St. Joseph  Rises From Obscurity In Messages From American Apparition (2 stories)

By Michael H. Brown

First story

St. Joseph, long a hidden and under-appreciated saint, has risen to sudden prominence by way of apparitions to Sister Mildred Mary Neuzil -- the Ohio mystic who died several years ago and whose apparitions, already partially approved, are now being set before Church officials for further action.  

The move to grant them wider recognition is in its very early stage but as details emerge they have had an "explosive" effect, according to those involved in the cause -- and among the details is the role of Joseph, faithful husband of Mary and father on earth of the Savior Himself.

On March 11, 1958, the Virgin reportedly told Sister Mildred that Joseph was coming to speak to her because he has "an important part to play in bringing peace to the world."

When Joseph appeared, said Sister Neuzil, he described himself as the "virgin-father" whose stain from original sin was cleansed immediately after his conception "through the future merits of Jesus."

"My heart suffered with the hearts of Jesus and Mary," said the saint. "Mine was a silent suffering, for it was my special vocation to hide and shield, as long as God willed, the Virgin Mother and Son from the malice and hatred of men. The most painful part of my sorrows was that I knew beforehand of their passion, yet would not be there to console them."

 In one vision Sister Mildred saw Joseph "suspended, as it were, a short distance above what had the appearance of a large globe with clouds moving about it. His head was slightly raised, the eyes gazing upward as if in ecstasy. The hands were in a position similar to that of the priest during the celebration of Holy Mass, only they extended upward somewhat more." His hair seemed dark brown, said Sister Mildred, and he had a small beard. He was clothed in a white robe that reached to his ankles. Over this he wore a cloak, according to a pamphlet issued by the Our Lady of America Center in Fostoria, Ohio. 

If sanctioned the apparitions of Joseph would rank among the most powerful in Church history. In recent times he has been associated with just one major apparition, that of Knock, Ireland, and with lesser apparitions such as one on the side of a church in Pidkamin, Ukraine. 

But in those appearances he was silent; to Sister Mildred (whose messages were granted an imprimatur) he spoke.

He came as a teacher of purity, said Sister Mildred, and through him God had "blessed all fatherhood."

"Fatherhood is from God," Joseph said to the nun, "and it must take once again its rightful place among men. The Holy Trinity desires thus to honor me that in my unique fatherhood all fatherhood might be blessed."

In another vision Sister Mildred, whose spiritual director was Archbishop Paul F. Leibold of Cincinnati, said she saw Joseph's "pure heart" on a cross of brown color. "It appeared to me that at the top of the heart, in the midst of the flames pouring out, was a pure white lily," wrote the nun, who said the saint desired a day set aside to honor his fatherhood. "In honoring in a special way my fatherhood, you also honor Jesus and Mary," he told Sister Neuzil, adding that he too was a "co-operator" or "co-redemptor." "The Divine Trinity has placed into our keeping the peace of the world."

Sister Mildred said St. Joseph's cloak at times seemed brown, at other times purple, with a belt and sandals that looked the color of gold. Though his appearance seemed quite youthful, the nun said he gave the impression of "great strength" and "rare maturity." 

"The lines of his face appeared strong and purposeful, softened somewhat by a gentle serenity," said Sister Mildred in a booklet available through the Fostoria center. "I also saw his most pure heart at this time. Moreover, I saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove hovering above his head."

The nun added that two angels were at his side, each with a small, satin-covered pillow, one bearing a gold scepter, the other a gold crown. 

"Then I heard these words: `Thus should be honored whom the King desires to honor,'" said Sister Mildred.

According to the revelations Joseph had been given special powers of protection over the Pope and Church, as well as individual households, and requested that his heart be honored in a special way each first Wednesday of the month through recitation of the Rosary's joyful mysteries and Communion. "Let them receive Holy Communion in union with the love with which I received the Savior for the first time and each time I held Him in my arms," said Joseph on March 30, 1958 -- thus setting the stage for possible creation of a new devotion in the same manner that Fatima began the devotion of First Saturdays. He promised that those dedicated to this new devotion "will be consoled by my presence at their death, and I myself will conduct them safely into the presence of Jesus and Mary."

"Jesus and Mary desire that my pure heart, so long hidden and unknown, be now honored in a special way," said the apparition. "Their future suffering was ever present to me and became my daily cross," Joseph said in October 1956. "My spiritual fatherhood extends to all God's children, and together with my Virgin Spouse I watch over them with great love and solicitude. Through me the Heavenly Father has blessed all fatherhood, and through me He continues and will continue to do so till the end of time."

