Jesuit Father James M. Hayes, from the College of the Holy Cross, compared St. Francis Xavier to Christ and held him up as an example and intercessor.

Pilgrimages, devotions and holy images are among ways local Catholics are celebrating the Year of St. Joseph, which Pope Francis declared on Dec. 8.

The St. Joseph shrine in the fourth-grade class at St. Joseph School in Webster is unique. It is based on the devotion to the “Sleeping Saint Joseph.”

“I’m very thankful... about how much people appreciate ... things we’re trying to do to help them stay connected to each other, to the sacraments and to God.”

Local students’ March for Life signs were appreciated by pro-lifers around the country, and five students are being awarded prizes for their work.