Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here atSaint Joseph's University Photo by: Ellis KruschLehigh Wins Two Of Three Races Against Saint Joseph's5/3/2025 4:49:00 PM | Women's Rowing 15vs4Saint Joseph's Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Massachusetts Faces Saint Joseph's in A-10 Championship Final May 03 Game Recap: Baseball | 5/4/2025 3:44:00 PM Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Game Recap: Softball | 5/3/2025 3:20:00 PM Thanks for visiting Game Recap: Baseball | 5/3/2025 4:36:00 PM Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Game Recap: Softball | 5/4/2025 3:25:00 PM Thanks for visiting Game Recap: Baseball | 5/2/2025 5:43:00 PM Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Saint Joseph's seniors Sol Borensztein (field hockey), Erik Reynolds II (men's basketball) and Levi Verch (men's lacrosse) have been selected as the recipients of the Saint Joseph's Class of 1950 Award as the school's top graduating senior student-athletes. The honors were announced at the annual Hawkies awards ceremony on April 27 Sol BorenszteinA four-year starter for the Hawks’ field hockey team Sol helped lead Saint Joseph’s to four consecutive Atlantic 10 Championship titles and four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances the three-time All-Region honoree lifted the Hawks to new heights: the NCAA National Championship game native was also named the 2021 A-10 Rookie of the Year was selected to three A-10 All-Conference teams earned A-10 All-Championship Team honors in each of her four seasons earning Dean’s List recognition five times and NFHCA National Academic Squad honors four times Erik Reynolds IIThe all-time leading scorer in Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball history Erik left an indelible mark on Hawk Hill during his four years Along with setting a new program mark for points - 2,175 -  the Temple Hills Maryland native also capped his Hawk career as the all-time leader in three-pointers (350) and free throw percentage the three-time A-10 All-Conference selection led the Hawks to two straight Big 5 Classic titles in 2023 and 2024 and back-to-back 20 win seasons for the first time since 2003-04 and 2004-05 Levi Verch One of the top student-athletes in Saint Joseph’s men’s lacrosse history Levi has helped the Hawks earn two NCAA Tournament appearances and capture both an Atlantic 10 Championship crown and a NEC Championship title British Columbia garnered 2025 Preseason Tewaaraton Watch List recognition and USA Lacrosse and Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American honors as one of the best defenders in the nation Earning 2024 A-10 Defensive Player of the Year and All-American honorable mention accolades as a junior Levi has also helped grow the game of lacrosse off the field as he is an active member of 4Stop Lacrosse that run summer camps for over 100 participants volunteers at youth camps and helps run a gear drive and an after school care lacrosse program Thanks for visiting Game Recap: Softball | 5/3/2025 4:30:00 PM | Dylan Nuzzo Bonaventure University softball team overcame a rainy Saturday morning to defeat Saint Joseph's at Joyce Field in the first game of a three-game series in the top of the fourth inning before the game was suspended due to inclement weather The Hawks loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fourth, but Bonnies starter Ava Lomelin worked out of the jam Bona's pushed its lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single off the bat of Lauren Dundon, scoring Kymora Wang from second Saint Joseph's pulled one back in the top of the seventh on an RBI double, but Kendall Stull was able to shut down the rally Lomelin improves to 4-4 in the circle with the win striking out two and scattering five hits over 6.2 innings Thanks for visiting Bonaventure University softball team is set to host Saint Joseph's for a three-game Atlantic 10 series on the final weekend of the season Action gets underway at Joyce Field Saturday May 3 with a doubleheader starting at 12:00 p.m The Bonnies and Hawks wrap up the series Sunday afternoon with a single game at noon Following Sunday's finale, the Bonnies will honor graduating student-athletes Courtnee Peterson, Victoria Jacques and Emily McKenna Kymora Wang currently ranks tied for second in the A-10 with 12 doubles and is fourth in slugging percentage with a .592 mark Wang also sits tied for fifth in on-base plus slugging percentage (1.021) Kendall Stull sits third in the Atlantic 10 with 11 doubles ranking first in the A-10 and ninth in the NCAA Victoria Jacques is a four-year member of the softball program appearing in 110 career games and making 71 starts between the outfield and second base Jacques has collected 24 hits for a .280 batting average this season with 23 runs scored Jacques is set to earn her degree in management and is a member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll Emily McKenna played three seasons for the Brown and White Thanks for visiting The UMass women’s lacrosse team eased past Saint Joseph’s to claim the Atlantic 10 championship on Sunday The Minutewomen (15-3) broke the game open during the second half scoring 10 goals over the final two quarters Three UMass players recorded hat tricks (Delaney Rodriguez-Shaw Tessa Shields and Ava Connaughton) to lead the team to its first A-10 title since 2021 Catrina Tobin totaled six saves for the Minutewomen UMass will receive an automatic bid into the Division 1 NCAA Championship tournament This year’s title games will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough you agree with our use of cookies to personalize your experience measure ads and monitor how our site works to improve it for our users See what today's weather forecast looks like in Tucson An undocumented Mexican man who has lived in Tucson for almost 15 years was arrested by immigration agents outside St after his wife says hospital staff extensively questioned a relative whom he was accompanying about his legal status whom the Star is only identifying by his first name Joseph’s Hospital with a cousin who had sought emergency care there non-uniformed agents emerged from an unmarked Chevy Tahoe and called out the cousin’s name While his cousin broke into a run and avoided the agents Francisco was detained and is now in the Florence Correctional Center Francisco’s cousin was repeatedly questioned about whether he had a Social Security number or legal status The manner of questioning made the family suspect the hospital employee contacted U.S who said she was present at the hospital on Tuesday during the questioning before she left to pick up her daughter from school The separation is shocking to them,” said Rosa who an undocumented Mexican national who has lived in Tucson for 15 years was detained by immigration authorities outside St after hospital staff questioned a relative he was accompanying about his legal status is pictured with Rosa’s two daughters during a recent trip to Phoenix The Star emailed questions Friday about the circumstances of Francisco’s arrest to Patti Tanner the media-relations contact listed on the website of Carondelet Health Network The Star also left multiple messages at St Joseph’s Hospital on Friday with no response ICE spokeswoman Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe did not respond to the Star’s Friday request for comment on the ICE operation outside St Rosa is adamant that her husband has no criminal record President Donald Trump and his supporters previously said their mass deportation campaign would focus on dangerous criminals and those who had already been ordered deported the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security reversed its long-standing guidance that restricted ICE and U.S Customs and Border Protection enforcement at “sensitive locations,” including hospitals which was still in effect in Trump’s first term immigration officers generally had to get approval for enforcement operations at those locations Heightened ICE enforcement at hospitals will result in needless suffering and delayed medical care an immigrant-rights advocate who volunteers with Tucson’s Coalición de Derechos Humanos Roberts is a retired registered nurse and worked at St and that means they are not going to go to the hospital when they need it,” she said “It’s