I see the hard work and fatherly virtues of St. Joseph in my mother. As St. Joseph willingly accepted full responsibility over Mary and the child Jesus so did my mother as a hard working single parent. She accepted the dual role of a father and mother in our family. She was a responsible chef and did her tasks with sincerity and humility. She was the sole bread winner and she gave her own life to suppprt the family. My mom looked up to St. Joseph as she drew courage and strength in keeping our family strong and united.
As St. Joseph was obedient in God’s call and raised Jesus up, my mom raised me up as an obedient daughter too. We can learn from St. Joseph the importance of hardwork and obedience which are necessary in building a united family. At present I am glad that I learned obedience from my mom and from St. Joseph by being a law-abiding overseas Filipino worker. I know it takes patience, perseverance and sacrifices for me to achieve the success that I dream for my family.
— Yvone Alcaraz
I appreciate the selflessness and righteousness of St. Joseph. Being a silent doer of God’s plans, he was wise in his decisions. I look up to St. Joseph in times of difficult decision making, so that I can be guided by the voice inside me after prayers instead of reasoning out in arguments. I learned from St. Joseph a very useful way of handling issues in life, which is to decide wisely and and do things quietly. I have learned to be more considerate of others, respect the rights of others and be more mindful about their needs.
I used to get angry with whoever posed a challenge for me. But inspired by the generosity, understanding and selflessness of St. Joseph, I realised the importance of peace and contentment in my heart.
I thank God for giving us the role model of St. Joseph who teaches us about obedience and hardwork.
— Marilou Ballesteros
Life as an overseas worker is tough and relaxations on off days cannot be taken for granted. Working abroad is a big sacrifice, as we have to leave our children in order to provide them better education for a brighter furure. When life’s adversities hit me and I feel lost and confused, I look up to St. Joseph and reflect on his courage, strength and hardwork. He applied these virtues as he saved and protected Mother Mary and the child Jesus. I am prompted to never give up, have patience and to persevere for my family and my dreams. I learned from St. Joseph the power of hardwork. I learned that work is a blessing. And when I am used by God as a instrument of sharing and helping others I am rewarded with the joy and peace of accomplishing a mission. I am forever grateful to St. Joseph for teaching me the importance of trust, confidence and perseverance.
— Jacqueline Galabay
St. Joseph is a strong and responsible man, perfect example of a father, husband, brother and friend. He has built a strong foundation of a home which is the basic unit of society. I am neither a saint nor hero but as an overseas worker I relate much with the virtues of hard work, helpfulness and responsibility. Like St. Joseph, as a parent I take full responsibility on the needs of my family members. As an overseas worker I take full responsibility as a good helper for my employers’ family. My helpfulness is extended to anyone in need in her family. This initiative creates a good working relationship with the family members of my employers and this serves as a light in showing good deeds of a Catholic. The result is their amazing kindness and consideration. St. Joseph’s virtues keep me going in my role as a responsible overseas worker.
— Katherine Naron
I am always inspired by the faithfulness, kindness and simplicity of St. Joseph. He was responsible in his role as he was chosen to take care of Mary and child Jesus. Similarly as a overseas worker I am encouraged to stay simple, to focus on my work, to strive to be more faithful to God and be more generous to my family. It’s been difficult to be away from my loved ones but I always look up to St. Joseph who reminds me of the great sacrifices for the sake of one’s family. I draw wisdom from St. Joseph as I practise self-reliance and careful spending. He inspires me to be more helpful to others and put my family first. Thank you St. Joseph for shining the light of your virtues on me.
— Divina Padilla
