You are here: Home Service Consolation Ministry - Funeral Preparation

Men of St. Joseph

The St. Gregory the Great MOSJ meets every other Saturday morning to pray, discuss matters of faith and how these matters affect our families in everyday lives.  

The MOSJ group also prepares for the Sunday liturgies by reflecting about the Scripture readings and how they speak to us and direct us on how to live a good Christian life.
 
Our MOSJ group is a chapter of the greater RI Men of St. Joseph which is a Catholic association of men committed to Jesus Christ and dedicated to uniting men through vital relationships, encouraging their transformations as individuals, brothers, fathers, and parishioners by living according to God's Word.  (RIMOSJ mission statement)

Information about the MOSJ

Print

What is a Man of St. Joseph?

In our times there are many obstacles to faith, but a man of St. Joseph is a man who is seeking the Lord in his life: "You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13) Our Lord Jesus came to show us God's love and so we discover our role as a man who serves the needs of other rather than seeking power and privilege (Lk. 22:25ff). However, this call is not a burden carried by the self-reliant, rather, it is a man who receives the support of companions who "encourage one another and build each other up" (1Thes. 5:11) and abide in God's strength (John 15). As a result, a man of St. Joseph is fulfilled by discovering and joyfully living out God's purposes for his life (Col. 1:9-12). In short,  St. Joseph was the closest man to Jesus, and so like St. Joseph we are seeking to become men who are committed to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  

 A Man of St. Joseph holds us Christian ideals, attributes, and he promises to be faithful to his baptismal call.  A Man of St. Joseph holds up Christian ideals, attributes, and he promises to be faithful in his baptismal call.

Pledge & Promises

The RI Men of St. Joseph have chosen Hebrews 12:1, 2 as our theme verse:  "We for our part are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, therefore, let us lay aside every encumbrance of sin which clings to us and persevere in running the race which lies ahead. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and perfects our faith."

Men of St. Joseph are encouraged to commit themselves to live five promises with the support of other brothers. These promises will help men "lay aside every encumbrance of sin" and "persevere in running the race" as disciples through the grace that comes from Jesus. These promises are not rules that disqualify us from the group if and when we fail to live them out, rather they are ideals that to which we are committed that help us to grow in our Christian journey together.

Each of the five promises is based on a principle of Christian discipleship with a practical application.  These promises have been integrated into the richness of our faith tradition.

1. Dedicate your life to the Lord and put him first in every area of your life…participate in Sunday Mass with your family.

2. Grow in the grace of Christian discipleship…develop a personal prayer life and participate in a weekday Mass more often (at least once a month).

3. Live with integrity and honesty…experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation frequently.

4. be faithful to your Christian vocation…pray and spend time with your family and establish priorities and balance in your life.

5. Meet together with brothers for support…gather together with men for an annual conference and seasonal meetings.

These promises may become the basis for Men of St. Joseph talks and small group sharing. They are also stated in a deliberate order so men will put the Lord first in their life, abide in the Lord, establish correct priorities and become part of a community of men. The large and small group gatherings are intended to help men be more faithful to their family or primary vocation. These gatherings should not take away from family life or make men too busy but assist us in maintaining and reestablishing priorities of God.