This year marks the 60th anniversary of St. Joseph appearing to a nun in Ohio during March, 1958. He appeared during the continuing apparitions of the Blessed Mother under her title “Our Lady of America.”

These private revelations to Sister Mary Mildred Neuzil (known earlier as Sister Mary Ephrem) in Ohio were fully known by Archbishop Paul Leibold who was Sister Mary Ephrem’s spiritual director from the time he was Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati until he died in 1972. He gave his imprimatur to her initial booklet and its reprinting published with the revelations she received.

While he was an archbishop commissioned to examine Our Lady of America, Cardinal Raymond Burke detailed significant facts about Archbishop Leibold’s approval of the devotion to Our Lady of America and his active promotion of the devotion.

“Archbishop Leibold was always clear that the approved devotion had its origin in private revelation received by Sister Mary Ephrem over many years,” Cardinal Burke wrote in his 2007 official assessment, noting this devotion was already canonically approved.
With that foundation, let’s look at St. Joseph’s appearance and what he said and taught.

St. Joseph “Preview”
Sister Mary Mildred wrote not only the messages in her diary but also gave short commentaries. She described how St. Joseph first visited in October 1956 about one week after Our Lady first appeared. On this “preview” she didn’t see him but only heard him tell her:

“It is true, my daughter, that immediately after my conception I was, through the future merits of Jesus and because of my exceptional role of future Virgin-Father, cleansed from the stain of original sin. I was from that moment confirmed in grace and never had the slightest stain on my soul. This is my unique privilege among men.

“My pure heart also was from the first moment of existence inflamed with love for God. Immediately, at the moment when my soul was cleansed from original sin, grace was infused into it in such abundance that, excluding my holy spouse, I surpassed the holiness of the highest angel in the angelic choir.

“My heart suffered with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Mine was a silent suffering, for it was my special vocation to hide and shield, as long as God willed, the Virgin Mother and Son from the malice and hatred of men.

“The most painful of my sorrows was that I knew beforehand of their passion, yet would not be there to console them.

“Their future suffering was ever present to me and became my daily cross, so I became, in union with my holy spouse, co-redemptor of the human race. Through compassion for the sufferings of Jesus and Mary I co-operated, as no other, in the salvation of the world.”

St. Joseph’s First Appearance
Sister Mary Mildred wrote that on March 11, 1958, Our Lady said to her: St. Joseph will come on the eve of his feast. Prepare yourself well. There will be a special message. My holy spouse has an important part to play in bringing peace to the world.

St. Joseph came as promised and said to Sister Mary Mildred:
“Kneel down, my daughter, for what you will hear and what you will write will bring countless souls to a new way of life.

“Through you, small one, the Trinity desires to make known to souls Its desire to be adored, honored, and loved within the kingdom, the interior kingdom of their hearts.
“I bring to souls the purity of my life and the obedience that crowned it.

“All fatherhood is blest in me whom the Eternal Father chose as His representative on earth, the Virgin-Father of His own Divine Son. Through me the Heavenly Father has blessed all fatherhood, and through me He continues and will continue to do so till the end of time.

My spiritual fatherhood extends to all God’s children, and together with my Virgin Spouse I watch over them with great love and solicitude.”

[Notice how these defining words from St. Joseph came just as the western world was on the brink of demeaning fathers and belittling fatherhood.]

St. Joseph continued:
“Fathers must come to me, small one, to learn obedience to authority: to the Church always, as the mouthpiece of God, to the laws of the country in which they live, insofar as these do not go against God and their neighbor.

“Mine was perfect obedience to the Divine Will, as it was shown and made known to me by the Jewish law and religion. To be careless in this is most displeasing to God and will be severely punished in the next world.

“Let fathers also imitate my great purity of life and the deep respect I held for my Immaculate Spouse. Let them be an example to their children and fellowmen, never willfully doing anything that would cause scandal among God’s people.

“Fatherhood is from God, and it must take once again its rightful place among men.”
When St. Joseph finished, Sister Mary Mildred wrote how she saw his “most pure heart.” It seemed to be lying on a brown cross. Flames were pouring from the heart and what looked to be a lily appeared in the midst of them. Then she heard St. Joseph again:
“Behold this pure heart so pleasing to Him Who made it. The cross, my little one, upon which my heart rests is the cross of the Passion, which was ever present before me, causing me intense suffering.

“I desire souls to come to my heart that they may learn true union with the Divine Will. Then he told her he would return the next day and “make known to you how God wishes me to be honored in union with Jesus and Mary to obtain peace among men and nations.”