Some people have options for celebrating their names saints. I suppose I have three: March 19th, the Sunday after Christmas, and today, the observance of Joseph the worker.
It’s a wider choice for those named Mary in Christendom: with all the choices for feasts of the Blessed Mother (not to mention Saturdays), how is a soul to choose?
The young miss arrived with a middle name of Marie, but I don’t think she’s settled on a feast day. She does know her confirmation saint shares a day with her mom’s birthday.
How many parents have a feast day in mind for their little daughters when christened? Is there a Mary in the reading audience with a story on that?
As for me, I observe the main liturgical feast of my baptismal patron. But that’s not to say I don’t keep the first day of May in mind. How will I celebrate today? I won’t be working. Friday is my day off. I do have an appointment with my spiritual director–I suppose that’s appropriate. Looking forward to a game night with friends later this evening.
In the preconciliar calendar, there’s an additional feast (indeed, it was notionally the highest-ranked, as it came with an octave): St.Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin and Patron of the Universal Church, Double of the First class with an Octave.
The feast was introduced i by Pius IX in 1847 as the ‘Patronage of St. Joseph’ as a Double of the Second Class and celebrated on the third Sunday after Easter (which was mid-Eastertide). In 1870, the feast was raised to a Double of the First Class and given an octave with ‘Patron of the Church’ added. In 1911, the feast was renamed a bit and became a primary double of the first class, and two years later was moved to the Wednesday after the second Sunday after Easter.