going to result in people being sick and possibly dying from illness or injury because they’re scared to go to the hospital.” Rosa said her daughter has a medical appointment scheduled for a fingernail that has turned black but Rosa is now fearful of attending the appointment On April 11, a federal judge rejected a legal challenge from 27 faith-based groups who sought protection from immigration enforcement in their houses of worship. The judge ruled the plaintiffs hadn’t proved an imminent threat of enforcement Campos said hospitals should be resisting Trump’s aggressive pursuit of immigrants “It’s another institution that’s capitulating,” he said should be making a public display of pushing back against the government.” Joseph’s happened during the same week that a pregnant Guatemalan woman was apprehended by border agents in the Southern Arizona desert days before being transferred to Tucson Medical Center to give birth on Wednesday Department of Homeland Security officers posted outside the woman’s hospital room were preventing anyone other than hospital staff from seeing her Initially, the woman faced expedited removal a rapid deportation without a hearing before a judge A CBP spokesman told the Star on Thursday that the new mother would have the choice whether to take her U.S DHS agents posted outside the woman’s TMC hospital room refused to let Campos talk to her Thursday But on Friday, after a public outcry and widespread media attention, CBP appeared to reverse course: In a new statement the agency said the woman would be given a notice-to-appear in court and the opportunity to contact a lawyer signifying she has been put into normal deportation proceedings That should give her an opportunity to pursue asylum or other humanitarian protections who is now formally representing the woman Campos got word Saturday afternoon that the woman said she fled death threats in Sonora in 2019 and requested asylum for herself and her two daughters at the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales They eventually received asylum protection and are currently in the process of obtaining lawful permanent residency Rosa met Francisco as he was searching for work opportunities at a Tucson church near where she lived After offering lunch to Francisco and some of the other workers and the care with which he treated her daughters holding the little one’s hand to cross the street,” she said Francisco was also gentle with Rosa and sensitive to the post-traumatic stress she experiences “When I started the relationship with Francisco the family was making plans for that worst-case scenario ‘Our life is in God’s hands; it’s not in the government’s hands but God is the one who guides our steps.’” They downloaded an app to share each other’s locations which is how Rosa first knew something was wrong on Tuesday when she saw his location was the Tucson Border Patrol station before she got the call from a relative of his cousin telling her Francisco had been arrested outside St called Rosa to apologize and to say he would not contact her again for a while “I will find resources to help my husband.” although some think President Trump’s rhetoric is full of empty threats to scare people she wants people in her community to know the risk is real “Many people say it’s just psychological terror Our children feel like they’re not safe in their schools I want people to know that what’s happening is real.” Rosa said she’s finding support in her community but she advises everyone to remain vigilant “I think the important thing is to take care of each other that they take care of themselves and that they don’t trust anyone,” she said “The hospitals aren’t trustworthy either.” Contact reporter Emily Bregel at ebregel@tucson.com Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community The Guatemalan woman arrested in the Arizona desert will be given the choice taking her newborn — a US citizen born Wednesday at Tucson Medica… For Star subscribers: The Trump administration has moved to revoke parole protections issued under Biden and deport migrants who followed all … After five federal agents showed up unexpectedly at their home south of West Ajo Highway last week Venezuelan nationals Yoleidy and her husba… Three federal agents visited long-time Tucson restaurant La Indita this week seeking to verify the legal status of its employees The woman is still subject to removal proceedings but no longer faces an immediate deportation after immigration officials reversed course a… says it is simply a way to collect data to let the governor and legislators of Arizona know … Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Wins and losses don't matter much to Anni Amalnathan right now She's more focused on embracing her final season as a member of the South Bend Saint Joseph girls tennis program The senior star wants to make sure that her final go around for the tradition-rich Huskies is an enjoyable one More: HS Tennis: Who are the top prep girls tennis teams this season? Last spring: Saint Joseph girls tennis claims elusive state title with 3-2 decision over Fishers "This is the last time together with my high school friends and I want to make sure to enjoy it and have fun," Amalnathan said "I just want to go out there and be the best that I can be Amalnathan has known nothing but success at St 1 doubles state championship in that season playing behind senior stars Molly Bellia and Ashi as the Huskies won the team state championship She admits that there are more eyeballs on her now to succeed for a squad that was 77-9-1 the past four seasons and has been to the State Finals each of the past four years with runner up finishes in both 2021 and 2023 "There is definitely pressure," Amalnathan said "Molly and Ashi were definitely great players and definitely made a name for themselves I'm the captain and I'm in a new spot at No 1 and playing the top players on every team "I have a lot of belief in myself and that's what I need to focus on I need to learn from my losses and keep looking forward." Amalnathan started the year 4-0 before losing three of four matches against top flight competition 4 Westfield April 25 and then to players from No 10 Columbus North in the loaded Park Tudor Invitational April 26 Longtime Saint Joseph coach Bill Mountford isn't concerned about the losses "Anni will be fine," said Mountford the day after his team placed third in the Park Tudor event She did not play her best and lost to some very good players "Is Anni one of the best players in the state She knows what it takes and will go back to work and put in the time on her game She has all the shots and the game to do it Amalnathan bounced back after the tough go down South by winning Monday versus Elkhart and Tuesday versus Culver Academy An expected showdown with rival Penn Thursday and Anni is learning that," Mountford stated "It makes a difference when you are playing every team's best player every match "The thing about Anni is that she knows her way around the court She beat a good player (in the win at Culver Academy) and played a lot better Amalnathan admitted that she had almost decided not to play collegiate tennis until opting to commit to Colorado State "I contemplated quitting tennis and just playing club in college," Amalnathan explained I'm so excited now to play for Colorado State I fell in love with the environment there on my visit and the coaches there are just the sweetest people." 'How am I still alive?' Concord senior reflects on crash that nearly killed her, recovery More: Here are the best South Bend area high school girls sports performances, April 28 - May 3 Amalnathan did note that she does miss playing with her sister and Bellia Ashi is now playing at South Carolina State while Bellia is at the United States Naval Academy 1 singles each of the past four years and was the individual state champion in 2021 and I learned a lot from both of them," Amalnathan said "Molly had grit and perseverance and never gave up Ashi was able to bounce back from tough things." Amalnathan has been around the game her entire life Her father Arul currently teaches tennis in South Carolina He used to be a teaching pro at the South Bend Racquet Club Amalnathan is keeping things in perspective as the Huskies chase another long postseason run starting later this month She will also try to navigate through the No "The obvious goal is to win state," Amalnathan said Mountford praised the makeup of his top player on a team that boasts some strong underclassmen like sophomore Libby Yergler and freshman Coco Burfien "Anni is definitely a team kid," Mountford said 16vs10High Point (Finals) Spiders Run Away From High Point to Claim Atlantic 10 Title05/03/2025 | Men's Lacrosse The proper water celly for the first-time head coach ?? @jcrawley44 #GoHPU x #A10MLAX pic.twitter.com/2WjwzDJcNO With his 5??th ground ball of the game Accardo breaks the HPU single-season ground ball record with 130 ground balls ??