2015 Virtual St. Joseph Altar

It is my happy privilege to announce that the 2015 Virtual St. Joseph Altar is now open. It is an online version of the many St. Joseph Altars that are erected by Italians both in Italia as well as the USA & elsewhere.

The tradition of the altars goes back to the Middle Ages. At the time, Sicilia was experiencing a very severe drought & thus in the midst of a severe famine. So the people of Sicilia prayed to their padrone, San Giuseppe for help. The rains came, putting an end to the famine.

The thank San Giuseppe, they built an altar & the people brought food from the harvest. This food was distributed to the poor. As time went on the devotion spread. The altars grew in size & certain traditions  about the shape & way it was built arose. Also certain foods became a part of the tradition as well.

The altar has 3 tiers, in honor of the Trinity. A statue or image of San Giuseppe is placed on the top tier. The various foods brought as an offering are placed on the other two. Bread crumbs are sprinkled on the altar as a symbol of the sawdust in San Giuseppe's workshop. The fava bean is also present. Usually grown as fodder for the cattle, during the famine it was the only food available, so it serves as a reminder of the suffering San Giuseppe relieved them off.

Breads & pastries are baked into special shapes. These include that of a monstrance to honor the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Other shapes include a dove to symbolize the Holy Spirit, chalice, wreath (crown of thorns) & palms. Others are shaped like a ladder, nails, a hammer, a saw, staff & lilies. These are traditional symbols of San Giuseppe.

A huge variety of dishes, meatless of course since it is Lent, are also placed on the altar. There is usually a bottle or 2 of wine to symbolize the miracle at Cana. There are also flowers, candles & some citrus fruit.

Visitors to the altar are given a goody bag. The bag includes a San Giuseppe holy card & medal as well as a fava bean & a few of the cookies or pastries on the altar. 

San Giuseppe is the Patron of the Universal Church. He is also known as the Guardian of the Redeemer & terror of demons. In this day & age when human life, especially that of the unborn is under attack, enemies are trying to destroy the Catholic Church from within as well as without & purity seems to be a thing of the past, San Giuseppe's aid & protection is needed more than ever.

So please visit the altar, make a virtual offering, leave your prayer requests & ask San Giuseppe's intercession for your beloved departed. & don't forget to pick up your virtual goody bag.

VIVA SAN GIUSEPPE!

2014 Virtual San Giuseppe Altar

Over the past few years it has been my blessed privledge to honor San Giuseppe by putting in a plug for the Virtual St. Joseph Altar that was started by Evann Duplantier in 1999. (This is the 16th year.) It was started in the tradition of the Sicilian St. Joseph Altars (aka tavola di San Giuseppe) in New Orleans. & while I am Calabrese, not Siciliano, I see no reason to let that stop me from spreading this great devotion to San Giuseppe. Especially since many of us from other parts of Italia or have their heritage there, have adopted it as well.
Now for those of you who are unfamiliar with the tradition that is celebrated in many parts of the USA as well as Italia, let me explain. We need to go back to the Middle Ages, when the island of Sicily was suffering from a very severe drought. It reached the point that there was almost nothing left to eat but fava beans. In short, a famine.
So the people of Sicily began praying to San Giuseppe, begging him to intercede with God for an end to the drought. (As I type this I can help but think that maybe there is a lesson for California here.) San Giuseppe came through & the drought ended. Crops were planted & the famine ended.
Naturally, the Sicilians were grateful to San Giuseppe & wanted to express their thanks in a visible way. So a table was set up with the fruits of the harvest on it. After they had done so, the food was distributed to the less fortunate.
From that simple table, the altar grew & developed into what it is today.
They can range from the simple

to the ornate,

but certain things remain the same.
The 1st is that the altar must be made with 3 levels. This is done to honor the Holy Trinity.
On the top level a image of San Giuseppe is placed. This can be a statue or a painting or an icon. It is surrounded by flowers & greenery. Votive candles can be placed there as well as on the other levels.
On the other levels a variety of food, with the exception of meat dishes because it is Lent, are placed on the other levels. These offerings include citrus fruit, breads, pastries, seafood, olives, grapes, fava beans, & figs. In addition you will find bread crumbs sprinkled about as a reminder of the sawdust in San Giuseppe's carpenter's shop.
Now the breads & many of the pastries are baked in special shapes. The breads can be shaped as lilies, sandals, ladder, saw, hammer, nail, beard, ladder, & the cane or staff of St. Joseph.  The pastries are made in the shapes of monstrances, chalices, crosses, doves, lambs, fish, bibles, hearts, wreaths & palms. 

The fava beans are there as a reminder that during the famine the people were down to eating fava beans which was normally used back then as a fodder for the cattle.

Additionally, there is a basket placed near or on the altar where visitors can leave their prayer requests, as well as the names of deceased family & friends. Sometime pictures of those who are deceased are placed on the altar as well.

All visitors receive a small goodie bag. It includes a blessed San Giuseppe medal, a holy card with San Giuseppe's image on it & of course, a fava bean. It can also include a small pastry or two.

