On May 1^rst, the Church invites us to celebrate the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, patron saint of workers.

 

The close ties between Saint Joseph’s Oratory and the world of labour date back to the shrine’s earliest days. For many years, the Oratory served as a gathering place for workers. Large crowds congregated there on International Worker’s Day (May Day) to celebrate Saint Joseph the Worker. The tradition, although changed with time, continues today. We are proud to celebrate this feast by praying with all Oratory pilgrims for the workers of the entire world.

 

These days, important questions are raised whenever the world of labour is mentioned. Every day we hear of factories closing; manufacturing sectors moving to other countries; difficult working conditions; the exploitation of child labour, etc… It is with this in mind that we entrust our prayer intentions for the workers of our world to the care of Saint Joseph.

The beautiful end-of-springtime weather we are enjoying offers the perfect opportunity to come to the Oratory for quiet reflection or to see this beautiful serene site once more. The month of May is not too early to begin enjoying our beautiful gardens, which are already beginning to bloom. Do not hesitate to contact Visitor and Pilgrim Services to organize a visit. It will be their pleasure to provide you with personalized service to ensure you get the most out of your visit.

Visit our website too to consult our regularly-updated schedule of events. There you will find complete information on religious services, activities related to the International Eucharistic Congress, and our summer activities which will be getting underway soon. Welcome to the Oratory!