#GoHPU x #A10MLAX pic.twitter.com/mag7yjF6lw Wix & Bunten start us off ??#GoHPU x #A10MLAX pic.twitter.com/1doDVYMeSf Overend save ?? Panthers in transition ?? Cooke Goal ??#GoHPU x #A10MLAX pic.twitter.com/ie7ZlcJRUp "Fine I'll take it myself" -Brenfleck4?? takes it coast-to-coast for his first career goal ????#GoHPU x #A10MLAX pic.twitter.com/LNXZXrrdyW 5?? stops SJU's run in the fourth ??#GoHPU x #A10MLAX pic.twitter.com/eiI1kl8174 MY OH MY CANN ??#GoHPU x #A10MLAX pic.twitter.com/5N2BgtDumi Thanks for visiting Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo) The University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford has been named an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) has been designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications recognizing USJ as an institution that can serve as a model for studying how campuses can foster student success The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published last month by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification The University of Saint Joseph is the only Connecticut institution to receive the distinction of the 2025 Student Access and Earnings Classification: Opportunity Colleges and Universities – Higher Access “This recognition from the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education affirms what we have long known at the University of Saint Joseph: when students from all backgrounds are given access to rigorous they achieve meaningful outcomes,” said University of Saint Joseph President Rhona C “Being named an Opportunity College and University reflects our ongoing commitment to helping students thrive academically and to graduate with the skills to transform their communities.” The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities More information about 2025 Student Earnings and Access Classifications, including the methodology, can be found here Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" © 2025 • WeHa News • All Rights Reserved • Ezoic Privacy Policy - Created by Roy Web Design Thanks for visiting Joseph Arts Academy hosted an open house Sunday afternoon in honor of St From adults to teenagers to young children everyone can pick up an instrument and make beautiful music Joseph Arts Academy teaches its students in every lesson "We are celebrating all of our advancing musicians in our community," St Joseph Arts Academy Director Jason Riley said "We have so many wonderful families here and an amazing faculty and we're just trying to introduce everybody to the instruments Students at the Academy have many opportunities to show off their skills at local performances like the Blues and Jazz Festival and Blue Grass Battles Hunger had practiced her instrument daily for over a year and as anyone who has heard her perform will express "My sister started playing the piano," she said "I didn't really want to play the piano just to be like her It creates really nice sounds and a good mindset." Whether looking to learn how to play the piano students can get their hands on several musical instruments at the Academy to try learning a musical instrument because it is a building block for all other skills "It's fully the most important thing that you can really do as a young person," he said their brains are developing so fast...Music is the greatest thing that you can give them While we love sports and we love reading and singing and speaking and all the hugging all the things that you would do for your little ones music is the greatest whole-brain activity for a little one." Joseph Arts Academy teaches all age groups "Maybe it was a bucket list thing or they wish they hadn't given up piano as a kid," Riley said They always had a dream to play guitar or violin To learn about the St. Joseph Arts Academy, their lessons and upcoming performances, visit the organization's website at stjosephartsacademy.com Jump to comments ↓ Kendra Simpson joined the KNPN team in May 2023 Saturday newscasts for News-Press NOW and reports on the latest news for St News-Press Now is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here – The Saint Joseph's College women's lacrosse team saw its postseason run come to an end Wednesday afternoon with a 9-4 loss to Emmanuel College in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) semifinals the Saints punched their ticket to the GNAC championship game while the Monks wrapped up their season with a 12-6 record jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the opening quarter behind two goals and an assist from Madeline Wright outshooting Saint Joseph's 9-2 and winning all four draw controls in the first 15 minutes Saint Joseph's got on the board midway through the second quarter when Shauna Clark (Oakland The Saints quickly responded with another goal from Wright The Monks came out of the break with renewed energy. Celia Melanson (Waterford, ME) scored off a feed from Taylor Dumond (Minisink, NY) just over a minute into the third quarter, and Sophia Burton (Westtown NY) followed up with a free-position goal to make it 5-3 scoring twice before the end of the period to stretch the lead to 7-3 Ella Highbarger (Kennebunk ME) gave the Monks hope with a man-up goal assisted by Melanson with just over seven minutes to play The Saints closed the door with back-to-back goals from Emilia Ferraro and Abby Brown to seal the win which proved critical in maintaining possession and limiting the Monks' offensive chances The Saints also held a 24-17 advantage in shots Despite the pressure, Saint Joseph's goalie Morgan Wright (Chelmsford, MA) made seven saves. On defense, the Monks forced 32 turnovers and collected 25 ground balls, led by Ava Molineaux (Rowley Clark made an impact on both ends of the field Madeline Wright led Emmanuel's attack with four goals and two assists while Danica Srimouksavanh added two goals and two assists Saints keeper Isabella Thomas stood tall in net The Monks close out a strong season with a 12-6 record and a trip to the GNAC semifinals With several key contributors set to return Saint Joseph's will aim to build on this year's progress moving forward Thanks for visiting Spring Campaign in Full Swing!Join us to reach our $60,000 goal Mass Propers for Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: says the Lord; whoever comes to me will never hunger Preface II of Easter: It is truly right and just but in this time above all to laud you yet more gloriously when Christ our Passover has been sacrificed Through him the children of light rise to eternal life and the halls of the heavenly Kingdom are thrown open to the faithful; for his Death is our ransom from death and in his rising the life of all has risen every people exults in your praise and even the heavenly Powers sing together the unending hymn of your glory we believe that we shall also live with Christ Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: O God who open wide the gates of the heavenly Kingdom to those reborn of water and the Holy Spirit pour out on your servants an increase of the grace you have bestowed they may lack nothing that in your kindness you have promised who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit » Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books! After taking part in the Crusades against the Albigensians he used his inheritance to free Christian prisoners held by the Moors He later founded the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (Mercedarians) beginning in 1218 devoted to ransoming Christians John the Apostle was taken to Rome under the Emperor Domitian and plunged into a cauldron of boiling oil; by a striking miracle he came out safe and sound from this torture This disposition to forgive did not