The Assumption of St Joseph

Of all the saints in Christendom, the only pair of whom we possess no first-class relics are the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Joseph. We attribute this lack of bodily relics to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven body and soul which is one of the great Marian Dogmas of the Church. This tradition has been popularly believed from the earliest days of the Church but not officially defined as dogma until November 1, 1950 by Venerable Pope Pius XII. (MUNIFICENTISSIMUS DEUS.)

The same reasoning is applied to lack of bodily relics of St Joseph, Virgin-Father of Christ and Chaste Spouse of Mary. Think about it, when St Joseph appeared at Fatima to bless the world on October 13, 1917 holding the Child Jesus and standing next to Our Lady, would he just have been some type of "ghost" holding the flesh and blood Jesus standing next to flesh and blood Blessed Virgin? Also, the more recently approved apparitions at Itapiranga, Brazil in which St Joseph sometimes appears, is he a ghost standing in the company of Our Lord and Our Lady? That's just one little example. It doesn't make sense that the Earthly Trinity: Jesus, Mary and Joseph - who were so closely united on Earth would be hindered in their union in Heaven. It is believed that after St Joseph's happy and holy death, he entered the Bosom of Abraham (Limbo) where he was to announce to the prophets and patriarchs of the Old Covenant the Good News of Christ and their forthcoming entry to Heaven (after the coming Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord.) When the time for Christ's Ascension came, St Joseph's soul was united with his body and was assumed into Heaven. Many saints piously believe in the bodily assumption of St Joseph into Heaven – just as Our Lord had done for His mother.  Here are just a sampling of them:

St. Francis de Sales: "How could we doubt that Our Lord raised glorious St. Joseph up into Heaven, body and soul? For he had the honor and grace of carrying Him so often in his blessed arms, arms in which Our Lord took so much pleasure. St. Joseph is therefore in Heaven body and soul, without a doubt."

St. Bernardino of Sienna: "In the same way that Mary was assumed into Heaven, it is thought that Jesus deigned to glorify Joseph on the day of the Resurrection. In this way, all of the Holy Family – Jesus, Mary and Joseph – who lived together on Earth, would reign together in Heaven."

Servant of God, Sister Lúcia of Fátima: "We beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus appeared to bless the world, for they traced the sign of the cross with their hands."

St. Gertrude the Great: "I saw Heaven opened and St. Joseph sitting upon a magnificent throne. I felt myself wonderfully affected when, each time his name was mentioned, all the Saints made a profound inclination toward him, showing by the serenity and sweetness of their looks that they rejoiced with him on account of his exalted dignity."

Blessed Catherine de St. Augustin: "I saw Saint Joseph standing close to the entrance of the eternal doors of Heaven, and it was him, it seemed to me, who was speaking to the very august Trinity; and addressed himself to the Person of the Father. ... God the Son then gave him jurisdiction over Him, all King of Glory that He was, and wanted that he should have the honor of influence over Him. Then, hence, turning to Saint Joseph, I said to him: “Great Saint I am yours, ask of the King of Eternal Glory that at no point I become separated from His love: He would not refuse you at His coming.”

Blessed Pope John XXIII: "We name two of the most intimate persons in Christ’s life: John the Baptist – the Precursor, and Joseph of Nazareth – his putative father and custodian. It corresponds to them – we may piously believe – the honor and the privilege of Jesus allowing them to admirably accompany him on the path to Heaven (on the day of his Ascension) and to sing the first notes of the never ending hymn, “Te Deum”."

St. Bernardino of Sienna: "It is beyond doubt that Christ did not deny to Joseph in heaven that intimacy, respect, and high honor which he showed to him as to a father during his own human life, but rather completed and perfected it. Justifiably the words of the Lord should be applied to him, ‘Enter into the joy of your Lord.’ Although it is the joy of eternal happiness that comes into the heart of man, the Lord prefers to say to him ‘enter into joy’. The mystical implication is that this joy is not just inside man, but surrounds him everywhere and absorbs him, as if he were plunged in an infinite abyss."