Guardian of the Redeemer and Prototype of Marian Consecration.

Father Serafino Lanzetta, a Marian Franciscan who has taken a special vow of total consecration to Our Lady, has authored the book The Silent Witness of Nazareth, published by Sophia Press. The book offers a theological and spiritual investigation into the greatness of St. Joseph.

Inspiration and Research Methodology

For Fr. Lanzetta, reflecting on Our Lady is vital, and devotion to her naturally necessitates appreciating the mission of St. Joseph, as he was the person closest to, and the one who best loved, knew, and served Our Lady.

A more personal inspiration stems from the fact that Fr. Lanzetta’s baptismal name was Giuseppe, given to him after his grandfather, following a tradition in the South of Italy. When he became a friar and changed his name, his novice master was reportedly “quite upset,” telling him he was changing a great saint’s name. This led Fr. Lanzetta to feel compelled to make reparation by writing about St. Joseph, making him known, and spreading devotion to him.

The research for the book, which took several years, involved a very classic theological method of investigating all sources about St. Joseph. This process began with Holy Scripture, followed by the Church Fathers, the Doctors of the Church, the Magisterium, and finally, more recent theologians. The book was first written and published in Italian a couple of years prior. Fr. Lanzetta was convinced to compile all his research—which included particular focuses on St. Joseph as a model of Marian consecration, as a father, and as a participant in Christ’s priesthood—after reviewing a fascinating, thick doctoral thesis on St. Joseph that revealed how much theology existed on the “silent saint” over the centuries. The final objective was to present this great theological treasure in a shorter, easier, and more approachable manner for a vast public.

St. Joseph: Prototype of Marian Consecration

A central point emphasized in the book is that St. Joseph is the very prototype of Marian consecration. He is presented as the very first person who was totally consecrated to Mary. Therefore, he is the man who can teach us how to love and be consecrated to Our Lady.

Fr. Lanzetta draws inspiration from the silent apparition at Knock in Ireland, where St. Joseph appeared beside Our Lady and St. John. Both St. Joseph and St. John are considered the two models of Marian consecration. St. John is known as the beloved disciple who received Our Lady at the foot of the cross, but Joseph is presented as the “first John,” who acted before him and in a more perfect way, being totally consecrated to Mary.

The Unique Virginal Marriage

The espousal of Joseph and Mary has to be understood in a deeper way, as a total donation and consecration of Joseph. Theirs was a virginal marriage. In order for the marriage to be valid, Joseph had to take a vow of virginity himself, accepting and respecting Our Lady’s prior vow of virginity. This is evident from Our Lady’s response at the Annunciation: “How can this come about, I know no man?”. Thus, Joseph and Mary agreed to live in a unique way, as brother and sister.

The spiritual relationship involved in this espousal is profound. Fr. Lanzetta highlights that the verb used in the Gospel of St. Matthew to describe Joseph taking Mary unto him is the same verb used by St. John to say that the beloved disciple took Mary unto him. This act signifies not just sheltering Our Lady, but rather receiving her into one’s life, welcoming her into one’s heart, and being totally consecrated to Mary. Joseph is said to have done this even more perfectly than John, because through their espousal, Jesus was served and protected.

Crucially, Joseph is presented as the first person to manifest to the entire Church that the way to Jesus is always through Mary. He became the foster father of the Lord because he was virginally and mystically espoused with Mary.

Concerning his marital status, Fr. Lanzetta sticks to the traditional view, agreeing with St. Jerome, that Joseph was a young, strong man who had no previous marriage and no children before marrying Our Lady. He took a vow of virginity, and his only spouse was the Blessed Mother. Apocryphal writings suggesting Joseph was an old widower with children before marrying Mary are excluded.

Participation in Christ’s Priesthood and Salvation

The book dedicates a section to the privileges of St. Joseph. While recalling the tradition about the possible assumption of St. Joseph into heaven, it is noted that there is no final, clear doctrine teaching on this possibility.

A unique contribution of the book is the discussion of Joseph’s unique participation in the priesthood of Christ—his “priestly attitude” and “priestly mission”. While Joseph was not ordained (not possessing ministerial priesthood), he must necessarily share in the common priesthood of Christ, as accepted by Vatican II for every baptized person.

Joseph’s participation is unique because it depends on his unique cooperation in the salvation of Christ. He is not a mere spectator, but an active participant, involved in the redemption as it unfolds throughout Jesus’ life and mysteries. His ministry was very active: he offered his son through Mary, protected him (e.g., fleeing to Egypt), and served him. This active cooperation is the reason for asserting that Joseph has a unique participation in Christ’s priesthood, which serves as a type or model (the “very icon”) of the common priesthood for the baptized.

St. Joseph and the Holy Eucharist

A whole chapter addresses St. Joseph’s relationship to the Eucharist. Since Joseph traditionally passed away before Jesus’ public life and the Last Supper, the question arises whether Jesus revealed the institution of the Holy Eucharist to his father.

Fr. Lanzetta utilizes the work of Italian Josephology expert Tartisio Stramare, who points out that Joseph prefigured the mystery of the Holy Eucharist through a routine paternal gesture: breaking the daily bread at the table for his family. As the father was in charge of providing the bread through his work, this gesture somehow anticipated what his Son would do at the institution of the Eucharist by giving His body as the Bread of Life.

Furthermore, Joseph of Nazareth is linked to the Old Testament Joseph (son of Jacob) who went to Egypt and became the minister in charge of providing bread (wheat) for his family. Joseph of Nazareth is the true minister of bread because he provided the true bread—Jesus, his son—by nurturing him, preparing him, and guiding him to the important moment of his public life and mission as Redeemer.

The Just Man: Faith and Obedience

St. Joseph is described as the “just man” who prayed and spent his day in meditation. He knew the Bible well, including the prophecies, such as Isaiah 7:14 concerning the virgin mother. He had a biblically correct understanding of the Messiah, avoiding the political conception of the time.

Fr. Lanzetta posits that Joseph did not know about the divine conception by the Holy Spirit until the angel came to reassure him, as Our Lady preferred to wait for God to act. Facing the mystery of his wife’s pregnancy while knowing her holiness, Joseph suspended any judgment. In his wisdom, prayer, and silence, he decided just to wait and withdraw. When the angel finally confirmed that the conception was “of the Holy Spirit,” Joseph had no further questions; he understood that God was at work. He then pronounced his fiat of total obedience to God and took his wife unto him.

The Modern Context and Recourse to St. Joseph

The conversation concludes with a painful reflection on a recent Vatican document concerning Our Lady. Fr. Lanzetta suggests this document is “completely opening to minimalism” and seems to contradict the teachings of the Church Fathers and Popes, particularly concerning the title of Co-redemptrix. The document, which Fr. Lanzetta believes is overly ecumenical, attempts to make Vatican II’s Mariological teaching shrink. It suggests that Our Lady is merely a “woman favored by grace” and that terms like “Mediatrix of all graces” should not be used because she only intercedes by disposing a soul to receive grace, effectively presenting her as a “spectatric” (passive recipient).

In light of this modern undermining of Our Lady’s dignity and status (as Theotokos, Mediatrix, and Co-redemptrix), Fr. Lanzetta argues that it is the best time to have recourse to St. Joseph. St. Joseph, the man who points us to Mary, can help the faithful know again who Our Lady truly is: the Mediatrix of all graces and the Queen Mother.