While it is indeed true that devotion to St. Joseph increased in the later Middle Ages and early modern period, his sanctity was never in question. "Ludicrous" is not incompatible with sancity--think of St. Francis and Simeon Styletes and other "fools for Christ." "Ignoble" also is not incompatible with sanctity--while many, probably most, medieval saints were from noble backgrounds, they, in imitation of Christ (Philippians 2:6-11) frequently put aside what was theirs to claim from birth and took on very "ignoble" roles--one thinks of Elizabeth of Thuringia, to name one example.
So,I think Joe Pope's point can stand: the sanctity of Joseph was never in question. Sanctity, as I have written before on this list, has to do not with sinlessness or nobility or likeabliity but with recognition of and sorrow for one's sins, be they large or small ones. This is the characteristic that runs through all the saints' lifes (along with many others which come and go intermittently.)
While the biblical record says next to nothing about Joseph, what it does say is that he had faith that Mary was to become the mother of the Redeemer and that he protected her to the best of his ability. In medieval terms, that already was a mark of nobility. Beyond that, the apocryphal accounts, to my knowledge, do not portray Joseph as an unrepentant sinner, which is what they would have to do if Joe Pope's point were to be refuted.
Dennis Martin
>>> [log in to unmask] 06/26 8:45 PM >>>
Dear Joe,
It may not be commonly known, but quite a few medieval texts (both verbal
and artistic) portray St. Joseph as a ludicrous or ignoble character. Even
theological texts, at least until about the thirteenth century, question
his role in relation to Mary and Jesus, implying or clearly stating the
concern that perhaps Joseph was not possessed of sanctity or any particular
merits. While numerous defenders eventually came to Joseph's defense,
during most of the Middle Ages he made very few appearances in the liturgy
and received devotion from neither laypeople nor clerics. Although Joseph
holds a strong position in the modern Catholic church, such was not the
case during most of the medieval centuries.
Chara Armon
>There was never any doubt as to the sanctity of Saint Joseph. Please, he
>is my patron.
>Joe Pope
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