Devotees told to emulate the virtues of St. Joseph

Devotees filled the National Shrine of St. Joseph during the fiesta mass on Wednesday morning, May 8. (CND DIGITAL PHOTO/Rosalie O. Abatayo)

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines— Stay humble and be obedient.

Archbishop Osvald Padilla, the Papal Nuncio Emeritus to South Korea, asked Mandauehanons to emulate the virtues of St. Joseph the worker, who is celebrating his annual feast today, May 8.

Padilla, who officiated the 10 a.m. fiesta Mass at the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City this morning, said that St. Joseph was a man of action who never questioned. Instead, he just obeyed God’s plans for him.

“Unta, tudloan kita niya sa pagpakamatinud-anon sa pagsunod sa balaod sa Dios ug sa pagsunod sa mga plano sa Dios alang kanato,” Archbishop Padilla said.

(May  St. Joseph guide us to genuinely follow the laws of God and heed his plans for us.)

Padilla said that St. Joseph should serve as a role model for every Christian community.

“Karon usa ra kita ka katilingban nga dungan nga nanalangin kang San Jose alang sa mga pamilya ug sa mga kabataan,” said the prelate.

(Acting as one community, let us we pray to St. Joseph for our families and the youth.)

Hundreds of Catholic faithful crowded the National Shrine of St. Joseph on Wednesday morning. Among those who heard Mass were Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing and 6th district Rep. Jonas Cortes and members of their slate.

Both are seeking the city’s mayoral seat in Monday’s midterm polls. /dcb