On San Giuseppe's actual feast day, 19 March, many of the families who erect an altar in their home will invite friends& neighbors over for a meal that includes what was offered on the altar. Children are selected to play the Holy Family. They go from door to door in the neighborhood until they reach the house with the altar. The Holy family is allowed to eat 1st. After the meal any food that remains, along with any money donated is given to the poor, just like the 1st table.

So please visit the virtual altar which opened today for the year.

At the virtual altar, you can make a virtual offering as well as any prayer requests for deceased loved ones or for your needs or to express gratitude to San Giuseppe for prayers answered. You can do this any time between now & San Giuseppe's feast on 19 March 2014. When you do, don't forget to pick up your virtual goodie bag before you leave.

VIVA SAN GIUSEPPE!!!!!

The World's Second Love

(With apologies to Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen)

In 1952 Archbishop Sheen wrote a book about Mary called The World's First Love. He talks about how God had in mind, from before time, the perfect mother for the Son of God. In it he also devoted a chapter to San Giuseppe. & how God ensured that he would be the perfect spouse for Mary. That is why I have entitled this The World's Second Love. If Mary was first than to say San Giuseppe is the second is only logical.
St Lawrence of Brindisi in his writings on what he called The Incarnational Circle mentions Mary as being planned as the virginal mother. That meant there was also the need for a virginal father. That father was San Giuseppe. While I haven't read the work in its entirety, what little I know, as well as what I have read by Archbishop Sheen, Gerson, Suarez & others have been the inspiration for this reflection.
Mary was planned from before time by God as the perfect or ideal mother for His Son. So, here having the perfect or ideal spouse for her & earthly father for Jesus was also a part of that plan.
Since Mary was to be the biological mother of Christ, than her being immaculately conceived was only logical. All the other gifts she was given to enable her to fulfill that role & the Church extols are only logical. Joseph, on the other hand, was not the biological father, but that is the only sense in which he was not the father of Jesus. So that means that he had to be equipped with all the gifts & attributes to ensure he would be the ideal father of Jesus as well as the ideal spouse of Mary.
Additionally, by the angel telling Joseph to name Jesus, we see God giving Joseph a unique gift, a portion of His Divine Fatherhood. Joseph was able to exercise all the rights over Jesus as a father that His Heavenly Father would. Jesus had to submit to Joseph's authority as that of His Heavenly Father.
I am not saying that Joseph was immaculately conceived. That has never been taught. But what has been widely suggested, & I agree with, is that, like St. John the Baptist, he was freed from original sin in the womb. Also, like the Baptist, he was graced to be able to avoid sinning throughout his life as well.
All this was done, like Mary's conception, because of what Jesus did on the cross, not through any merits of their own. Mary & Joseph both had free will, they were both tempted & both rejected sin. I won't go into more about Mary as there is plenty out there about why this is true.
In Joseph's case I will point out that Scripture itself strongly hints at this by his being called a righteous or just man. (Matthew 1:19) That term is almost never used to describe a human. Instead we here Scripture talk about how humans usually fail to be righteous before God.
What we can be sure of is that this means Joseph was a man of prayer as well as familiar with what we now call the writings of the Old Testament. It also meant that he lived out his faith in a way that was only equaled to by Mary.
Like Mary, he was totally submissive to the will of God. Like Mary, he was humble as well. Like Mary, he also took a vow of virginity. (more on this later) We see that in how he handled the news about Mary's pregnancy. Many people think that Joseph wanted to divorce Mary because he thought she had violated her vow of virginity. But what is more likely is that he was aware she had conceived by the Holy Spirit. In his humility he felt unworthy for the role he knew he would have to play, so he tried to quietly bow out. If he thought she had sinned, his righteousness would have required he publicly divorce her.
I want to make it clear, as have many other preeminant authors on Joseph, that the marriage between Joseph & Mary was a real marriage. They were truly one. They loved each other perfectly. & in a sense, Jesus was the fruit of that union.
Mary's virginity was made fruitful by her bearing Jesus. In Joseph's case his fruitful virginity was the result of his taking the role assigned to him by God, to be Jesus' father. By the angel telling him he was to name the child Jesus, Joseph was told that he was being appointed to truly be Jesus father as the earthly image of the Heavenly Father. This means that what we see in Joseph's actions toward Mary & Jesus are a reflection of the love & care the Heavenly Father has for each & every one of us.
Scripture make's it clear in many places that nothing he did gave those in Nazareth any reason to doubt that he was the father of Jesus. That was because he exercised his role as husband, as well as father, exactly as a righteous man would.
He cared for Mary, he protected her & provided for her. Like any father, he protected & provided for Jesus' needs. He also taught Jesus what it meant to be a real man as well as the skills needed to earn a living. Part of that teaching included Joseph's living out his faith in word & example.
I honestly believe that wherever the Holy Family was, there was a small sampling of Heaven here on Earth. I say this for several reasons. The most obvious is that wherever God is, there is Heaven. Jesus is God. So He brought a bit of Heaven with him. Additionally, what we say in Nazareth was a glimpse of what we will see in eternity.
Mary, as the Queen of Heaven (seen in the Queen mother of Ancient Israel), is there at the side of Jesus. Where Mary is, then her spouse, Joseph, is bound to be. Many saints & mystics have held to this. While the Church has never ruled this to be a doctrine of faith, it has constantly allowed it to be acceptable.
The following is just my opinion. I have not seen this elsewhere, though someone else may well have said so before. When the mother of James & John asked that one be seated at His right, the other at His left, in the kingdom, Jesus said they were reserved from before time for those chosen by the Father. We can be fairly certain that one of them was for Mary as Queen. As I said, logically Joseph would be nearby. So might the other seat (throne) have been reserved for Joseph as the other part of the Incarnational Circle?
Also, since Jesus gave Mary to be our Mother, by His giving Joseph that share in His Fatherhood, Joseph is our Father as well. Think about it. Jesus is our brother. We are adopted sons of the Father. A portion of that Fatherhood eternally resides in Joseph.
That means that we can ask for his intercession, knowing that Jesus cannot say no to the requests of Joseph without being disobedient. We can also be sure that since both Mary & Joseph seek only the will of God & that their will is God's will, then we can be assured that Joseph will know what is God's will for us in all situations & make intercession for that will to be done. & we can be sure that request will be granted.
Another idea that I claim as only my own is that Joseph had to die before Jesus' public ministry. At that time Joseph's role as protector had to end. If he remained on Earth then he would have had to protect Jesus from even being crucified. Since he couldn't, he gladly accepted death at what was about 50 to 55 years of age so that our salvation would be assured.
But now that he is in Heaven, that role as protector has been extended far beyond the Holy Family to the entire Catholic Church. That is a truth we cannot deny as the Church has declared him to be the universal patron of the Church.
Some mystics have said that Joseph conversed with angels for his entire life, fromrly childhood on. That makes perfect sense when we look at the 1st time we hear of an angel appearing to Joseph. What was his reaction? He simply did as the ngel told him. It could only be so if he was familiar with his guardian angel, or angels as some mystics have said he had 2. As a man of faith he would have grown to know & recognize when God spoke to him through them. That is why we see his immediate obedience every time.
Mary too, accepted what Joseph said without question. She is a perfect example of Biblical submission to the husband by the wife. She knew Joseph wouldn't abuse his place as head of the household. So, if he woke Mary up & said that an angel said this, she would trust him to be telling the truth & abey him just the same as if the angel had appeared to her.
Finally, I would like to make a comment on the subject of Joseph's assumption. Again, the Church has never ruled one way or the other, but it does seem logical that given his unique role, he would have been taken body & soul into Heaven. I have no proof, but I suspect one of those saints mentioned as coming back to life at the time of Jesus' resurrection was Joseph. He was allowed a visit to Mary to encourage her. Then he was lead into Heaven by Jesus at the head of all those who had been waiting in the Bosom of Abraham for Jesus to open the Gates of Heaven.
As Papa Francesco said earlier today, Joseph is our perfect example of how to live as a follower of Jesus.
I pray that these poor efforts of mine may be of some use in helping you to better see why San Giuseppe is the perfect model. Also, that they may help increase your devotion to him. According to many mystics, this is the desire of Mary. & if it is what Mary wants, since her will is to do the Will of God, then you can be sure it is God's Will.
May San Giuseppe richly bless you this day with all the graces of Heaven so that you may grow in faith, die more to self & one day join him in Heaven around the Throne, eternally praising & worshiping God.

