St. Joseph was the husband and protector of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster-father of Jesus. The Franciscans preached on his grace, and his name was chosen for this fourteenth Franciscan mission. He is representative of the dignity of labor and bringing Christ into the workplace. He is honored by two feast days, the first on March 19, and the second on May 1.

Saint Joseph

Named for St. Joseph, whose religious popularity in Europe coincided with the discovery of the new world, Mission San Jose was founded on June 11, 1797 by Lausen and was the 14th mission. Long considered the patron of workers and builders, St. Joseph became a special patron to the converted Indians. Statues of him are usually found in every mission. A great number of Indians were converted at this mission and it was famous for its Indian orchestra. Fray Narcisco Duran recognized the Indians’ love of music. He developed a simple system to read music and they became very accomplished flute, violin and drum players. Reconstructed on the foundations of the original adobe church, Mission San Jose today stands as a tribute to those who researched every detail of the original church destroyed by earthquake in 1868.