St. Joseph Catholic Church

09/08/2026

Today we celebrate the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, nine months after the December 8 celebration of her Immaculate Conception, when she was conceived without original sin.

Today we celebrate the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Mary’s life was a simple and faithful “yes” to God. She trusted him, welcomed Christ into her life, and gave him to the world.

As we look to Mary, may she teach us to trust God more fully and to say yes to him in our own lives. And may she always lead us closer to her Son, Jesus.

09/08/2026

Happy Birthday to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Most Blessed Mother! 💐🙏🏻

Daily Bible Readings, Podcast Audio and Videos and Prayers brought to you by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

09/08/2026

Join us for a day of fun, faith, and thrills during Catholic Day at Busch Gardens on Oct. 3!

Enjoy the park’s rides, food, and attractions — then join us for a Vigil Mass in the afternoon. Afterward, come for fellowship and food as we have dinner as a diocese (registration is required).

You won’t want to miss it!

Get your tickets for the park/dinner now: https://bit.ly/CatholicDayBG-2026

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day! Please note that there is no daily Mass this week on Monday or Tuesday!

A Prayer for Labor Day

As the sun rises to bring in the new day:

We remember those who descend into the earth, their work begins in darkness, pulling from the earth, the resources we steward.

We remember those who work inside a building away from the light and brightness of the day.

We remember those who work outside in the harsh elements of our world, the bitter cold and sweltering heat of extremes.

We remember those who do not have a job to go to, who are struggling to meet the needs of their daily living expenses, for whom the day becomes long and arduous.
As the sun sets to bring in the evening of rest:

We remember those who work in the night.
We remember those who are trying to recover from their labor and toils of the day.
We remember those who participate in unsafe and dangerous work.
We pray for a renewed sense of dignity in their lives and in their work.

God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the worker. Make a place in our hearts for compassion to the men and women who labor tirelessly for basic necessities. Ensure a place for the men and women who are struggling to find work. Grant us your wisdom to greet and care for those who are unable to work due to illness or circumstances that prevent their participation. Be with the children who are not able to run and play, but instead must put in a hard day’s work to help their family afford to eat, to live. Be with us all, Christ Jesus, as we go about the busyness of our work. Hold us accountable not only for our actions, but most importantly to each of our neighbors. May we continue to work together to bring about your reign! We ask this in your holy name, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 🙏🏻

09/06/2026

St. Teresa of Calcutta, friend of the poor and dying, pray for us!

09/06/2026

Happy Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta!
St Mother Teresa, pray for us! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

St. Teresa of Calcutta, known worldwide as Mother Teresa, is one of the most recognizable saints of modern times. Her life of radical charity and service to the poorest of the poor continues to inspire people of all faiths and backgrounds.

Named Agnes at birth in 1910, she grew up in Skopje in North Macedonia. She felt called to religious life and joined the Sisters of Loreto, later traveling to India, where she taught at a school in Calcutta for two decades. She became known as a dedicated teacher and later served as the school’s principal.

In 1946, as she traveled by train, she experienced what she later described as a “call within a call.” She felt Jesus inviting her to leave the convent school and serve Him among the poor and destitute in the streets of Calcutta. After a period of discernment and approval from Church authorities, she left the Sisters of Loreto and began her new mission.

Four years later, she founded the Order of Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation devoted to serving “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers.” The sisters lived among the poor, offering care and support with dignity, love, and spiritual comfort.

One of her most significant works was establishing a home for the dying destitute called Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart), where those who had been abandoned on the streets were given care, companionship, and the opportunity to die with dignity. Mother Teresa often described this work as “doing something beautiful for God.”

Although she experienced prolonged periods of spiritual dryness, she remained faithful to her mission and exemplified compassion and joy in serving the most vulnerable. As her global recognition grew, she received numerous honors. She was a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Yet she was humble, pointing attention away from herself and toward Christ present in the suffering.

St. Teresa of Calcutta died on September 5, 1997, and was canonized in 2016. Beginning with twelve recruits, her Missionaries of Charity grew to five thousand nuns and 450 priests serving in 138 countries worldwide.

https://ewtnmission.com/dailysaint/st-teresa-of-calcutta/

09/05/2026

09/05/2026

September is traditionally dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows because the Church celebrates her memorial on Sept. 15—immediately after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Sept. 14.

The placement is no accident.

On Sept. 14, the Church lifts up the Cross of Jesus Christ: the instrument of His Passion, but also the sign of His victory over sin and death. The next day, Catholics turn their eyes to Mary, who stood faithfully at the foot of that Cross.

As the Gospel of John tells us:

“Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother…”
—John 19:25

Mary did not run away. She remained with her Son in His suffering.

The title “Our Lady of Sorrows” honors the deep suffering Mary endured throughout the life and Passion of Jesus. Traditionally, Catholics meditate on her Seven Sorrows:

1. The prophecy of Simeon, who told Mary that a sword would pierce her soul.
2. The flight of the Holy Family into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple for three days.
4. Mary meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary.
5. Mary standing at the foot of the Cross during Jesus’ Crucifixion.
6. Mary receiving Jesus’ body after He was taken down from the Cross.
7. The burial of Jesus.

The Church’s Sept. 15 memorial was fixed on the day following the Exaltation of the Holy Cross by Pope St. Pius X in 1913. It invites Catholics to contemplate Mary’s unique union with Christ, especially during His Passion and death.

September, then, becomes an opportunity to remember a consoling truth: Mary understands sorrow.

That is why Catholics do not honor Our Lady of Sorrows merely by looking back at what she endured. We ask for her intercession in our own grief, anxiety, illness, loss, and suffering.