VIVA SAN GIUSEPPE!!!!!

__________
Note: I wish to make several things clear. 1st of all, nothing I said is to be construed as making Mary & Joseph equal to God. Everything the do is through the Holy Spirit & finds its ultimate source in God.
Next, I wish to remind everyone that the revelations to mystics are private revelations. So, even if they have been approved by bthe Church we are not required to believe them.
Finally, my opinions are just that, opinions. I submit them to the discernment of the Catholic Church. & if at some time the Church should decide something contrary to what I wrote, then I gladly submit to the Church's discernment & authority as the final say.

Papa Francesco - Take San Giuseppe As Our Role Model

Here is the homily of Papa Francesco from the Mass earlier today that was for the Inauguration of his Petrine ministry.  As I expected, he did speak about San Giuseppe.& called on us to imitate him. To hear the media however, you wouldn't know it or know what was really said. They make it sound like his emphasis was on the environment & the poor. Yes, he did bring up the environment & the poor. But what they totally miss is what he said about how we are to do that. They make it sound like it is by depending on our own power, when Papa Francesco makes it clear that we are really to do so as San Giuseppe did, "by being constantly attentive to God, open to the signs of God's presence, and receptive to God's plans."
That also means that abortion, euthanasia, gay marriage & birth control are right out since they go contrary to God's plans. Papa Francesco also made it clear we must reject these & all other evils, even if they weren't mentioned by name.
Naturally, the media tried to paint the direction taken by Papa Francesco as a complete change of priorities rather than being the same basic priorities that all popes have had. & that is only 1 part of the poor coverage that shows their lack of understanding of the Catholic Church as well as its rituals. It also shows their agenda as well. By creating this false division they are trying to divert attention from how Papa Francesco has lived out those words. In his speaking out against abortion, etc, as bishop & cardinal, Papa Francesco followed exactly the same direction as Papa Benedetto & Pope John Paul II.
Papa Francesco has called on us to take San Giuseppe as our role model.  That means we must defend the unborn as well as the elderly from the attacks our society is making on them. It means we must be good stewards of the environment. It also means we are to be a people of prayer, constantly seeking God's guidance in all things, learning what His will is. & then living it out. It is a hard path, but no harder than that of San Giuseppe, or any other true follower of Christ. & like them, if we seek God, He will gift us with all we need tyo do so.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I thank the Lord that I can celebrate this Holy Mass for the inauguration of my Petrine ministry on the solemnity of Saint Joseph, the spouse of the Virgin Mary and the patron of the universal Church.  It is a significant coincidence, and it is also the name-day of my venerable predecessor: we are close to him with our prayers, full of affection and gratitude.

