It might sound a bit cliché to say that St. Joseph is one of my favorite saints. For a long time, it honestly kind of was. When asked that oft-repeated Catholic icebreaker question, I felt like St. Joseph ought to be one of my favorite saints. With four kids ages 5 and under, I should probably find myself in nearly constant intercessory prayer to St. Anthony (“Where are their shoes?!”), St. Jude (“Just let me make it through bedtime!”), and St. Joseph (“You had it easy. Your kid was Jesus!”).

Fatherhood clichés aside, I wanted St. Joseph to be more of a spiritual warrior in my personal army of saints, but my relationship with him didn’t feel all that authentic or particularly deep. How can you get to know someone who never speaks in the Bible? And after the birth of Jesus and the flight to Egypt, he pretty much vanishes.

When Pope Francis declared 2021 the Year of St. Joseph, however, I felt this could be my chance to truly get to know Joe. Patris Corde (With a Father’s Heart), the pope’s apostolic letter released to kick off the Year of St. Joseph, paints a beautiful and intriguing picture of St. Joseph and his spiritual character, with a variety of traits I hadn’t previously ascribed to this adoptive father of Jesus.

My curiosity was piqued, so I embarked on the 33-day Consecration to St. Joseph using the book by Father Donald Calloway (Marian Press). This spiritual exercise forced me to meditate on the life, experience, and intercessory power of St. Joseph in a new way. By extrapolating from various Bible passages and exploring the writings of other saints, popes, and biblical scholars who have deeply contemplated the life of St. Joseph, I came away with a renewed sense of awe at his dedication to the complementary vocations of marriage and fatherhood. The journey also illuminated a few crucial parenting tips.