March 19, the feast of St. Joseph, is the anniversary of Pope Francis being installed as Successor of Peter and Bishop of Rome.
March 19 is a special day for Pope Francis. In 2013, he detected a message from St. Joseph on this feast day of the father of Jesus and Protector of the Church.
The Pope has said that he has always considered it a "kindness from heaven" that this special day for him occurred on the feast of St. Joseph.
I think that in some way St. Joseph wanted to tell me that he would continue to help me, to be beside me, and I would be able to continue to think of him as a friend I could turn to, whom I could trust, whom I could ask to intercede and pray for me.
For Pope Francis, the saints -- and especially St. Joseph -- are close friends, who play an active role in his life. He has expressed his hope that all the faithful might develop that type of relationship with the saints, saying "it can be of help."
However, the Pope urged all the faithful to form this relationship with the saints.
This is why the Year dedicated to St. Joseph, I hope, made the heart of many Christians rediscover the profound value of the communion of Saints, which is not an abstract communion, but a concrete communion that expresses itself in a concrete relationship and has concrete consequences.