I offer a warm greeting to my brother cardinals and bishops, the priests, deacons, men and women religious, and all the lay faithful.  I thank the representatives of the other Churches and ecclesial Communities, as well as the representatives of the Jewish community and the other religious communities, for their presence.  My cordial greetings go to the Heads of State and Government, the members of the official Delegations from many countries throughout the world, and the Diplomatic Corps.

In the Gospel we heard that “Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary as his wife” (Mt 1:24).  These words already point to the mission which God entrusts to Joseph: he is to be the custos, the protector.  The protector of whom?  Of Mary and Jesus; but this protection is then extended to the Church, as Blessed John Paul II pointed out: “Just as Saint Joseph took loving care of Mary and gladly dedicated himself to Jesus Christ’s upbringing, he likewise watches over and protects Christ’s Mystical Body, the Church, of which the Virgin Mary is the exemplar and model” (Redemptoris Custos, 1).

How does Joseph exercise his role as protector?  Discreetly, humbly and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity, even when he finds it hard to understand.  From the time of his betrothal to Mary until the finding of the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem, he is there at every moment with loving care.  As the spouse of Mary, he is at her side in good times and bad, on the journey to Bethlehem for the census and in the anxious and joyful hours when she gave birth; amid the drama of the flight into Egypt and during the frantic search for their child in the Temple; and later in the day-to-day life of the home of Nazareth, in the workshop where he taught his trade to Jesus.

How does Joseph respond to his calling to be the protector of Mary, Jesus and the Church?  By being constantly attentive to God, open to the signs of God’s presence and receptive to God’s plans, and not simply to his own.  This is what God asked of David, as we heard in the first reading.  God does not want a house built by men, but faithfulness to his word, to his plan.  It is God himself who builds the house, but from living stones sealed by his Spirit.  Joseph is a “protector” because he is able to hear God’s voice and be guided by his will; and for this reason he is all the more sensitive to the persons entrusted to his safekeeping. He can look at things realistically, he is in touch with his surroundings, he can make truly wise decisions.  In him, dear friends, we learn how to respond to God’s call, readily and willingly, but we also see the core of the Christian vocation, which is Christ!  Let us protect Christ in our lives, so that we can protect others, so that we can protect creation!

The vocation of being a “protector”, however, is not just something involving us Christians alone; it also has a prior dimension which is simply human, involving everyone.  It means protecting all creation, the beauty of the created world, as the Book of Genesis tells us and as Saint Francis of Assisi showed us.  It means respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about.  It means caring for one another in our families: husbands and wives first protect one another, and then, as parents, they care for their children, and children themselves, in time, protect their parents.  It means building sincere friendships in which we protect one another in trust, respect, and goodness.  In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it.  Be protectors of God’s gifts!

Whenever human beings fail to live up to this responsibility, whenever we fail to care for creation and for our brothers and sisters, the way is opened to destruction and hearts are hardened.   Tragically, in every period of history there are “Herods” who plot death, wreak havoc, and mar the countenance of men and women.

Please, I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be “protectors” of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment.  Let us not allow omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world!  But to be “protectors”, we also have to keep watch over ourselves!  Let us not forget that hatred, envy and pride defile our lives!  Being protectors, then, also means keeping watch over our emotions, over our hearts, because they are the seat of good and evil intentions: intentions that build up and tear down!  We must not be afraid of goodness or even tenderness!

Here I would add one more thing: caring, protecting, demands goodness, it calls for a certain tenderness.  In the Gospels, Saint Joseph appears as a strong and courageous man, a working man, yet in his heart we see great tenderness, which is not the virtue of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love.  We must not be afraid of goodness, of tenderness!

Today, together with the feast of Saint Joseph, we are celebrating the beginning of the ministry of the new Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, which also involves a certain power.  Certainly, Jesus Christ conferred power upon Peter, but what sort of power was it?  Jesus’ three questions to Peter about love are followed by three commands: feed my lambs, feed my sheep.  Let us never forget that authentic power is service, and that the Pope too, when exercising power, must enter ever more fully into that service which has its radiant culmination on the Cross.  He must be inspired by the lowly, concrete and faithful service which marked Saint Joseph and, like him, he must open his arms to protect all of God’s people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison (cf. Mt 25:31-46).  Only those who serve with love are able to protect!

