We chose to entrust our family’s future to the patronage of St. Joseph. What we didn't expect was how quickly God would show us that He was already working in the details of our lives, long before we even said "amen."
Looking back now, I can see that God had been quietly at work long before I noticed. What felt at first like a passing curiosity about Saint Joseph was, in truth, a gentle invitation unfolding in its own time.
Last year, I found myself reading about Saint Joseph—his role in the life of Jesus and Mary, his silence, his obedience, his hidden faithfulness. I visited different websites, learning who he was and why the Church holds him in such reverence.
I also planned to begin the consecration to Saint Joseph, especially since Pope Francis had declared 2021 the Year of Saint Joseph. However, for reasons I couldn’t explain, I never followed through.
My interest didn’t disappear, though; it simply waited. And now I know why—
This year, by God’s grace, that quiet desire surfaced again in the most ordinary way—through a book saved on my Amazon list.
The timing felt unmistakable. With our younger son, Calvin, preparing to leave for college, beginning the consecration as a family suddenly made sense.
Discovering Saint Joseph at the Right Time
It was to surrender Calvin in the care of St. Joseph, just as how he guided Jesus in His formative years.
What I didn’t yet realize was that God was already arranging things far more than just a reading plan.
So, we began the 33-day required reading on July 11th. I was aware that Calvin's college orientation falls within the thirty-three days that we are making the family consecration to the care of Jesus' foster father.
Thirty-three days!
Too many days, you might say, but it was all necessary. Don’t let it discourage you because as you flip the pages, your appreciation for Saint Joseph will get amplified seeing him as our spiritual foster father, too.
Persevering Through the 33 Days
And then, the university orientation day came.
Yes, it was a tiring day, and honestly, I had to amass the stamina warranted for the reading plan so I can have the attention span that will last me throughout the reading session. It is a good, long read.
And then came our summer trip to Southern California.
The daily activities, lots of walking in the scorching summer heat, and traffic that made the driving a challenge, were all good reasons to be completely washed out at the end of each day.
One night, I fell asleep before we even started the reading, but by God's grace, our family made it. I commend my husband for sticking to it when I could not.
In fact, he shared with me the topic covered the next morning, so in essence, I did not miss out. How beautiful is that!
He was happy to learn a little bit more about the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. So much of the things that had no prior knowledge, and he grew up having a nun in the family—my mother-in-law's younger sister.
Cutting to the chase, we finished the book without skipping a day. Woo-hoo!
So here now is where the awe-inspiring part comes in—
Days before the consecration, I Googled churches in his namesake hoping there was one closest to us. I know that it would delight St. Joseph if we'd do our consecration in a church.
Lo and behold—there was one in Alameda! A basilica minor, even! And yes, just about a 45-minute drive away! I visited their website to get more details,.
An Unexpected Invitation from Saint Joseph
My, was I thrilled! Here's why—
The said basilica minor was commemorating its 50th anniversary on August 17th, since the granting of its basilica minor designation!
Unbelievable! I also learned that this basilica is an old church, but we didn't even know it existed, yet we lived in Hayward— just some 20 miles away, over two decades ago. Amazing!
Then, consecration day arrived.
Naturally, we didn't hesitate . On August 17th, we drove to Alameda to attend the 7 PM Mass celebrating the church's golden anniversary.
What truly astonished us, along with the others was the timing of it all.—
I never had prior knowledge of Fr. Calloway's mentioning of visiting a St. Joseph parish until the day before consecration day—whoa!
A Golden Anniversary and a Sealed Consecration
The chance to see a basilica minor in his namesake and even happening on its 50th anniversary was already a blessing.
So, to realize God had arranged this for us in a way fulfilling the suggested activities, was nothing short of extraordinary.
One of the parishioners even commented, "I'm having goosebumps!"
Amen.
There were refreshments served in the courtyard after Mass. We decided stay a while and were glad that we did.
The priest in residence, Fr. Sunil Orathel, was incredibly welcoming—stopping by several times to talk to us, and even bringing us wine.
Through him, we met some of the parishioners there who made us feel home. It was a night of oodles of fun!
I, for the most part, was ecstatic that we got to do the consecration to St. Joseph and for God sealing it with a significant Mass at St. Joseph Basilica Minor.
And, not forgetting that all these happening before our younger son heads off to Chico was truly nothing short of extraordinary.
Most of all, for realizing that it made all sense to make the consecration this year rather than last year because the timing was perfect for the 50th anniversary of the basilica minor. Priceless!
Thank you for reading! If the stories here speak to your heart, I’d love to connect with you on Facebook.
Many blessings, Emilie
A Note from my Heart
I’m Emilie, a seeker of faith who finds God in the quiet pews and the divine surprises of everyday life. I write these reflections to invite you into a slower, more soulful way of seeing the world.