On July 25, 1920 Pope Benedict XV, known as the “Pope of Peace” during World War I, issued the moto proprio “Bonum Sane” in which he warned the faithful of Socialism and World Government, while also entrusting them to the care of St. Joseph and encouraging devotion to him:

We now see, with true sorrow, that society is now much more depraved and corrupt than before, and that the so-called "social question" has been aggravating to such an extent as to create the threat of irreparable ruin. … This World Government will no longer acknowledge the authority of the father over his children, or of the public power over the citizens, or of God over human society. All things will, if implemented, lead to terrible social convulsions, like those which are already happening … We, therefore, concerned most of all by the course of these events … remind those on Our side, who earn their bread by their work, to save them from Socialism, the sworn enemy of Christian principles, that with great solicitude We recommend them in particular to St. Joseph, to follow him as their guide and to receive the special honor of his heavenly patronage.

... We, full of confidence in the patronage of the one to whose provident supervision God was pleased to entrust the custody of His only-begotten Incarnate Son, and the Virgin Mother of God, we earnestly exhort all the Bishops of the Catholic world that, in times so turbulent for Christianity, to induce the faithful to pray with greater commitment for the valuable help of St. Joseph. And since there are several ways approved by the Apostolic See with whom you can venerate the Holy Patriarch, especially every Wednesday throughout the year and month consecrated to him, We want, for every Bishop to heed these requests - that all these devotions, as much as possible, are practiced in every diocese.