This Second Annual Lecture in Carmelite Studies at the Catholic University of America took place between the Holy Year dedicated to St Joseph, proclaimed by Pope Francis (December 8, 2020 – December 8, 2021). As Steven Payne, OCD, notes, the Pope wished the entire Church to commemorate the 150th anniversary of St Joseph being declared ‘Patron of the Universal Church.’ This provided an apt occasion to celebrate Carmel’s enduring devotion to St Joseph and to highlight its significance for the whole Church. The lecture was delivered by Fr Joseph Chorpenning, OSFS, whose extensive scholarship on St Joseph and perceptive appreciation of Carmelite spirituality made him a natural choice for the Institute. This published volume also includes an official reflection on St Joseph from the Carmelite family, co-authored by the General Superiors of the Carmelites and the Discalced Carmelites.
In his lecture, Chorpenning illuminates St Joseph’s formative influence on Teresa by turning to the visual world of art and liturgy. He engages the imagination of his listeners and readers, as he examines three distinct artworks that, in his view, shed light on the evolution of Teresa’s Carmelite devotion to St Joseph. In our era when the Church increasingly values aesthetic approaches to deepen theological understanding, Chorpenning draws on rich sources to offer a genuinely ‘pictorial and visual’ exploration. He shows how these images communicate aspects reflective of a ‘distinctively Teresian way’ due to Teresa’s own ‘intense cognitive and affective relationship with religious imagery’. This may even open a promising avenue for further research into Teresa’s decision to place statues of Mary and Joseph in her new foundations — perhaps as an intentional, counter-iconoclastic gesture during the Reformation. This could well merit a dedicated study in its own right.
Although presented as vivid, full-colour inserts, the selected images function as a kind of visual triptych that is essential for engaging fully with Chorpenning’s commentary. The reader must often return to the images to follow his analysis closely. Yet this back-and-forth movement between text and illustration establishes a purposeful, almost contemplative rhythm, inviting the reader to pause, absorb, and hold each scene in mind before proceeding further.
Equally compelling is the author’s exploration of medieval devotional traditions. At a time when the Church sought to strengthen and disseminate a unified theological vision across Europe, the author highlights the distinctive liturgical tradition of the Carmelite Order – almost in an anticipatory way, practicing devotion to St Joseph in a manner to be adopted by the whole Church. A tradition Teresa would undoubtedly have been aware of in her own Carmelite formation. The scene is set to introduce Teresa’s unique contribution to this devotional encouragement.
The author moves on and draws the reader into Teresa’s deeply personal experience of St Joseph. Indeed, it is from this image the author begins to focus on the book’s subtitle encapsulating both her intimacy with and her distinctive contribution to the Church’s devotion to the saint: ‘Father, Teacher of Prayer and Intercessor in Every Need.’ By applying Teresa’s own definition of prayer—not to Christ, as one might expect, but to Joseph—the author offers fresh theological insight into her firm confidence, warm affection, and vibrant dynamism towards him.
It is the author’s intent to show it was Teresa’s way of relating to St Joseph that anchored her in a deeply contemplative way of life, modelled on Joseph’s silent guardianship of Jesus and Mary. His manner of care becomes, in Teresa’s understanding, the very ground of a life formed by prayerful attentiveness and trust — a life at once ecclesial, apostolic, and so contemplative.
In conclusion, the author offers a thoughtful reflection on the third painting, which captures Teresa’s encouragement to turn to St Joseph, who responds to every need. He highlights the deliberate intention of Pope Pius IX in declaring Joseph Patron of the Universal Church—an act that, according to the author, reinforces Teresa’s conviction of the inseparability of the Holy Family. As he notes: ’Joseph’s absolutely unique relationship with Mary and Jesus as the foundation of his pre-eminence among the saints is henceforth a primary theme of the papal magisterium.’ The author then traces references to St Joseph in the teachings of subsequent Popes, highlighting attributes that resonate with Teresa’s own devotion and understanding.
This is indeed a remarkable and insightful work, deserving careful attention. The included letters from both leaders of the Carmelite Orders further enrich the perspectives presented, underscoring the depth of the author’s engagement. The study offers a nuanced understanding of Carmel’s enduring influence in shaping the Church’s theological and devotional reflection on the diverse roles of St Joseph, as subsequently affirmed by the magisterium. It may also inspire new avenues of personal devotion, fostering a deeper, Teresa-informed relationship with St Joseph. As the angel’s words in the final painting invite us, Ite ad Ioseph—’Go to Joseph’—so too does this work encourage the reader to embrace that call.