die with St but has continued to be one of the most characteristic virtues of the saint Benedict as related in the Dialogues of St that he was continuously and severely persecuted by a delinquent priest who lived in the neighborhood of the monastery in order to protect the virtue and the vocations of his disciples Benedict decided to abandon the site of his monastery and move to another location He and his monks had hardly left their monastery when word was brought that the persecutor had died suddenly Contrary to the expectation of the messenger who brought the news Benedict broke out in loud lamentations that his enemy had died suddenly and had not had an opportunity to repent The saints see so much more clearly than we the relative unimportance of the hardships and injustices we suffer in this world and the importance before all else of the sinner's being converted and repenting of his sins How long and how persistently we harbor grudges in our hearts against those who have offended us How difficult we find it to forgive freely and from our hearts Yet we proclaim ourselves to be Christians and to practice all the Christian virtues Do we forget that our Lord told us that if we expect our prayers to be heard and our sacrifices to be pleasing in the sight of God and go first and make peace with our brother Nor is the disposition to forgive our enemies peculiar only to the saints and martyrs of the ancient Church; nor should we expect it to be and if His disciples were commanded to forgive their enemies in His day Father Pro was executed in Mexico some years ago he was asked by his executioner if he had anything he wished to do or anything he wished to say before the sentence was executed Father Pro said that there was; he wished to be given an opportunity to pray for his executioners and to give them his blessing before he died During the persecutions in Spain during the late civil war one of the religious who was to be put to death by the communists was led to his death with his hands bound asked to be allowed to give his blessing to the members of the firing squad It is said that the officer in charge of the guard untied his hands and then swiftly struck off the hands of the priest with his sword raised his right arm and traced the sign of the cross over the heads of his murderers This is the true sign of the authentic martyr the characteristic mark of the true saint of the Church Who His own self bore our sins in His body upon the tree" (Epistle) The redemption of man as accomplished by Christ might have been accomplished in other ways but none of them would have been as perfect as the way Christ chose God might have forgiven man outright without requiring any satisfaction for sin This would have been a splendid manifestation of the infinite mercy of God but it would have ignored His infinite justice God might have refused redemption and forgiveness altogether and this would have been in complete conformity with His justice but it would not have satisfied His infinite mercy Perfect redemption required that both God's mercy and justice be satisfied Any act of satisfaction on his part would only have been of limited and finite value An act of reparation offered by a divine person would have been adequate since it would not have been offered by the offending party The only possibility of a perfect redemption was for the divine person to become incarnate could perform acts of infinite value; since he was a human being He could act in the name of the human race and offer an act of reparation which would be both adequate and authentic But the martyrdom of the latter Apostle called for a scene worthy of the event was not a sufficiently glorious land for such a combat whither Peter had transferred his Chair and where he died on his cross and where Paul had bowed down his venerable head beneath the sword alone deserved the honor of seeing the beloved disciple march on to martyrdom with that dignity and sweetness which are the characteristics of this veteran of the Apostolic College In the year 95 John appeared before the tribunal of pagan Rome the worship of a Jew who had been crucified under Pontius Pilate He was considered a superstitious and rebellious old man and it was time to rid Asia of his presence sentenced to an ignominious and cruel death A huge cauldron of boiling oil was prepared in front of the Latin Gate The sentence ordered that the preacher of Christ be plunged into this bath The hour had come for the second son of Salome to partake of his Master’s chalice the boiling liquid lost all its heat; the Apostle felt no scalding when they took him out again he felt all the vigor of his youthful years restored to him From Adam working the garden to Christ doing the works of the Father the Scriptures prominently feature the theme of work Saint Paul goes so far as to say that all those who do not work should not eat (3:10) man participates in the activity of God himself” and so comes to be like him the man who works for God comes to love him ever more Work has the ability to make us love God more we learn something both about ourselves and about God We simultaneously learn our own limitations and God’s surpassing love Accepting these truths requires a death to self the patron of workers and an exemplar for us Let’s consider what Joseph’s work might have taught him and how this knowledge would have prompted him to love God more so his work was physically demanding: lifting and carrying heavy loads; chopping one comes to know himself and his limits: man is exhaustible and hurtable the man of faith also learns something about God: he supplies strength for us to do our work and healing for us to recover Joseph’s work as a carpenter also included mental tasks: designing a bench a desk; calculating and measuring boards and cuts along the way; studying the color and age of wood to predict its effects when hammered or bent in various ways; and most of all there is the mental task of planning new jobs and estimating the worth of one’s work Joseph must have felt the weariness of mental exhaustion; anxiety and stress from the responsibility and unpredictability of his work; and the distractions and discouragements of hard labor especially as we humbly recognize our limits and quirks we gain greater knowledge of God: we discover that he is the giver of peace the supplier of mental strength and healing The one who works for God comes to love him ever more Republished with gracious permission from Dominicana (April 2025) Image: Georges de la Tour, St. Joseph, the Carpenter All comments are moderated and must be civil Comments that are critical of an essay may be approved but comments containing ad hominem criticism of the author will not be published comments containing web links or block quotations are unlikely to be approved Keep in mind that essays represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Imaginative Conservative or its editor or publisher Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" The Imaginative Conservative is sponsored by The Free Enterprise Institute (a U.S Your donation to the Institute in support of The Imaginative Conservative is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law the Adams girls and Saint Joseph boys were standing alone as city track & field champions Adams won the girls city meet Thursday night The Eagles got wins by DiMayah Marsh (100M Keira Kinney (pole vault) and Samara Rouser (discus shotput) as well as winning both the 4x100 M and 4x400M relays The Huskies earned wins from Will Elick (110M Hurdles Brody Hill (discus) as well as the 4x100M relay Game Recap: Baseball | 4/29/2025 9:02:00 PM Thanks for visiting Joseph’s long march from Zero to Hero is a fascinating episode in the history of Catholic spirituality and one that resonates with modern issues Our Lord’s foster-father has always held a prominent place in the hearts of the faithful At the risk of shocking those who remember writing J+M+J on parochial school papers and those who make a personal consecration to the saint Imagine a world where no Christian is named for St Joseph was Christendom into the fourteenth century reduced to a mere spear carrier in the pageant of Salvation This situation still prevails in Greek Orthodoxy Joseph “The Holy Righteous Elder the Betrothed,” it gives him no independent cult or solo feast day the