My Spiritual Journey with St. Joseph

 

When I began elementary school at St. Ann Regional School in Wildwood, NJ, I first became acquainted with the Sisters of St. Joseph (Chestnut Hill/Philadelphia). They taught me for twelve years both in grade school and at Wildwood Catholic High School. Later, when I entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia for college, some of the faculty members were also sisters from that same community.

After ordination, I spent twenty years in Catholic education, fourteen of which were at Sacred Heart High School in Vineland, also staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Ironically, I was to become the first principal of the school who was not a member of that religious community. From the high school’s establishment, every principal until me had been a Sister of St. Joseph.

Some years later, I was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Church, Somers Point, NJ. With an elementary school and convent on the campus, I once again experienced the presence of the same community of religious sisters. They continued to be a part of my life and ministry.

It was during my time as pastor of St. Joseph Church that my choir director suggested to me that I compose a hymn dedicated to St. Joseph. I took on the task and with the help of some of my friends O Joseph, Righteous One—an original hymn honoring St. Joseph—came to be.

In more recent times, after a dinner discussion with a longtime friend, Tom Raniszewski, while I was back in my hometown, we decided to compose a Christmas piece from the unique perspective of St. Joseph. It was my thought that St. Joseph never received much attention in the Christmas story, although he was usually seen in every Nativity scene with the Virgin-Mother Mary and the Baby Jesus. I knew how much Tom loved Christmas and everything related to this feast. If I was going to take on such a project, Tom seemed the right person for the task.

From a completely unconventional manner of composing a song, The Carpenter’s Son came into being. Tom and I did not ever sit in the same room or, in fact, collaborate other than through text messages, e-mails and phone calls. Yet, everything miraculously seemed to come together. The finished product is now available on most streaming platforms in time for Christmas. The gifted vocalist is Drew Seigla, a Julliard graduate and New York musical theater performer. The streaming proceeds will be donated to the South Jersey Catholic Ministries Appeal.

St. Joseph has been accompanying me since my youth and this latest accomplishment is but another time he has influenced my thinking and spiritual journey. Although he says nothing in the Sacred Scriptures, his actions speak boldly and clearly. He was obedient to God. He was described as a righteous man whom God entrusted with the care of His Only-Begotten Son. Joseph loved, cared for, protected, and provided for both Jesus and Mary. Jesus was known as the carpenter’s son (Mt. 13:55).

I hope that you will listen to and enjoy this piece and that it will help more people to incorporate St. Joseph into their spiritual journey as well.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor