MEN OF ST. JOSEPH

Who are you?

We are a small gathering of men from Saint James Parish Family.

When and Where do you meet?

We meet once every three weeks, usually on Thursdayat 7:15 PM to 9:00 PM in the lower hall of St. James Church. All men are invited to attend our gathering.

What do you do?

We have opening and concluding prayer.

We have a work book. It is about “How To Be a Catholic Man in the World Today” It gets us to read parts of the Bible and the Catechism.

We talk about topics of our faith, current issues in our society today and other issues that we as men may deal with in our life.

We gather together to learn from each other.

We sometimes watch spiritual videos and later discuss them

We gather together with other men for an annual conference and seasonal meetings.(OPTIONAL)

What is a Man of St. Joseph?

Though in our times there are many obstacles hindering faith, a man of St. Joseph is one who seeks the Lord: Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart. Following the example of Jesus we strive to serve the needs of others rather than seek power and privilege (L.k. 22:25ff). However, this call is not a burden carried by the self- reliant, a man of St. Joseph receives the support o companions who "encourage one another and build each other up" (I Thes. 5:1 1) and abides in God's strength (John 15). As a result, a man of St. Joseph is fulfilled by discovering and joyfully living out God’s purposes for his life (Col. 1:9-12). In short, St. Joseph was the closest man to Jesus, and so like St. Joseph we are seeking to become men who are committed to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

How to Live as a Man of St. Joseph

The Men of St. Joseph hold up Christian ideals, attributes and promises to be faithful in our calling.

The Inspiration of St. Joseph

Hebrews 12:1,2 We for our part are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, therefore, let us lay aside every encumbrance of sin which clings to us and persevere in running the race which lies ahead. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and perfects our faith.

Like St. Joseph, our most fundamental challenge is to turn away from the sin and obstacles of our lives toward a life of transformation through faith in Christ who guides us and inspires our lives in all that is good.

The Men of St. Joseph Have a Covenant

To participate in Sunday Mass with my family.

To develop my personal prayer life and attend weekday Mass at least once a month.

To experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least twice a year.

To pray and spend time with my family.

To gather together with other men for an annual conference and seasonal meetings.