Parish Chapter Resources
Why start a chapter in your parish? At Jesus’ hands our spiritual fathers hold the place in our faith communities that our paternal fathers hold in our domestic churches. In today’s culture, however, the divine concepts of authority, fatherhood, marriage, and family life are being fractured by dark forces, and the distance between the pulpit and the pew is ever expanding.
The Fraternity of St. Joseph calls men to unite as bands of brothers, to follow the just model of St. Joseph, to humble themselves before God, and to intentionally lead their families and communities to Christ, the source of all truth and the author of our salvation.
How do I begin? These materials provide the “tools of reach” to begin an FSJ chapter in your parish, to take the first steps toward restoring God’s plan for the family, and to build a solid bridge of trust and communication between the pulpit and the pew.
- Vision and Mission
The foundation of the Fraternity, which shares both the work needed at this moment in salvation history and what our efforts can obtain, in the just model of Joseph, and through the movement of the Holy Spirit. - FSJ Chapter Governance Structure
Explains the FSJ mission, chartering procedure, officer positions, and covenant provisions. - Pastor’s Appeal
Contains key talking points about the FSJ mission to share with your pastor. - FSJ Parish Charter and Chapter Registry Application
May be submitted to the FSJ Guiding Council in place of the Pastor’s Consent Form if enough men, known by their pastor to be in good standing with the Catholic Church, are organized in sufficient numbers to assume officer positions. Pastor’s consent must be shown on this application. - FSJ Prayers
These foundational prayers should be prayed before, during, and after the process of establishing your chapter. Consecration to (the Holy Family) Jesus through Mary and Joseph is also strongly encouraged.
What is the end goal? As journeymen of St. Joseph, we need to place authority back on our altars, in the hands of our priests, our sacramental Eucharistic face of God. If we don’t place authority back on our altars, then we will not receive it at our kitchen tables. In our placing authority back in God’s will for salvation history, on our altars, as our wives and children witness our resolution, over time and trial, we will once again receive authority back in our domestic churches, our families.
Through our commitment toward living the sacramental life and pursuing consecration to Mary and Joseph, leading us to Jesus (the Holy Family), we will strengthen our resolve in our” Yes meaning Yes” as we take back our rightful place in our families and faith communities!
Upon receiving either the Pastor’s Consent Form or Parish Charter Application, the FSJ Guiding Council will provide you with the resources needed to establish your FSJ chapter, encourage other men of the parish to get involved, and support the success of the chapter’s charter year.
These resources were placed on the Feast of St. Joseph, the 19th of March 2024.