Differences in piety: A new book on St. Joseph

By Dr. Jeff Mirus ( bio - articles - email ) | Nov 04, 2025

Sophia Institute Press released a new book about St. Joseph this year by Fr. Serafino M. Lanzetta, entitled The Silent Witness of Nazareth, and appropriately subtitled “St. Joseph: Spouse of Mary, Powerful Intercessor, Guardian of the Church”. This new “biography” is well-worth reading, but each reader’s response to it will be conditioned in part by the characteristics of his or her particular form of piety. My own piety is decidedly matter of fact. Emotional satisfaction doesn’t enter into it…and effusiveness tends to strike me as phony (even when I have good reason to know that, in this or that particular person, it isn’t).

Such feelings are either strengths or weaknesses, depending both on the person and on the situation. But my point here is that the reality of such differences—indeed, legitimate differences—among various souls will largely determine the degree to which a person will find Fr. Lanzetta’s book spiritually nourishing. For Fr. Lanzetta definitely possesses an effusive piety, at least when it comes to St. Joseph. He is eager to ascribe to Joseph every possible virtue, and every possible connection with God’s plan for our salvation, in exactly the same way as many writers over the centuries have praised and embellished every response to grace by the Blessed Virgin Mary, along with her every connection to the mystery of our salvation. In other words, Fr. Lanzetta wishes to ascribe to Joseph every imaginable grace and spiritual privilege.

I do not say Fr. Lanzetta is wrong. I have only one minor quibble, as I will point out in a moment. But in relationship to the Gospel I am reminded of the old joke to the effect that we can learn something from our friend the parrot, who is content to repeat what he hears, without making a “good story” out of it. There is at least something to be said for accepting the quiet treatment of St. Joseph in the New Testament as sufficient to the purpose when compared with Christ Himself. And of course, the main point about St. Joseph is that we really know very little about him.

For my part, then, I feel no need to speculate on his sinlessness or his being brought bodily into heaven following the death and resurrection of Our Lord, but I have no quarrel with those who do, and in spite of this difference in temperament between Fr. Lanzetta and myself, I find that the book did indeed strengthen my appreciation for St. Joseph. At the same time—I might as well confess it here—I am still a bit more comfortable with a St. Joseph who may have had to struggle just a little to overcome his own weaknesses, his own personal deficiencies.

In other words, I instinctively find Joseph more helpful (at least to me) if I conceive of him as sometimes having to struggle spiritually—if I presume, contrary to at least some saints and visionaries, that he was not totally confirmed in grace as Our Lady was, and that he was not “Joseph the Just” only because he could be no other, but because he heard God’s call and followed it like a man. In other words—and perhaps I am wholly wrong—I prefer a Joseph who understood his whole life long that it took a true manly courage to do God’s will, a courage which challenges even doubt itself. At the same time, I do not deny the possibility, as Fr. Lanzetta and a number of saints have believed, that he was, in his own way, confirmed in grace as was Mary, even if not from the first moment of his conception. And of course, as we know from Our Lady and from Christ Himself, such perfection in grace does not preclude suffering.

More to the point, perhaps, it is not at all a part of my own piety to desire to speculate about matters of this type. But Fr. Lanzetta has a different piety, one that effuses about St. Joeph as far as it is possible for a Catholic to effuse. This too is admirable. I draw such distinctions of spiritual “personality” here only to suggest that while this book is, objectively, a legitimate and laudable tour de force in Josephine piety, it may not be right for everyone.

Co-Redeemer?

Indeed, the only nit I have to pick with Fr. Lanzetta is his eagerness to assign the title of co-redeemer to Joseph, as other theologians have assigned the title of co-redemptrix to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Although Pope St. John Paul II sometimes referred to Mary as “co-redemptrix”, he did not teach this title, and recent popes have been reluctant to confirm this as a Marian title despite its having been requested by a number of reputable scholars. In fact, a new document actually dated today from the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and approved by Pope Leo, seems to put an end to this discussion. Thus, Mater Popuili Fidelis (Doctrinal Note on Some Marian Titles Regarding Mary’s Cooperation in the Work of Salvation) concludes as follows: “Given the necessity of explaining Mary’s subordinate role to Christ in the work of Redemption, it would not be appropriate to use the title “Co-redemptrix” to define Mary’s cooperation.” Paragraph 22 of this text is worth reading in its entirety.

At the core of this question of co-redemptrix or co-redeemer is the the ambivalence of our linguistic understanding of the “co-” prefix. This prefix is used in two different ways, at least in English. On the the one hand, we have a word like “cooperate”, which means to work jointly, without implying that everyone’s contribution is equal. But on the other hand, in a usage such as “co-chairman”, the prefix denotes equality in that role. Because of this potential confusion, a caution against such an effusive title as “co-redeemer” or “co-redemptrix” is necessary to avoid elevating the creature to the same status as the creator in the work of redemption.

For this reason, Fr. Lanzetta should have been more reticent—a point which has now (after the publication of his book) been clarified. Nonetheless, he has written a superb book on St. Joseph. Even I, with my own limited sort of piety, say a formal prayer to St. Joseph daily (appended below), and I very much appreciate the author’s industrious devotion to this great foster father of Our Lord and Savior. Indeed, Fr. Lanzetta’s devotion is evidenced in providing such details of Joseph’s life as are available to us along with a thorough analysis of his virtues, and ample documentation of the praise of St. Joseph that is found on the lips of so many saints and mystics.

The book thoroughly covers everything in three sections:

• The Man, the Spouse, and the Father
• Co-Redeemer with Christ and Guardian of the Church
• Model Worker, Mighty Intercessor

In the last section, Fr. Lanzetta offers several excellent prayers to Joseph: “Hail Joseph” by St. Louis de Montfort; “Praises of Joseph” by St. John Eudes; “A New Litany of Praise for St. Joseph” by Fr. Lanzetta himself; and Fr. Lanzetta’s version of a more traditional “St. Joseph Chaplet” which highlights his Seven Joys and Sorrows. This final prayer even includes reproductions of great Josephine paintings to aid in prayer and meditation, and it concludes a job well done.

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Fr. Serafino M. Lanzetta, The Silent Witness of Nazareth. Subtitle: “St. Joseph: Spouse of Mary, Powerful Intercessor, Guardian of the Church”. Sophia Institute Press, 2025. 222 pp. Paperback $16.99. Ebook $9.99

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PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH
Note: I was saddened to find that at least one source makes rather outrageous claims for this prayer. I advise against saying any prayer primarily to obtain specific guaranteed results aside from spiritual growth, but “going to Joseph” is a sound spiritual practice.

St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath.

St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls: Pray for me.