PORTLAND — In celebration of the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, all are welcome to gather in the garden of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, located on 307 Congress Street in Portland, on Sunday, May 1 at 4:30 p.m. for a blessing of tools.
A brief service will include a blessing of the various tools brought to the gathering. Last year, that included rakes, shovels, cleaning tools, and even firefighting equipment. The rite will conclude with a recitation of the Litany of St. Joseph. Prayers during the service will also be offered for all workers, most especially first responders and health-care workers who risked their lives to serve others during the pandemic.
The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker is one of two feast days celebrated in honor of the saint. The other, on March 19, celebrates St. Joseph as the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This memorial was initiated by Pope Pius XXII in 1955. The pope sought St. Joseph’s intercession in the fight against communism and wanted to lift up the dignity of work, one of the core principles of Catholic teaching.