about this?
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KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
Mama to LB ('98)
Michaela ('01)
Emma ('03)
Jordan ('05)
And, my 2 angels, Rose ('08) and Mark ('09)
The Cabbage Patch
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JennGM
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KC,
I hope I didn't steer you wrong. Much of what is in "Young Mary of Nazareth" is compiled from various legends and stories. We have what is in the Gospels, and then there have been other sources that have filled in the blanks, but NONE of that is Truth or Tradition that must be believed.
Mayer lists her bibliography in the back...I'd grab my book but my son is sleeping right now and it's in his room. The Golden Legend, City of God by Mary of Agreda are two sources, I believe.
About St. Joseph...during medieval times at least, and maybe before and after, it was thought to preserve Mary's purity and reputation that Joseph was depicted as an older man. Being old, he wouldn't have been so virile or tempted and in that way preserve Mary's virginity.
That view doesn't give much credit to St. Joseph, and so that has changed over the years. I believe he was a young man, in his 30s.
In short, you don't need to believe that he's a widower. It's not an element of Faith, and you can discard it. It's only a theory put forward...and I don't believe it. I apologize for not warning you...I actually didn't read that part this past week so forgot about it.
Really, the names of Ann and Joachim have been passed down, but even their existence, names and story is not a teaching of the Church.
See the problem of recommending books when a person doesn't get to preview it?
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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KC in TX
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| Posted: Sept 12 2006 at 3:03pm | IP Logged
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Thank you, Jenn. No, the book is beautiful. I bought it because my Emma loves Anne and Joachim. She loves the saints and I thought it would be a great book for her. I was right. She loves the book. The art work is so awesome, it's well worth it. Now, I know how to proceed with this book. This will fit right in with our exploration of tall tales and such.
Now, I'm a bit embarrassed to have even thought it might be true.
__________________
KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
Mama to LB ('98)
Michaela ('01)
Emma ('03)
Jordan ('05)
And, my 2 angels, Rose ('08) and Mark ('09)
The Cabbage Patch
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kingvozzo
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| Posted: Sept 12 2006 at 3:04pm | IP Logged
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My understanding of St. Joseph being a widower is that it's in the Tradition of either the Eastern Catholics or the Orthodox church. It's certainly not something that we're required to believe, but we are free to believe it.
This is what Anthony Dragani from EWTN (their Eastern Catholic expert) had to say...."It is true that many of the Church Fathers believed that Joseph was a widower, and that this explained the existence of Jesus' "brothers and sisters." The Eastern tradition in particular embraced this explanation, and has generally considered St. James, "the brother of the Lord," to be Joseph's biological son. Yet there has never been an official, dogmatic statement on this matter. Good Catholics are free to disagree on this question."
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Noreen
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Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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JennGM
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KC in TX wrote:
Thank you, Jenn. No, the book is beautiful. I bought it because my Emma loves Anne and Joachim. She loves the saints and I thought it would be a great book for her. I was right. She loves the book. The art work is so awesome, it's well worth it. Now, I know how to proceed with this book. This will fit right in with our exploration of tall tales and such.
Now, I'm a bit embarrassed to have even thought it might be true. |
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Don't be embarrassed....you're allowed to believe if you wish.
I'm so relieved you like the book. I get nervous...
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Elizabeth
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It was pointed out to me after the submission post on my blog that many people believe that St. Joseph was saved from all sin form a very young age (perhaps before birth). I ran it by a priest who wrote:
I would say that St. John the
Baptist was given a great grace before the time of his
birth, as it is commonly believed that he was sanctified,
i.e., cleansed from original sin in the womb of his mother.
Personally, I would hold the same for St. Joseph, since he
had a greater vocation, i.e., to care for the Incarnate Word
and the Immaculate Conception.
The Decree on Justification in the Sixth Session of the
Council of Trent says:
"CANON XXIII.-lf any one saith, that a man once justified
can sin no more, nor lose grace, and that therefore he that
falls and sins was never truly justified; or, on the other
hand, that he is able, during his whole life, to avoid all
sins, even those that are venial,-except by a special
privilege from God, as the Church holds in regard of the
Blessed Virgin; let him be anathema."
With God's grace we can avoid mortal and deliberate venial
sins. Only by a special privilege of God is one able to
avoid even indeliberate venial sins, and the Church
attributes this privilege only to the Blessed Virgin. The
Church does not say this in regard to anyone else.
Considering, however, that St. Joseph lived with Jesus and
Mary, I would say that if he ever committed any indeliberate
venial sins, they were very, very few. I do not think that
he ever committed a deliberate sin, as even in the process
of canonization of St. Robert Bellarmine, it is said that he
did not commit a mortal or deliberate venial sin. The same
goes for St. Aloysius Gonzaga. Ultimately, the question of
St. Joseph's sinlessness will have to be answered for us in
the next life.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: St. Joseph
