sABOUT THE FATHERS OF ST. JOSEPH
The Apostolate
The fathers of St. Joseph is a confraternity of men who follow the timeless wisdom and example of the man who was father to the Son and son of the Father. With St. Joseph as our leader, each father strives to become as he became – an icon of God the Father. As God the Father entrusted His Son to St. Joseph’s care, we also strive to entrust ourselves as children, who are fathers, to this father who will teach us to father, and lead us to the Father. This way of fatherhood is called Joseph’s Way – The Call to Fatherly Greatness. Join us on this journey to discover the power of authentic fatherhood.
More about the Code of Honor and the National Apostolate can be found HERE.
The Purpose
The Father’s of St. Joseph are committed to providing men the opportunity to gather around St. Joseph himself. To place his life and example at the center of our gatherings with the intention of discovering the timeless sanctity of the vocation of fatherhood, to learn the meaning of authentic fatherhood, to equip fathers to become the fathers God intends them to be by understanding and living the spirituality that enables St. Joseph to become a father on earth like the Father in heaven. The sole aim and purpose of The Fathers of St. Joseph is to labor for the restoration, revitalization and redemption of human fatherhood, in order that it may become what it has been created to be: an efficacious icon that directs the human family to its Father.At St. Bernard’s Chapter, we achieve this through the following three areas:
1. Renewing Our Mind
“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:2
Jesus calls to us, “… the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) The Greek used here for repent is metanoia which means to come to a new mind. Metanoia can and does include the notion of reformed behavior that we typically associate with repentance. But this reformed behavior is the result of a new mind. If we think differently by the new mind Christ will give us, we will start to see things more as God does. We will share His priorities, His vision. We will love what He loves. We will think more as He does. This, then, will effect a change in our behavior making us the fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, and friends that God desires us to be.
2. Reclaiming THE Story
“I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ. “ – Galatians 1:6-7
Many today do not have a relationship with Jesus because they don’t know Him. We don’t know Him because we have lost a sense of THE story of Salvation History. This lack of knowledge of Jesus is being exploited by television programming, politicians and public figures to paint a picture of Him made in their own image. We turn to Scripture, the Catholic Tradition, and the teaching of the Magisterium to reclaim THE Story as understood by the Fathers of the Church to encounter God and build this relationship. We reclaim THE Story to share the Good News with our spouse and children – evangelizing our families – helping them to develop their relationships with God as well.
2. Becoming and Raising Saints
“For the ordinary life of a man among his fellows is not something dull and uninteresting, … It is there that the Lord wants the vast majority of his children to achieve sanctity.” – St. Josemaria Escriva
Through Baptism, we are freed from sin, reborn as sons of God (CCC1213) and sanctified, set apart, to do the Lord’s Will. To be sanctified means to be holy. Our goal is eternal communion with God upon our death. Everyone in this state, in Heaven, is a saint. So, ultimately, our goal is to become a saint. We sometimes get confused between being holy - a saint - and being perfect. They are not the same thing. Many Saints raised to the Altar of the Church were everyday people – husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, and friends. These people relied on the Grace of God through the sacraments, especially Confession, prayer, and their everyday lives to achieve that eternal communion. In addition to desiring this for ourselves, we desire this for our children and spouse.
Structure of the St. Bernard Chapter
The Fathers of St. Joseph of St. Bernard Parish Affiliate meets on the first Wednesdays of each month from 6:30-8:00 PM in the Church Hall (Time and Dates are subject to change so please consult the Events page for the next meeting). We will use the following four means to achieve our Purpose during these meetings:
Common Questions
"Do I need to be married or a father to attend Fathers of St. Joseph Meetings?"
The short answer is No. All men 18 years old or older can attend. We are all called to lead others to the Father. The Fathers of St. Joseph equips us to fulfill that mission no matter our current state in life.
"Do I need to commit to attend every meeting?"
While part of the purpose of the Apostolate is to build fellowship with like-minded men, the structure of the Fathers of St. Joseph meetings is such that each meeting is a stand alone subject. This means that you can attend as many as fit into your schedule.
"How do I RSVP for meetings?"
First, check the Events page to confirm the meeting time and topic. Once you've done that, you can RSVP two ways. The first is by calling the Parish Administrative Assistant at 513-353-4207, EXT. 2 and leaving your name and the date you'll be attending. The second way is to use the Form at the Contact page on this website. Once you become a regular, you can be added to a Flocknote group where meeting reminders are sent out via text which you can use to respond with your RSVP.
The Apostolate
The fathers of St. Joseph is a confraternity of men who follow the timeless wisdom and example of the man who was father to the Son and son of the Father. With St. Joseph as our leader, each father strives to become as he became – an icon of God the Father. As God the Father entrusted His Son to St. Joseph’s care, we also strive to entrust ourselves as children, who are fathers, to this father who will teach us to father, and lead us to the Father. This way of fatherhood is called Joseph’s Way – The Call to Fatherly Greatness. Join us on this journey to discover the power of authentic fatherhood.
