Treasure/The Shrine of St. Joseph

by the Rev. Jim Neilson, O.Praem., ’88, Administrator of St. Norbert College Parish

Every issue, we invite one member of the college community to share their delight in an object found on campus. Here, the Rev. Jim Neilson, O.Praem, '88, administrator of SNC Parish, speaks to the shrine of St. Joseph, which can be found on campus in St. Joe's. The shrine makes him think of the diverse applications of this image, which can be viewed through the lenses of many different disciplines.

This is one taking a child into his own family line, under his own roof. There’s a generosity in that which touches anybody who has brought somebody into their home, in establishing a truly holy family. Statues like this one really stretch the boundaries of our concept of family.

I think about how colleagues of different disciplines could address ideas with their students in the presence of this image. It’s not just the plaster that we’re looking at here. We’re looking at the figure of Joseph and what that means: theologically, culturally, socially, spiritually, psychologically. Joseph is always timely. Even the tenderness of the embrace, the adoptive father with the child, speaks of hope.


Oct. 31, 2015 

Update (July 20, 2020): The National Shrine of St. Joseph continues to draw the faithful, most particularly during this year's 150th anniversary of the declaration (by Pope Pius IX) of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. The current chaplain of the shrine is the Rev. Mike Brennan ’99.

The St. Norbert College Parish is currently in the care of a college of chaplains: Brennan, the Rev. Onwu Akpa, O.Praem., and the Rev. Michael Weber, O.Praem. The Rev. Jim Neilson continues his role as a member of the art faculty at the college.