On May 1, the bishop of Rafaela, Monsignor Luis Alberto Fernández, presided over the mass in honor of San José Obrero, co-patron of the diocese.
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On the feast of San José Obrero, co-patron of the diocese together with the Virgin of Guadalupe, the bishop, Monsignor Luis Alberto Fernández, presided over a mass in the Cathedral of San Rafael Arcángel.
The celebration took place within the framework of the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Diocese of Rafaela, carried out in April 1961, by decision of Pope Saint John XXIII. On October 12 of that year, the people of God in the northwestern Santa Fe region received their first bishop, Monsignor Vicente Faustino Zazpe.
In his homily, the prelate acknowledged that “the current time of the coronavirus makes us go through a very difficult and painful time these days due to the increase in infections, so the first thing we want to put in the Heart of Saint Joseph the Worker is life and the suffering of so many people caused by the pandemic, so that they help us and intercede, together with the Virgin of Guadalupe, for our homeland and all humanity, so that they give us the strength to build together a new world of peace and work, solidarity and fraternity, to always live with hope and joy ”.
“May 1 is Labor Day, it is fair that we join all the workers, and also think that Saint Joseph is a hardworking father, one of the lessons that Jesus learns from José is the value and dignity of work. ‘Jesus learned the value, dignity and joy of what it means to eat the bread that is the fruit of one’s own work,’ “he said.
“Joseph, although born into David’s royal family, worked as a carpenter to support his family. We know that he was not rich, because when Jesus was presented to the temple to be circumcised, José offered the simple sacrifice of two turtledoves, the offering of those who could not afford a lamb, “said Monsignor Fernández.
“José reminds us of the satisfaction of doing our job well, whatever it is. The current employment crisis caused by the pandemic highlights the difficulties, tensions and distancing that often lead to unemployment ”, he valued, and encouraged:“ Let us ask San José to inspire us to not only commit ourselves to our own work, but also to become defenders of the Rights of the Worker and of many who are looking for work ”.
“Saint Joseph shows us that all workers, in some way, are cooperating with God himself: creating a better world around us. Joseph worked explicitly to make God’s love known to the world by caring for Jesus and Mary. He put his talents and efforts at the service of his family so that they could bring God’s love to the world ”, he added.
In this sense, he stated that “all parents are called in the same way to help their children to form and grow in social friendship, where there is work for everyone and the fundamental task of growing faith is not lost. of the children, so that they too can bring the love of God to the world that is losing faith ”.
Inspired by the liturgy, the bishop considered that, especially in times of such indifference, individualism and superficiality, “we must commit ourselves to the Truth and have a passion for the common good as did Saint Joseph, who cared for the life of God in the Child Jesus and the dignity of his wife the Virgin Mary. It is the only way to be able to live in peace and be calm before God, even if our conscience reproaches us for something ”.
“Saint Joseph invites us to live in serene trust and meek tenderness even in the midst of crises, difficult times, and even without understanding many things that happen to us in life. Saint Joseph accepted in the darkness of the night (between dreams) the plan of God, with uncertainties he did not stop remaining in God, he did not hesitate or live with resentments, he was a just and faithful man “, he described, and he was capable” with his low profile, to transform history, he adapted and took care of life with courage and audacity ”.
“Just like today so many women and men, who in the face of the Covid-19 tragedy, do not lose their enthusiasm and do not tire of helping and accompanying many suffering brothers,” he compared, encouraging that “like Saint Joseph and these brothers, let us all have a hand in being more fraternal and close. ”+
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