In the second reading, Saint Paul speaks of Abraham, who, “hoping against hope, believed” (Rom 4:18).  Hoping against hope!  Today too, amid so much darkness, we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others.  To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope; it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds; it is to bring the warmth of hope!  For believers, for us Christians, like Abraham, like Saint Joseph, the hope that we bring is set against the horizon of God, which has opened up before us in Christ.  It is a hope built on the rock which is God.

To protect Jesus with Mary, to protect the whole of creation, to protect each person, especially the poorest, to protect ourselves: this is a service that the Bishop of Rome is called to carry out, yet one to which all of us are called, so that the star of hope will shine brightly.  Let us protect with love all that God has given us!

I implore the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saints Peter and Paul, and Saint Francis, that the Holy Spirit may accompany my ministry, and I ask all of you to pray for me!  Amen.

Papa Francesco & San Giuseppe

When I had talked about praying to San Giuseppe for the next Pope in a post, one of the things I mentioned in it was that I would not be surprized to find out that the new Pope had a devotion to San Giuseppe. Well, it looks like I was right,
At the time of his election, I didn't pay much attention to the coat of arms that Papa Francesco had as bishop & cardinal. I should have.  But better late than never.
Today the Vatican released his official coat of arms as the newly elected Pope. Papa Francesco opted, as I expected, to keep the same coat of arms.
The symbol at the top is obviously that of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) that he is a member of. It is on top of a sun that symbolized Jesus Christ. The gold star & the blue background are symbolic of Mary & his deep devotion to her.
But what is that other symbol in the lower left (your right) of the arms?  No, it isn't a bunch of grapes pointing the wrong way. It is a bit of spikenard (nard) in flower. Using spikenard to symbolize San Giuseppe is a part of Hispanic iconography. According to the Vatican,  in that tradition San Giuseppe is seen holding a branch of spikenard rather than the staff with lilies in bloom at the end.*
So our new Pope has a devotion to San Giuseppe. That is encouraging news to me. As I said in that post, the Catholic Church needs San Giuseppe's protection & guidance more than ever because of the attacks from within as well as without.
I also have to wonder if Papa Francesco intentionally opted for tomorrow as the day of his installation because it is the main feast of San Giuseppe. But whether he specifically chose it, or it was just the most optimal date, I have no doubt that he will talk about San Giuseppe in his homily. & in doing so, we will get a better sense of his devotion to the Padrone of the Universal Church. I am also sure that it will lead to a greater devotion to San Giuseppe by the entire Church as well.
For that reason, among others, I will be looking forward to what Papa Francesco will have to say to us tomorrow.

______________________
* The lilies blooming on the staff comes from the apocryphal story that there were 3 suitors for Mary. The temple priests decided to have each suitor leave his staff there overnight. The one that would burst into bloom would belong to man chosen by God to be espoused to Mary. San Giuseppe's was the one that bloomed. The traditional use of the lily was because it symbolized purity. This was to remind people that he, like Mary, had remained chaste as well as celebate throughout his life. It was also a reminder of how he protected Mary's purity as well.
I will have to do some more reseacrh in the days ahead to see how the connection between spikenard & San Giuseppe came about.

San Giuseppe - Patron of the Universal Church

 

March has traditionally been the month the Catholic Church honors San Giuseppe in a special way. The primary event is his feast on 19 March.  But the whole month is meant to see the faithful show their devotion to San Giuseppe in a way that goes beyond the normal exercise of those devotions.

1 of San Giuseppe's titles is Patron of the Universal Church. He was given this title by Pope Pius IX in 1870. Up until 1955 a seperate feast day was celebrated during the Easter season. It was replaced by the feast of St. Joseph the Worker on 1 May.

While I would like to put in a plug for the restoration of the feast, that is not the purpose of this post.

Rather its theme is inspired by the stepping down of Benedetto as Supreme Pontiff yesterday.  As you probably know, our Papa emeritus was baptized Joseph as a baby. So, San Giuseppe has kept a special eye on him throughout his life. I am sure he did so in a special way after Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope.

I would now like to offer the suggestion that we call on San Giuseppe in prayer especially for 2 reasons this March.

1st of all, to ask him to continue his paternal care for Benedetto XVI as he climbs the mountain of prayer & meditation God has called him to in this final part of his life. I don't think God is through using Benedetto to serve His Church. Benedtto's time of prayer & intercession for the Church will be used in a powerful way by God. & while there probably won't be much more than what was to be his 4th encyclical released before he stepped down, Benedetto will probably continue to study & write as well. & what the Holy Spirit may guide him to write won't be known for a while. But when it does come out, God will speak to us as He did throughout Benedetto's life.

I think by now you have an idea what the 2nd reason is, the election of the 266th Supreme Pontiff & Vicar of Christ later this month. Because San Giuseppe has been given this special charge, it is only right we ask his intercession to the Holy Spirit to guide the Cardinals as they meet in Conclave to elect the next Pope & to guard & protect the new Pontiff as he begins his time at the helm of the barque of Peter.
The following is one of my favorite prayers to San Giuseppe. I say it after the October Prayer to St. Joseph after most of the Rosaries I pray.