Greeks commemorate him together with King David and St James “The Brother of the Lord” on the first Sunday after the Nativity or on 26 December Joseph is something of an ecumenical stumbling block in the East The long obscurity of this now exalted saint seems incredible Scripture provides minimal materials to fashion a popular cult of St The Gospels record not a single word of St Joseph’s: he is a silent as well as a “just” man Only 15 times do the Evangelists refer to him by name which means “may God add/ gather” (Compare this to seven mentions for Joseph of Arimathea who went on to star in legends of the Holy Grail.) Mark never uses his name although John does call Jesus “son of Joseph” twice Only the Infancy Narratives of Matthew and Luke depict St presumably dying before the Savior’s public life begins He has no traditional burial site and leaves no bodily relics None of the above would have necessarily pushed St Imaginative legends were concocted for nameless New Testament cameo players who came to be known as Sts A major cause was the anxiety of the Early Church to defend the Virgin Birth and the perpetual virginity of Our Lady the Fathers remained studiously incurious about his life Jurgens’s popular Faith of the Early Fathers contain only six references to St all concerning his chaste but nevertheless real marriage A side effect of this Patristic neglect meant that Muhammed probably never heard of St entitled “Mary,” recounts her miraculous and virginal conception of the Prophet Jesus But this exalted maiden is unmarried and narrowly avoids punishment by her scandalized family Apocryphal texts purported to fill gaps in the canonical Scriptures concerning Our Lord’s family The most influential of these was the Greek Protevangelium of James supplemented a few centuries later with material from The History of Joseph the Carpenter and The Infancy Gospel of Thomas Joseph is a ninety-year-old widower with six grown children—four sons and two daughters The High Priest summons him and other widowed men to Jerusalem in order to choose a husband for young Mary Joseph wins the holy lottery when a dove (or lily) emerges from his staff Although he tries to beg off “lest I become a laughingstock to the children of Israel,” the High Priest insists When Mary is found to be with child before their wedding Joseph frets that she has been deceived by Satan as Eve was before her Joseph is off looking for a midwife while Mary gives birth with miraculous ease while retaining her virginity he dies at age 111 with Jesus and Mary at his side Jesus promises to bless those who honor his memory the Protevangelium provided the East with its preferred solution to the pesky “Brethren of the Lord” problem: those people the Gospels call siblings of Jesus must have been children from St The Protevangelium was reworked in Latin between the eighth and ninth centuries as The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew They gained further popularity by appearing in the Middle Ages’ favorite book about saints The Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine (1298) Joseph only in connection with feasts of Our Lord and Our Lady because he did not yet have a feast day of his own Joseph subordinate to Mary a stock figure in medieval literature in the fifteenth century English mystery play Joseph he’s a querulous and comical codger who fears that he has been cuckolded Joseph’s position in medieval eyes has to be the story of Bl Cozy apparitions that he had had from childhood climaxed in a mystical marriage with his “sweetheart,” the Blessed Virgin the holy man added “Joseph” to his birth name Herman Joseph appears in a mosaic illustrating the Presentation at St but he was generally marginalized in medieval art Illuminated manuscripts depicted the grey-bearded saint only in Gospel scenes At least Northern Gothic artists let him be active in caring for the Christ Child but only in menial tasks such as finding water 1425) goes beyond these conventions to show St Joseph working alone in his carpentry shop Tuscan painters developed a very different art motif in the fourteenth century Joseph” shows Mary’s disappointed young suitors—those who failed the High Priest’s fitness test—waving their staves angrily and threatening elderly St This reflects contemporary social conditions that left many vigorous youths unable to marry while older men snapped up tender maidens with rich dowries when the spiritual needs of families gained more attention Joseph was still being pushed into the background “The Holy Kindred,” a subject popular with the bourgeoisie of Northern Europe depicts a gathering of Our Lady’s whole family Joseph and all the other husbands merely stand behind a barrier to watch their seated womenfolk and playing children Joseph move into the circle of activity and get to touch Baby Jesus continued to avoid the name Joseph for their children One looks in vain for any historical figures named for him It was so out of favor that only a single Guiseppe appears—late—on a list of 53,000 Tuscan householders collected before 1530 Joseph’s name came along even later: Canary Islander St 1534) and Spaniard St Joseph Calasanctius (b where The History of Joseph the Carpenter had originated (ca Coptic Christians had given him his own feast day (20 July) by the end of the first millennium Joseph mentioned in two or three local saint lists in Ireland and Germany Latin Catholics celebrated his feast day for the first time at Winchester Joseph enjoyed his first dedication of an oratory (1074 at Parma Joseph attracted private devotion from Sts and even the heterodox Franciscan Peter Olivi (d He had entered the special Breviaries used among Carmelites and Servites by the end of the fourteenth century This gradually building medieval interest in St Joseph might not have carried him to later prominence without the calamities of the fourteenth century That era opened with unprecedented famine around the shores of the North Sea The ruinous Hundred Years’ War between England and France sucked in other states Poland-Lithuania battled of the Franciscan Order Peasants and artisans rose in revolt from Tuscany to Flanders and religious hysteria disfigured the Church while she suffered the Babylonian Captivity and the Great Western Schism Over all these miseries rode the Black Death which would kill more than a quarter of Europe’s people in the first of its many assaults These multiple horrors inflicted on families and communities cried out for heavenly healing Reform-minded French theologian Jean Gerson (d Chancellor of the University of Paris and a noted spiritual writer Joseph as the ideal family man and protector Gerson’s 2957-line poem the Josephina promoted the saint and his timely virtues across Europe Gerson’s ideas were amplified by his contemporary a spell-binding preacher and a reformer of the Franciscan Order Bernardine labored all his life to evangelize Italian city-states whose proud consumerist culture let money distort elite marriage patterns These societies were further disfigured by widespread attempts at contraception and a streak of sodomy Bernardine gathered up existing pro-Joseph trends and rewrote his role in Salvation History Rejecting the traditional figure of an elderly St they insisted that the saint must have been a strong young man Bernardine struck an especially sympathetic note with his urban audiences by calling St Joseph a “diligent administrator” who worked day and night supporting his loved ones including cleansing him from Original Sin before birth that prepared him to be a fitting spouse for Mary Joseph had been assumed into heaven after his death the Holy Family had been reunited body and soul to maintain the same bond of charity that had joined them together on earth Gerson hailed them in these words: “O venerable trinity Jesus 1582) became his great advocate because she attributed her recovery from paralysis to his intercession Joseph” as her “father and lord.” She fervently longed “to persuade all to be devoted to him” as a helper in every need Teresa was also dreaming of reforming her Carmelite Order She placed this difficult project—and the dangerous journeys it required—under St She dedicated twelve of the seventeen new monasteries she founded to the saint and adorned all of them with his solo statue notably her friend and fellow Discalced