Josephology is thetheological study ofJoseph, the husband ofMary, mother of Jesus. Records of devotions to Joseph go back to the year 800 andDoctors of the Church sinceThomas Aquinas have written on the subject.[1] With the growth ofMariology, the theological study of Joseph also grew and in the 1950s specific centers for it were formed.[2] The modern study of the theology concerning Joseph is one of the newest theologicaldisciplines.[3]
Jerome'sAgainst Helvidius (c. 383) paved the way for aspects of future Josephite devotion with his assertion that Joseph was always a virgin.[4] The earliest record of a formal devotional following for Joseph in theWestern Church is in the abridgedMartyrology of Rheinau in Northern France, which dates to the year 800. References to Joseph asnutritor Domini ("educator/guardian of the Lord") from the 9th to the 14th centuries continued to increase asMariology developed,[5] and by the 12th century, along with greater devotion to Mary, the writings of theBenedictine monks began to foster a following for Joseph and they inserted his name in their liturgical calendars and theirmartyrology.[6][7]
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In the 13th century, theDominicanDoctor of the ChurchThomas Aquinas discussed the necessity of the presence of Joseph in the plan of the Incarnation for if Mary had not been married, her fellow Jews would havestoned her to death and that a young Jesus needed the care and protection of a human father.[8] The Josephology of Aquinas often proceeded with the juxtaposition of Joseph and Mary.[9]
In the 15th century, major steps were taken byBernardine of Siena,Pierre d'Ailly, andJean Gerson, the chancellor of the Cathedral ofNotre Dame, Paris.[5] Gerson wrote a lengthy treatise in French titledConsideration sur Saint Joseph and a 120-verse poem in Latin about Saint Joseph. In 1416 to 1418, Gerson preached sermons on Saint Joseph at theCouncil of Constance in which he borrowed heavily fromMarian themes.[10]
The growth of the following of Joseph is manifested with the earliest church dedicated to him in Rome,San Giuseppe dei Falegnami (St. Joseph of the Carpenters), constructed in 1540 in theForum Romanum, above theprison that by tradition had held the ApostlesPeter andPaul.[11] The spread of his following is then shown by the publication of the first Litany of St. Joseph in Rome in 1597 and the introduction of theCord of St. Joseph inAntwerp in 1657. These were then followed by theChaplet of St. Joseph in 1850, and theScapular of St. Joseph of theCapuchins which was approved in 1880.[12] The formal veneration of theHoly Family began in the 17th century by MgrFrançois de Laval.
From the 16th century onwards, a number of Catholic saints prayed to Saint Joseph, invoked his help and protection and encouraged others to do so. InIntroduction to the Devout LifeFrancis de Sales included Joseph along with the Virgin Mary as saints to be invoked during prayers following anexamination of conscience.[13]Teresa of Avila attributed her recovery of health to Joseph and recommended him as an advocate.[14] In her biographyThe Story of a Soul,Thérèse of Lisieux stated that for a period of time, she prayed every day to "Saint Joseph, Father and Protector of Virgins..." and felt safe from danger as a result.[15] The three mentioned in this paragraph are allDoctors of the Church.
In 1870,Pope Pius IX proclaimed Saint Joseph "Patron of the Universal Church". In 1889,Pope Leo XIII issued theencyclicalQuamquam pluries in which he urged Catholics to pray to Joseph as patron of the church. This was in view of challenges facing the church, such as the growing depravity of morals in the young generation. He prescribed that every October, a prayer to Saint Joseph be added to theRosary, with attachedindulgences.
With the growth ofMariology, the theological study of Joseph also began to grow to discuss his role in theEconomy of Salvation. Three centers for Josephology were formed in the 1950s, the first inValladolid, Spain, the second atSaint Joseph's Oratory inMontreal, and the third in the theologate ofViterbo, Italy.[16]
During the centenary ofQuamquam pluries in 1989, PopeJohn Paul II delivered theApostolic exhortationRedemptoris custos ("Guardian of the Redeemer"). This exhortation is part of the "redemption documents" issued by the pope, and refers to theMarian encyclicalRedemptoris Mater.[17] It discusses the importance of Saint Joseph in the Holy Family, and presents the pope's view of Saint Joseph's role in the plan of redemption.[18] John Paul II positions Saint Joseph as breaking the old vice of paternal familial domination, and suggests him as the model of a loving father.[19][20]