"O most poweful patriarch, Saint Joseph, patron of that universal Church which has always invoked thee in anxieties and tribulations; from the lofty seat of thy glory lovingly regard the Catholic world. Let it move thy paternal heart to see the mystical spouse of Christ and His vicar weakened by sorrow and persecuted by powerful enemies. We beseech thee, by the most bitter suffering thou didst experience on earth, to wipe away in mercy the tears of the revered pontiff, to defend and liberate him, and to intercede with the Giver of peace and charity, that every hostile power being overcome and every error being destroyed, the whole Church may serve the God of all blessings in perfect liberty.
Amen."

During this time we are without a Pope it could be adopted by changing vicar & pontiff to pontiff emeritus.

There is also another Prayer to St. Joseph for the Whole Church. The 1st part could be adapted as follows:

"O Glorious Saint Joseph, 
you were chosen by God 
to be the foster father of Jesus, 
the most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, 
and the head of the Holy Family. 
You have been chosen by Christ's Vicar 
as the heavenly Patron and Protector
of the Church founded by Christ. 

Protect the Cardinals as they gather to elect the next Supreme Pontiff
and all bishops and priests who will be united with him. 
Be the protector of all who labour for souls 
amid the trials and tribulations of this life; 
and grant that all peoples of the world 
may be docile to the Church 
without which there is no salvation.  "

These are only a couple of suggestions. There are several others you could use, like the following 2 versions of the Memorare to St. Joseph.

"Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any who implored your help and sought your intercession were left unassisted. Full of confidence in your power, I fly unto you, and beg your protection. despise not, O foster-father of the Redeemer, my humble supplication but in your bounty hear and answer me. Amen."

"Remember, O most illustrious Patriarch St. Joseph, on the testimony of St. Teresa, thy devoted servant, that never has it been heard that anyone who invoked thy protection or sought thy assistance has not obtained relief. In this confidence I come to thee, my loving protector, chaste spouse of Mary, foster father of the Savior of men and dispenser of the treasures of His Most Sacred Heart. Despise not my prayer, but graciously hear and answer my petition.(mention your request)"

You could also pray the Litany to St. Joseph (here) or a novena (here & here)
Whatever may or may not be true about all the reasons for Benedetto stepping down  & the problems facing the next Pope swirling arround out there, 1 thing is sure. The Catholic Church is under attack from without (the media, Obama, & political leaders in Canada, Europe & elsewhere for a few examples) & within the Church by those who claim to be Catholic, but want to change the Church's teachings about abortion homosexual acts, birth control, women's ordination as priests to name a few.
The Catholic Church needs San Giuseppe's powerful patronage now more than ever. & so will the next Pope as he works to steer the barque of Peter through the stormy waters to the 2 Pillars Don Bosco dreamt about.

In conclusion I share the following for your discernment. I start with something taken from the booklet Favorite Prayers to St. Joseph published by TAN Books. (pg 26-27)
"Isidore of Isolanis, a pious Dominican of the 16th century, prophesied that "the sound of victory" will be heard in the Church Militant "when the faithful recognize the sanctity of St. Joseph." He continues: "The Lord will let His light shine, He will lift the veil, and great men will search out the interior gifts of God that are hidden in St. Joseph; they will find in him a priceless treasure, the like of which they had never found in other saints of the Old Testament. We are inclined to believe that toward the end of time God will overwhelm St. Joseph with glorious honors. If in the past ages, during the storms of persecution, these honors could not be shown to St. Joseph, we must conclude that they have been reserved for later times. At some future time the feast of St. Joseph will be celebrated as one of the greatest of feasts. The Vicar of Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit, will order this feast to be celebrated in the Universal Church."

As Cardinal Wojtyla, Blessed John Paul was instrumental in the Church's approval of the Divine Mercy Devotion after it had originally been supressed. As Pope he fulfilled Jesus' desire to have the 1st Sunday after Easter Sunday be declared Divine Mercy Sunday.

As head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Ratzinger was contacted by Bishop Ito about the apparitions of Our Lady at Akita to Sr. Agnes. At the time Ratzinger declared as head of the CDF that the messages were creditable. Bishop Ito had approved the message in 1984 & was not seeking formal approval in 1988, just keeping Cardinal Ratzinger appraised of what was going on at Akita. While he didn't mention thr apparition as Pope, it is clear that he did all he could to promote the Rosary as requested at the apparition. In 1 of the messages a warning about the divisions in the Church was given & how public it would be. This is something we have seen under both Popes John Paul II & Benedetto XVI's reigns.

I say this as a lead up to something that has been  crossing my mind. Might not the next Pope be the one to bring about the much needed increase in devotion to San Giuseppe? Who he will be I have no idea. But if I am right, then I would not be surprized to find out after his election that the new Pope does have a special devotion to San Giuseppe & will make increasing devotion to him an important part of his efforts to continue to clean up the Church from the messes of the scandals & those who are working to destroy the Church from within.

Right or wrong as I may be on this, I am sure that no matter what, San Giuseppe's powerful patronage will be needed as I have already said.