Carmelite Jeronimo Gracian This friar’s popular Josephina (1597) repeated earlier praises for the saint and declared him the man who most resembled Christ in “countenance and manner.” Gracian also plucked the command Ite ad Joseph (“Go to Joseph”) from the story of the Old Testament patriarch Joseph (Gn 41: 55) to use as the New Testament saint’s motto It is still often inscribed on his altars and images Joseph spread to other religious orders within Spain and throughout the Spanish Empire Teresa’s nuns in France (1604) transplanted her spirituality to the French “Century of Saints.” Her love of St Joseph struck particularly deep roots in the heart of St the great advocate of holiness in everyday life Francis built Josephite piety into the Order of the Visitation that he co-founded with St Visitandine nuns were directed to say a daily chaplet Francis himself eloquently preached to them about his favorite saint The flourishing of the stalwart family saint  Francis’s Spiritual Conferences extolls the charity These virtues are envisioned as flowers embroidered on his heavenly garments Joseph must have been “more valiant than David and wiser than Solomon.” As the human being closest to the Blessed Virgin in perfection he was worthy of the special intimacy he enjoyed with Jesus Francis was also the liveliest publicist for St He presented the saint as “the glorious father of our life and our love,” as well as a tremendous intercessor and patron of parents meshed nicely with Counter-Reformation strategies for re-evangelizing Christendom His strength and dignity fit Early Modern ideals of patriarchal authority: families were encouraged to imitate the harmonious order of the Holy Family headed by St No wonder the saint became one of heaven’s brightest stars in the seventeenth century Joseph’s growing reputation also left its mark on Renaissance and Baroque art Italian paintings such as Raphael’s Betrothal of the Virgin (1504) exalt the religious significance of matrimony over its social and economic aspects unlike contemporary aristocrats who wed at home before a notary rendered obsolete later in the century after the Council of Trent required all Catholics to marry before a priest and two witnesses Other Counter-Reformation policies affected the familiar iconography of St Among the subjects he denounced were the Holy Kindred and apocryphal accounts of St Molanus decreed that the saint be represented as young and vigorous with the Child Jesus firmly under his paternal authority Baroque artists did not always obey these rules Joseph kept his miraculous flowering staff and sometimes his grey hairs especially in the Hispanic world where he was a royal favorite Both El Greco (in 1597) and Zurbaran (n 1636) painted portraits of a strong Joseph walking hand in hand with the Holy Child This motif of a man leading God would be much imitated because it captures the saint’s fatherly love so well Joseph (1636) shows the Our Risen Lord awarding his foster father a floral crown of glory Murillo’s delightful genre scene The Holy Family with a Little Bird and his St Joseph with the Christ Child (both 1670’s) depict the saint as a young and darkly handsome Spanish father Engravings made in the Spanish Netherlands spread such imagery throughout Catholic Europe and carried it to the New World where the Spanish conquest and European diseases still left cruel scars Colonial artists made charmingly naïve paintings of their saint into the eighteenth century and his garments are spangled with gilt flowers Joseph with new honors in Early Modern times She gave him official patronages: Mexico (1555) Modern Belgium inherited his patronage from the Spanish Empire Joseph continued to be invoked by families He received his own special office in the Roman Breviary in 1714 and his name was inserted in the Litany of Saints in 1729 The month of March and Wednesday of all weeks became especially associated with him The first religious order dedicated to the saint was the Congregation of St Dozens of orders now serving in active ministries worldwide stem from those French sisters Many other congregations with different roots also honor the saint whether his name appears in their formal designation or not Like other traditional religious practices Joseph-centered piety suffered with the advent of Modern times and the Church came under cruel pressure in the new industrialized Joseph as a prime healer for contemporary woes They sought new ways to draw his intercession Pius IX ordered that a feast of the Patronage of St Joseph be celebrated everywhere on the third Wednesday after Easter now the “Prisoner of the Vatican” following the Unification of Italy Joseph official patron of the Church in 1870 Leo XIII’s encyclical Quam pluries (1889) invokes St Joseph against the religious and social crises of his day Besides expressing familiar sentiments on the saint’s singular virtues The rise of Bolshevism three decades later made that last thought more relevant than Leo could have envisioned Joseph a special protector of Russia to counteract Soviet persecution of Christians and invoked him again seven years later against atheistic Communism new images of the saint tend to feature carpenter’s tools rather than lilies To call down blessings on the Second Vatican Council Joseph its special patron in 1961 and inserted his name in the Canon of the Mass in 1962 (The latter innovation eventually drove a few outraged Lefebvrist priests to form the sedevacatist Society of St John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation Redemptoris Custos (1989) broadens his predecessors’ concerns Joseph’s faith-based obedience to God plays out in the family “sanctuary of love and cradle of life.” He emphasizes the reality of the saint’s marriage and paternity: self-giving love is what matters Joseph “brought human work closer to the mystery of the Redemption.” He is our model for harmonizing the active and the contemplative life his association with Jesus and Mary in their “domestic church” makes him a fitting patron of the universal Church born of the New Covenant Joseph on the front line of efforts to renew the family (Note: This article previously appeared in a different form in the April 2002 issue of Crisis It was posted originally at CWR on March 4 If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter Groundbreaking archive in Ohio aims to preserve the history of U.S Now, according to the plain terms of ESI, the Blessed Virgin Mary would not be eligible for admission to the order of virgins, but Mary Magdalene would be eligible. […] I suspect that everyone considers the rose the “queen of flowers.” In almost every culture, the rose has held quasi-mystical value. In the Greco-Roman world, the rose symbolized beauty, love and the season of spring; […] It is not an accident that Thomas comes to faith, not by simply seeing an apparition of Jesus, but only after being instructed to pay […] “It must have happened when you touched my hand” (The Betrothal?) *It is fair to say that this same light shone from the Groom also* I pray the Holy Spirit guide you along the way that you learn and grow in his truth being safe from evil deception tricks of the devil pope Francis was alluding to St. Joseph Biden, ha. http://www.catholicendtimetruths.com A strong man who rolled up his sleeves and went to work Joseph wouldn’t have been allowed to Mary inasmuch as he couldn’t have functioned in that society (Perhaps Scripture records no words of his just to make us wonder why it doesn’t Joseph’s dreams harken back to the dreams of the OT patriarch Joseph Sometime I ought to do a whole article on the Holy Kindred and other representations of Jesus’ relatives It is true Sandra that we do not have any recorded words of St Joseph but we do have a statement of human love/concern/respect for him from his beloved wife St Mary they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers His parents (Earthly Parents) didn’t know what to think searching for you everywhere.” He responds in Truth“But why did you need to search?” he asked “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Or in other words It’s kind of hard to imagine that a person that can make the sun supposedly spin in the air and hear prayers from all over the world lost her oldest son for 5 days and had no clue where he was but didn’t know their son