More about the Code of Honor and the National Apostolate can be found HERE.
The Purpose
The Father’s of St. Joseph are committed to providing men the opportunity to gather around St. Joseph himself. To place his life and example at the center of our gatherings with the intention of discovering the timeless sanctity of the vocation of fatherhood, to learn the meaning of authentic fatherhood, to equip fathers to become the fathers God intends them to be by understanding and living the spirituality that enables St. Joseph to become a father on earth like the Father in heaven. The sole aim and purpose of The Fathers of St. Joseph is to labor for the restoration, revitalization and redemption of human fatherhood, in order that it may become what it has been created to be: an efficacious icon that directs the human family to its Father.At St. Bernard’s Chapter, we achieve this through the following three areas:
1. Renewing Our Mind
“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:2
Jesus calls to us, “… the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) The Greek used here for repent is metanoia which means to come to a new mind. Metanoia can and does include the notion of reformed behavior that we typically associate with repentance. But this reformed behavior is the result of a new mind. If we think differently by the new mind Christ will give us, we will start to see things more as God does. We will share His priorities, His vision. We will love what He loves. We will think more as He does. This, then, will effect a change in our behavior making us the fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, and friends that God desires us to be.
2. Reclaiming THE Story
“I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ. “ – Galatians 1:6-7
Many today do not have a relationship with Jesus because they don’t know Him. We don’t know Him because we have lost a sense of THE story of Salvation History. This lack of knowledge of Jesus is being exploited by television programming, politicians and public figures to paint a picture of Him made in their own image. We turn to Scripture, the Catholic Tradition, and the teaching of the Magisterium to reclaim THE Story as understood by the Fathers of the Church to encounter God and build this relationship. We reclaim THE Story to share the Good News with our spouse and children – evangelizing our families – helping them to develop their relationships with God as well.
2. Becoming and Raising Saints
“For the ordinary life of a man among his fellows is not something dull and uninteresting, … It is there that the Lord wants the vast majority of his children to achieve sanctity.” – St. Josemaria Escriva
Through Baptism, we are freed from sin, reborn as sons of God (CCC1213) and sanctified, set apart, to do the Lord’s Will. To be sanctified means to be holy. Our goal is eternal communion with God upon our death. Everyone in this state, in Heaven, is a saint. So, ultimately, our goal is to become a saint. We sometimes get confused between being holy - a saint - and being perfect. They are not the same thing. Many Saints raised to the Altar of the Church were everyday people – husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, and friends. These people relied on the Grace of God through the sacraments, especially Confession, prayer, and their everyday lives to achieve that eternal communion. In addition to desiring this for ourselves, we desire this for our children and spouse.
Structure of the St. Bernard Chapter
The Fathers of St. Joseph of St. Bernard Parish Affiliate meets on the first Wednesdays of each month from 6:30-8:00 PM in the Church Hall (Time and Dates are subject to change so please consult the Events page for the next meeting). We will use the following four means to achieve our Purpose during these meetings:
- Speakers - Once a quarter, a Speaker will be scheduled to cover a topic related to the family, fatherhood, or elements of our Catholic faith.
- Adoration & Confession- Once a quarter, a meeting will be scheduled where dinner is followed by Adoration with Father available to hear confessions.
- Presentations- Members of the Fathers of St. Joseph cover topics that they are passionate about related to the family, fatherhood, or elements of our Catholic faith. Presentations are typically 25-30 minutes long and are followed by Group discussion of the topic.
- Discussion Topics - Various topics such as Scripture, technology, art, prayer, etc. will be covered in highly interactive meetings. Topics outside of Scripture will be focused on the family and fatherhood. This are scheduled between the other 3 elements.
Common Questions
"Do I need to be married or a father to attend Fathers of St. Joseph Meetings?"
The short answer is No. All men 18 years old or older can attend. We are all called to lead others to the Father. The Fathers of St. Joseph equips us to fulfill that mission no matter our current state in life.
"Do I need to commit to attend every meeting?"
While part of the purpose of the Apostolate is to build fellowship with like-minded men, the structure of the Fathers of St. Joseph meetings is such that each meeting is a stand alone subject. This means that you can attend as many as fit into your schedule.
"How do I RSVP for meetings?"
First, check the Events page to confirm the meeting time and topic. Once you've done that, you can RSVP two ways. The first is by calling the Parish Administrative Assistant at 513-353-4207, EXT. 2 and leaving your name and the date you'll be attending. The second way is to use the Form at the Contact page on this website. Once you become a regular, you can be added to a Flocknote group where meeting reminders are sent out via text which you can use to respond with your RSVP.
“Love does not make you weak, because it is the source of all strength, but it makes you see the nothingness of the illusory strength on which you depended before you knew it.” ― Léon Bloy