[A move is currently afoot to establish a special devotion to the Virgin as Our Lady of America as described in the Ohio apparitions. For more information write: Our Lady of America Center, P.O. Box 445, Fostoria, Ohio].

March 2004  originally published in 2002

More Than Patron Of Homes, It's Time For St. Joseph To Gain Highest Of Recognition

By Michael H. Brown

Second story

Much of the time, it is baffling. While St. Joseph is widely recognized by Catholics (many churches and religious orders are named for him, as are many people), he has remained in the background when it comes to intercession. Oh, his prayers are sought. He is part of the pantheon. He is on the list. But he has not been granted recognition in proportion to who he was -- the father of Jesus while He was on earth.

Perhaps St. Joseph is kept in the background by the design of providence. No one is saying that he has gone completely ignored. But it may be time for the Church (if it so discerns) to rectify the situation. We are open to the possibility that St. Joseph himself desired to be hidden as a manifestation of his incomparable humbleness. Maybe it is just the way it is supposed to be. But I really wonder, and I think that too often we overlook a great intercessor -- one whose time has come.

True, there are those churches named for him, and a good number of statues. But how many splendid images are there? How much focus? How many miracles attributed?

When we want a picture of St. Joseph it always takes a good deal of searching, yet this is a saint who is remarkably powerful and should be up there in our neediest supplications (just below the Blessed Mother and Archangel Michael, in our estimation).

Let every altar pay homage to this remarkably effective saint! Unbeknown to many, St. Joseph has been behind thousands of miraculous healings. We believe there is something to be said about the "Our Lady of America" revelations to an Ohio nun named Mildred Mary Neuzil. During one apparition, the Blessed Mother -- in messages granted an official imprimatur -- was quoted as telling the nun: "My holy spouse has an important part to play in bringing peace to the world." If we pay heed to those apparitions, the current world situation -- and the lack of peace -- is another indication that his time has come.

Consider who this man was. Consider the extraordinarily important role he had in bringing the Savior -- the Prince of Peace -- into the world.

If not for his humility, would he have accepted a wife pregnant by inexplicable means? Would he have given up everything to protect that Infant? And was he not a seer himself? Was he not the one granted dreams indicating where they should journey in order to avoid persecution?

This is a hugely major saint, far larger than just the saint we go to when we want to sell a house (although in this, as we can attest, he is tremendous!). Those who honor him are promised his escort into Heaven.

He is the protector of our homes as he was the protector of the Holy Family.

The famous healer Blessed Andre of Montreal said his cures took place at the behest of Joseph, and according to Sister Neuzil, Jesus and Mary now desire that Joseph's pure heart, so long hidden and unknown, be honored in a special way. Sister Neuzil even offered a new devotion: recitation of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary on the first Wednesday of the month. She claimed the saint appeared to her in a brown cloak with a purplish hue, his belt gold, as were his sandals. She described his face as both young and mature -- the facial lines purposeful and strong but softened by a gentle serenity.

"He seemed suspended, as it were, a short distance above what had the appearance of a large globe with clouds moving about it," claimed Sister Neuzil, whose apparitions have come the closest of any in America to official recognition. "His head was slightly raised, the eyes gazing upward as if in ecstasy. The hands were in a position similar to that of the priest during the celebration of Holy Mass, only they extended upward somewhat more."

A dove hovered over his head.

"Let them receive Holy Communion in union with the love with which I received the Savior for the first time and each time I held Him in my arms," Sister Neuzil quoted him as saying. "All fatherhood is blest in me whom the Eternal Father chose as His representative on earth, the Virgin-Father of His own Divine Son. Through me the Heavenly Father has blessed all fatherhood, and through me He continues and will continue to do so till the end of time."

His fatherhood -- he explained -- extends to all of God's children.

He watches over us with the Blessed Virgin. His was perfect obedience to the Divine Will -- and in this incredible accomplishment is his power. We remember this especially as we approach Father's Day.

"Let fathers also imitate my great purity of life and the deep respect I held for my Immaculate Spouse," he told Sister Neuzil. "Let them be an example to their children and fellow men, never willfully doing anything that would cause scandal among God's people.

"Fatherhood is from God, and it must once again take its rightful place among men."

June 2004

[Bookstore resources: Our Lady of America messages]