San Giuseppe, patron of the Universal Church, I ask your powerful protection & intercession for the Church founded by Jesus. Just as you watched over, provided for & protected Him, so too do I ask you to watch over the Church He founded giving it the same protection you gave Him. Guide the Cardinals as they elect the next Pope. Ask the Holy Spirit to give them the wisdom they need to do so. & ask that the Holy Spirit will powerfully pour out His gifts on our New Pope so that he will have the strentgh & courage to powerfully proclaim & defend the eternal truths revealed by God to His Church.

Looking For God In All the Right Places

Today marks the end of the 1st whole week in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. For the Eastern Catholic Churches we are in day 2 of the 2nd week. Hopefully you have already begun your Lenten practices.

However if you are still looking for something, may I suggest you find the nearest Eucharistic Adoration Chapel & spend at least an hour a week there. During that time you will be able to talk to God, spend time adoring Him, let Him speak to you & definitely grow in your faith. I won't go into all the details about what you can do. The Real Presence has an excellent site here that will provide you with everything you need.

As for those who may have stumbled across this post because you are trying to find God, I can think of no better place to go then where God is waiting for you to find Him.

Yes, that is right, God is there, even though it appears that all you are seeing is a piece of bread behind a window in a gold holder (monstrance).

As Catholics we take Jesus at His word when He said over the bread at the Last Supper "This is My Body." We do so because in John 6 He said that we must eat of the flesh of the Son of Man. The technical term is transubstantiation. What it means is that the substance of the bread is changed while the accidentals, color, taste, look remain the same. It is no longer bread, but the body, blood, soul & divinity of Christ hidden under the appearance of bread. & where Jesus is, the Father & Holy Spirit are, so God is physically present wherever the Eucharist is. You can get a much better & more in depth explanation here.

Note, this is not to downplay visiting Christ in the tabernacle. That is important as well. Additionally, while many parishes do not have perpetual adoration, they do regularly offer exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

In the DBQ area we are blessed with 2 Perpetual Adoration Chapels. 

One is in DBQ @ 1860 St. Ambrose St. This chapel is operated by Power of Prayer, Inc. with the aprobation of the Archbishop of DBQ. 

In addition, there is a 2nd chapel  in the building where Mass is offered every Wednesday at 2:15 pm & is followed by Divine Mercy Devotions.

The other one is the St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer Adoration Chapel at 190 Montgomery St. in E DBQ.

You can find a list of perpetual adoration chapels as well as many places that offer Eucharistic Adoration here.  If you cannot find one near you, call your diocesan chancery to see if they know of one nearby. If not, & you can still visit Jesus in the tabernacle. Better yet, why not get together with other like minded members of your parish to get your pastor to at least offer a regular time each month or week for Eucharistic Adoration. & if he says no, don't be afraid to ask him why. If he tries to blow it off as pre-Vatican II then point out that not only did Vatican II approve of & encourage it, Pope Paul, Pope John Paul II & Papa Benedetto did as well. Also, Canon law recommends & encourages it as well. Do so in a gentle, non-confrontational manner.  If he still refuses, then submit yourself to his authority, but pray for his heart to be changed.

So, if you are looking for something extra to do this Lent, something that should become a permanent part of your life, or just looking for God, the nearest adoration chapel is the ideal place to start. 

I guarentee you that God is there, waiting patiently for you to come & see Him.

______________________

Note: The Eastern Catholic Churches do not have a tradition of Eucharistic Adoration. But they do have a tabernacle where the Eucharist is reserved. During the weekdays of Lent they have a Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts that includes a Communion service where the Eucharist from the Sunday Divine Liturgy is distributed.

2013 Virtual St. Joseph's Altar Now Open

 

Many years ago, as I was researching into devotions to San Giuseppe I came across information about an annual devotion known as the St. Joseph's Altar. I found out it was a Sicilian tradition. Being of Italiano descent, Calabrese, & growing up in an area where there were no Sicilianos, mostly Calabresi & Abruzzesi it was understandable that I had never heard of the devotion.

The devotion began in the Middle Ages as a way of giving thanks to San Giuseppe for his bringing about the end of a drought. They gathered together to celebrate & share the food they had with the poor.

The altar is set up in 3 tiers, in honor of the Holy Trinity. On the top tier is a statue of San Giuseppe surrounded by flowers, greenery & often fruit. The offerings brought range from citrus fruit (common in Sicilia) to fish but no meat since it is Lent. Pastries & other baked goods, often in symbolic shapes are also common. Additionally there are breadcrumbs to represent the sawdust from San Giuseppe's carpenter shop. Fava beans are also present because they helped prevent famine during the drought. In addition to the food offerings, people bring petitions for their needs. They also bring the names of their deceased relatives & friends, asking San Giuseppe's intercession for those who may still be in Purgatory. San Giuseppe is the patron saint of a happy death so it is only natural that God would work powerfully through him to aide those undergoing purification so they can enter into the fullness of the Beatific Vision.

You can read more about the tradition here or here. 

Still, like many of Italiano descent, I gladly welcomed it as a part of my heritage & decided to promote the devotion.

1 of those ways has been to promote the Virtual St. Joseph Altar that I also discovered as a part of my research. This altar was 1st started by Evann Duplantier in February 1999. This year is the15th Altar to be set up.

