St. Joseph has been accompanying me since my youth and this latest accomplishment—the song I co-wrote with Tom Raniszewski, “The Carpenter’s Son”—is but another time he has influenced my thinking and lifelong spiritual journey.
When I began elementary school at St. Ann Regional School in Wildwood, New Jersey, I first became acquainted with the Sisters of St. Joseph (Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia). They taught me for 12 years both in grade school and at Wildwood Catholic High School. Later, when I entered college at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, some of the faculty members were also sisters from that same community.
After ordination, I spent 20 years in Catholic education, 14 of which were at Sacred Heart High School in Vineland, also staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Ironically, I was to become the first principal of the school who was not a member of that religious community. From the high school’s establishment, every principal until me had been a Sister of St. Joseph.
Some years later, I was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Church, Somers Point, New Jersey. With an elementary school and convent on the campus, I once again experienced the presence of the same community of religious sisters. They continued to be a part of my life and ministry.
The Suggestion To Write A Hymn To St. Joseph
It was during my time as pastor of St. Joseph Church that my choir director suggested to me that I compose a hymn dedicated to St. Joseph. I took on the task and with the help of some of my friends “O Joseph, Righteous One”—an original hymn honoring St. Joseph—came to be.
Today, I am pastor of St. Thomas More Church in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and it was after a recent dinner discussion with a longtime friend, Tom Raniszewski, we decided to compose a Christmas piece from the unique perspective of St. Joseph. It was my thought that St. Joseph never received much attention in the Christmas story, although he was usually seen in every Nativity scene with the Virgin-Mother Mary and the Baby Jesus. I knew how much Tom loved Christmas and everything related to this feast. If I was going to take on such a project, Tom seemed the right person for the task.
Although he says nothing in the Sacred Scriptures, St. Joseph’s actions speak boldly and clearly. He was obedient to God. He was described as a righteous man whom God entrusted with the care of His Only-Begotten Son. Joseph loved, cared for, protected, and provided for both Mary and Jesus, who was known as the carpenter’s son (Mt. 13:55).
From a completely unconventional manner of composing a song, “The Carpenter’s Son” came into being. Tom and I never sat in the same room and only collaborated through text messages, e-mails and phone calls. Yet, everything miraculously seemed to come together. The finished product is now available on most streaming platforms in time for Christmas. The gifted vocalist is Drew Seigla, a Julliard graduate and New York musical theater performer. The streaming proceeds will be donated to the South Jersey Catholic Ministries Appeal.
I hope that you will listen to and enjoy this piece and that it will help more people to incorporate St. Joseph into their spiritual journey as well.
Image: Photo by David Beale on Unsplash