well enough after 12 years to know his mission work would be to teach people who he was and his purpose on the earth No commentary about Saint Joseph would be complete without mentioning a book that answers many questions “The Life of Saint Joseph as manifested by our Lord Jesus Christ to: Maria Cecilia Baij.” ISBN 1-890137-01-4 I placed myself under the protection of St in his rejection of the homosexual lifestyle and the adoption of a chaste life outside the Sacrament of Matrimony I would encourage all those involved in the homosexual lifestyle to do the same seminaries and theological faculties with a long tradition of attachment to St they have a requisite course on the theological sub-branch called Josephology not unlike Mariology Thank you for this nice historical summary Also have said a few novenas for his intercession The 30 day Prayer for St Joseph intercession is one that seems fruitful It would nice to have a followon article on the various St Joseph Prayers and Novenas It has been mentioned in the comments here that Yiannpoulos chose Saint Joseph as patron in his recovery away from homosexuality and that other homosexuals should do the same but it is also supremely important that we ALL raise our our prayers to Saint Joseph to fight against the Mother [Enabler] of all Sins: homosexuality Homosexuality is not by itself the worst of sins but it is its most powerful Enabler It is the Father of Lies’ favorite sin and it hurts homosexuals the most For love of and the salvation of homosexuals and all of us let’s daily call on Saint Joseph for the end of homosexuality and all the sins it enables all too well What a wonderful and fruitful contribution If the Virgin Mary did not say “yes” to God Jesus Christ the Savior would not be incarnated (I am leaving aside all other possibilities if St Joseph was not a true father psychologically = the epitome of fatherhood Jesus Christ would never become the Savior The Son of Man could not grow into a perfect Man if not St Joseph One may think it is naïve reasoning but I firmly believe that if a child needs a father for a normal development If St Joseph was just a provider but was emotionally absent Jesus could not become Who He is I have noticed in the last 20 years or more a increased in the devotion of St Joseph but in an unnatural way and him and Mary were great buddies pals too much romantic things especially with all the shows that have come out ( the chosen for one)and I think it’s hurting our Fate we need to be careful of what we watch and see However your presentation was wonderful for the history and all the different ideas that came out throughout salvation history I find that fascinating one thing I’ve come across recently was St Joseph being proto-dulia I looked up the word in the Catholic encyclopedia it doesn’t exist there seems to be another push by a certain group of people to expand this devotion while I have no problem with Mary being hyperdulia in the Catholic church and all the saints being dulia I don’t know if Saint Joseph being proto dulia I found that Eastern Orthodox look at John the Baptist as protodulia if anyone can can comment and go further in this area I would love it and if there’s books to read that are really well written with a lot of depth as your article was with wonderful beautiful research I thank you for that God bless you on the feast of St Joseph My husband & I lived in a big house and yard which was too big for 2 people My husband being unwell and not knowing if we should put our place up for sale that my husband had build I asked him if we were meant to sell that we would without fuss &fanfare I then said the litany to st Joseph every day of the ‘ year to st Joseph ‘ long story short sold without putting a for sale sign up to a couple who were at house for a different reason What a fascinating account of the history of this wonderful devotion All comments posted at Catholic World Report are moderated While vigorous debate is welcome and encouraged please note that in the interest of maintaining a civilized and helpful level of discussion comments containing obscene language or personal attacks—or those that are deemed by the editors to be needlessly combative or inflammatory—will not be published I understand the part about “grey” in “The Grey Lady”, but am not clear about the “lady” part. Especially since the editors of The New York Times cannot conceive (pun intended, I suppose) or comprehend […] You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/ Sign up to receive a weekly email with news (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[3]='MMERGE3';ftypes[3]='text';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[4]='MMERGE4';ftypes[4]='text';fnames[5]='MMERGE5';ftypes[5]='text';fnames[6]='MMERGE6';ftypes[6]='number';fnames[7]='MMERGE7';ftypes[7]='radio';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Game Recap: Baseball | 4/27/2025 3:29:00 PM Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Schedule Change: Women’s Lacrosse at Saint Joseph's04/25/2025 | Women's Lacrosse 8at13Saint Joseph's Richmond Falls to Saint Joseph’s in Last Regular Season Game04/26/2025 | Women's Lacrosse Thanks for visiting 3at4Saint Joseph's Photo by: Jessica PilandLate Lehigh Rally Falls Just Short in Midweek Matchup at Saint Joseph's4/23/2025 6:24:00 PM | Softball Thanks for visiting Joseph’s work ethicAlessandra Tarantino / POOL / AFP Joseph as the patron of all working people​ Joseph but also mirrored his work ethic in remarkable ways Pope Francis displayed a heartfelt devotion to St Joseph’s Day -- and he entrusted his new ministry to Joseph’s care Joseph as one of his closest companions in faith even calling him his “dearest friend” in heaven In 2020, Pope Francis proclaimed a special Year of St. Joseph, commemorating the 150th anniversary of Joseph’s declaration as patron of the universal Church. He marked it by writing Patris corde (“With a Father’s Heart”) a moving letter in which he described Joseph’s tenderness One of the most vivid symbols of Pope Francis’ devotion was the little statue of St. Joseph asleep that he kept on his work desk. “On my desk, I have an image of St. Joseph sleeping. Even when he is asleep, he looks after the Church,” Francis once explained​ Francis recounted that “when I have a problem I write a little note and I put it underneath St Joseph … I tell him: pray for this problem!”​ It was a charming ritual of a leader who knew he couldn’t shoulder burdens alone the Pope showed not only his deep spiritual friendship with the saint but also his own humility in leadership Joseph’s quiet virtues through his own work ethic and daily habits Like Joseph -- who never uttered a word in Scripture yet spoke volumes through actions -- Francis led with humble deeds more than grand speeches He lived in the simple Vatican guesthouse instead of the ornate papal palace and found ways to minister to the homeless Those close to him observed a man who rose early for prayer and labored long hours with a joyful simplicity much as the carpenter of Nazareth might open his workshop at dawn He cherished the value of ordinary work and the people who do it often reminding the world that dignity comes from honest labor and service Joseph the Worker -- rolling up his sleeves to do whatever God asked whether it was reforming Church governance or washing the feet of prisoners Through all the exhausting journeys and challenges of his papacy Francis displayed a quiet strength reminiscent of Joseph’s own steadfast courage in caring for Mary and Jesus It is easy to note Pope Francis’ gentle fatherliness throughout his pontificate: his protective care for the poor Just as Joseph shielded his family in times of trouble Pope Francis became a guardian of the most vulnerable And in moments of personal trial -- from health scares to moments of criticism -- Francis trusted in God’s providence and carried on without fanfare It could be said that the Pope had the work ethic of a carpenter and the heart of a father quietly fixing what was broken and lovingly encouraging those around him Joseph worked miracles “even while asleep,” so the Pope figured he should stay calm and let Joseph handle a few things at night!