There is not much we know about the life and death of St Joseph. However, there is much we can learn from the legacy he left behind, including some of his most popular patronages and saints who had a great devotion.

Jesus was lifted high on the cross in order to descend to the abyss of our suffering. He experienced our deepest sorrows: failure, loss of everything, betrayal by a friend, even abandonment by God. By experiencing in the flesh our deepest struggles and conflicts, he redeemed and transformed them.

In 1940, in the midst of the Second World War, an anonymous chaplain authored "At the Front: thoughts and prayers for the fighting forces". Here is an extract from these thoughts and prayers, containing four key points for Catholic soldiers, which many of us may still find helpful today.

In the final week of Lent, death confronts us squarely. Ever since the Fall, death has been the enemy, the constant source of pain, despair, sadness, and woe. The Christian perspective is that, yes, death is evil and horrible, but death can only be conquered by death. For the Christian, the darkness of the grave is the passageway to resurrection and everlasting life.