​ That lighthearted trust empowered him to face each day’s work with serenity and purpose the faithful can find inspiration in the intertwined stories of St laboring in a Nazareth workshop; the other a 21st-century pope often called “the world’s parish priest,” laboring in the vineyard of the Lord Both taught by example that true greatness is found in humility and faithfulness Pope Francis’ passing just over a week ago weighs on many hearts we see the enduring power of quiet holiness Pray a Novena to St. Joseph the Worker here Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news A memorial service to honor fallen police officers from across Berrien County will be held this month in St Berrien County Undersheriff Greg Sanders tells us the Fraternal Order of Police Blossomland Lodge will host the annual event at the Berrien County Law Enforcement Memorial Monument along the bluff on May 15 All 20 of the county’s police officers to have died in the line of duty will have their names read Sanders says they go back as far as Patrolman Clarence Shockley of the Niles Police Department “How important that is that we remember these individuals even though it’s been over a hundred years here,” Sanders said The last officers to be lost in Berrien County were Court Security Officer Ron Kienzle and Court Supervisor Joe Zangaro who were killed in a courthouse shooting on July 11 Berrien County Sheriff Chuck Heit says it’s hard to believe it’s been almost ten years “It’s coming up on that,” Heit said but obviously honoring the sacrifice that they made along with all the others that are on that list It’s just a way to honor and never forget the sacrifice that was made.” Heit says rifle squad will fire off a 21-gun salute and the surviving family of police lost in Berrien County will be honored as part of the ceremony The special guest speaker will be Our Lady of the Lake Athletic Director Phil McDonald and everyone’s invited to come out and show their support for the men and women who make sacrifices to serve their community Below is a list of all the county’s law enforcement personnel who have been lost in the line of duty Former residents serving outside of the area: ExpandSaint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet Prime Healthcare’s decision to close the pediatrics unit at Saint Joseph Medical Center means no one under 18 will be admitted as a patient The move is the first big cut at the Joliet hospital by the for-profit hospital operator that took ownership of Saint Joseph Medical Center on March 1 It’s one that the Illinois Nurses Association, the union that represents nurses at the Joliet hospital, says belies California-based Prime Healthcare’s claims to state regulators that it would not make immediate cuts if given approval to take over eight hospitals in the Chicago-area formerly part of the Ascension network Prime Healthcare plans to stop admitting pediatric patients as soon as Thursday although the long-term fate of the unit is up to a state review board that regulates hospitals Meanwhile, Prime also plans to stop delivering babies at St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee by mid-May as it cites low numbers just as it has in justifying closing the pediatric unit in Joliet As in Joliet, the decision in Kankakee has been met with questions about whether Prime Healthcare was truthful with regulators when getting approval for its entry into Illinois Prime Healthcare cites diminishing use of the hospital services that it wants to eliminate Saint Mary Hospital in Kankakee was part of the Ascension sale to Prime Healthcare of California Baby deliveries in Kankakee are down to what is statistically fewer than 1 a day which cites the same number for daily census at its Joliet pediatric unit Eliminating the pediatric unit will have a small impact on patient care at Saint Joseph Medical Center according to a statement from Prime Healthcare “This adjustment affects only a very small number of patients - on average less than one patient daily - and we want to reassure our community that we remain deeply committed to caring for children and families,“ the statement said Saint Joseph Medical Center will continue to treat patients under 18 in an emergency department certified to treat pediatric patients Pediatric patients will continue to get treatment at outpatient clinics and from medical group practitioners Anyone under 18 who requires a hospital stay will be transferred elsewhere Saint Joseph Medical Center intends to send pediatric patients to Endeavor Health Edward Hospital in Naperville which is about 40 minutes away from the Joliet hospital But Joliet patients have an option closer to home Silver Cross Hospital, formerly in Joliet and now in neighboring New Lenox, has a pediatrics unit with 19 inpatient beds available, hospital Marketing and Communication Director Deb Robbins said. “It is part of an overall demographic trend nationwide, where pediatric inpatient needs are declining across the United States as pediatric patients are increasingly treated in specialized children’s hospitals rather than general hospitals.” The daily census in the unit averages three to four patients, Robbins said. Silver Cross also has an emergency department accredited to treat pediatric patients. “Silver Cross employs 30 pediatric-trained registered nurses, 13 pediatric-trained certified nursing assistants, and we have 24-hour in-house pediatric coverage through our collaboration with Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago,” Robbins said. Additionally, Silver Cross has other Lurie pediatric specialists who see pediatric inpatients regularly, such as orthopedic specialists, ear, nose and throat specialists, and urology specialists. Silver Cross also has an on-campus pediatric outpatient clinic where patients have access to Lurie specialists “without parents having to travel to the city,” Robbins said. Robbins repeatedly pointed to patient access to Lurie specialists as an asset for Silver Cross patients. Prime Healthcare points to a market preference for pediatric specialists as a reason for a decline in its patient population. Arctic Jr. Fury Hockey Organization recently donated 50 toys to the AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center emergency department in Joliet. (Photo provided) “Pediatric volume has steadily declined at Saint Joseph Medical Center over recent years, with just over 200 yearly admissions and a daily census of less than 1 in 2024,” the Prime statement said. “This is true for many other community hospitals,” Prime said. “It is part of an overall demographic trend nationwide, where pediatric inpatient needs are declining across the United States as pediatric patients are increasingly treated in specialized children’s hospitals rather than general hospitals.” Ending pediatric services at Saint Joseph Medical Center is not totally up to Prime Healthcare, however. The INA intends to object to ending pediatric care at what the union emphasizes is the only hospital in Joliet, the third largest city in the state. Closing the unit will require approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, although Prime can shut down the unit while awaiting approval, said Alec Ramsay-Smith with INA. “They have to justify the closure retroactively,” Ramsay-Smith said. “And, if it’s rejected, they’ll be required to reopen it.” Prime can close the pediatric unit without state approval because it so far has defined the closure as temporary for one year. The company as of Tuesday had notified the state of its intention to temporarily close the pediatric unit but has not applied for approval of permanent closure, John Kniery, administrator of the review board, said in an email. “Prime did notify the HFSRB of its intent to temporarily suspend pediatric services at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Joliet, which requires monthly updates and cannot exceed 12 months without board approval,” Kniery said in an email. That schedule gives Prime Healthcare a year to keep the pediatrics unit closed before getting definitive state approval. The decline of the pediatric unit has likely been happening at least a year due to ongoing problems in hospital management, Ramsay-Smith said “Ascension had a lot of trouble in convincing doctors to send their patients here,” Ramsay-Smith said, adding that the latest troubles at the hospital “have been a year or two in the making.” Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network