There are 3 parts to the Virtual Altar. You can chose from a variety of items to make a virtual offering. Newly added to the list of items is the artichoke. There are also 2 pages to make your prayer requests, 1 for your personal requests, another for the deceased.
When you are there, don't forget to pick up your virtual goodie bag.
Additionally, please offer up a prayer for the prayer requests made by teh visitors as well as the deceased listed. & beyond that, please spread devotion to San Giuseppe. As the foster father of Jesus, he has a special place in Jesus' heart. He is also the patron of the Universal Church. He is right there, next to Mary making intercession for all of those who are a part of the Church. In spreading devotion to him, we are  ultimately honoring Jesus & giving God the glory for what He has done through Joseph.

VIVA SAN GIUSEPPE!!!!!

Our Lady of Fátima & San Giuseppe

Today marks the 95th Anniversary of the final apparition of Mary to Lúcia dos Santos & her cousins Jacinta & Francisco Marto at Fátima, Portugal. Most people are familiar with the general story of the apparitions, the call to consecrate Russia to Mary's Immaculate Heart & the 3 Secrets. So, I won't repeat them. All I will add is that I do believe that the Consecration has taken place & was confirmed by Lúcia that it did as well is that the entire 3rd Secret has been revealed by the Vatican.

I will remind people of the basic message of Fátima as it is just as needed today as then. & it ties in perfectly with several other messages of Mary, like that at Robinsonville (now Champion) in Wisconsin, Akita in Japan,  & Kibeho in Rwanda. They all contain a call to prayer for the conversion of sinners, making reperations for sins & personal holiness & faithfulness to the Pope & the Catholic Church, either explicitly or implicitly. & if Catholics didn't do as asked, the world would face chastisment.

Robinsonville was over 150 years ago, Fátima was 95 years, & since then Akita & Kibeho have repeated the message. We cannot say that God hasn't warned us or given us plenty of time to repent, etc. I don't know if time is short or we will have many more years. What I do know is each of us must respond to this call, a call that is echoed in the call by Papa Benedetto for the Year of Faith that began last Thursday.

That aside, what I would like to focus in on are the events that occurred at this final apparition on this day 95 years ago.

What most people hear about is the Miracle of the Sun, a miracle promised by Mary. About 70,000 people showed up. It began raining & the fields turned to mud. At Noon the Miracle occurred.  Lúcia pointed up to the sky. The sun began spinning & dancing in the sky. At one point it seemed as if it would crash into earth. People could watch it without any damage to their eyesite.

But what is rarely mentioned is that in addition to that Miracle the children saw 3 other things happen. "After our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of the firmament, we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus seemed to bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the Cross with their hands. When, a little later, this apparition disappeared, I saw Our Lord and Our lady; it seemed to me to that it was Our Lady of Sorrows (Dolors). Our Lord appeared to bless the world in the same manner as St. Joseph had done. This apparition also vanished, and I saw Our Lady once more, this time  resembling Our Lady of Carmel." (The last was seen only by Lúcia.)

At that time there were 3 sets of Mysteries for the Rosary, the Joyful, the Sorrowful & the Glorious. The 3 apparitions line up with those Mysteries. God was calling us to pray the Rosary in a special way.

But I think God was calling us to a deeper devotion to San Giuseppe as well. The family as a divinely created institution is coming under attack from so many sides these days. God sent San Giuseppe with Mary to remind us that we must stand up & defend marriage as solely between a man & a woman 7 that 2 daaies or 2 mommies with a child does not a family make.

San Giueseppe's giving a priestly blessing is a reminder that the father is the head of the family & high priest of the domestic church as Blessed John Paul II called the family.

In a special way we should repent of the sins of our nation, especially those against the family (abortion, IVF, gay marriage) & make reperation to God for those sins, calling on the merits Jesus won for us on the Cross. In doing so, we will be answering the call God sent to us through Mary at Fátima.

Buona Festa di La Beata Vergine del Santo Rosario di Pompei

Today is the feast of La Beata Vergine del Santo Rosario di Pompei. This year the feast falls on the 1st Sunday in October. At the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei (Pontificio Santuario della Beata Vergine del Santo Rosario di Pompei) the 1st Sunday in October is one of the 2 days that the Petition to theVirgin of the Rosary of Pompeii (La Supplica alla Regina del Santo Rosario di Pompei) is formally prayed at noon. (here for other languages)

This prayer was written in 1883 by Blessed Bartolo Longo who started the Shrine. (You can read his story in a previous post) While the prayer is primarrily for those praying at the Shrine, it can be prayed by anyone throughout the world on this day. In doing so, join yourself spiritually to those who are assembled in Pompei. Praying a Rosary with it is acceptable. As is adding the October Prayer to San Giuseppe at the end of the Rosary.

Also, here in the USA it is Respect Life Sunday, so offering up "the end of abortion" & the restoration of a "Culture of Life" as 1 of your intentions is a definite must.

Additionally, with the religious freedom of the Catholics (& all Christians) under attack in the USA, we have another good reason to ask Mary's intercession.

This feast day was originally the feast of Our Lady of Victory after the victory won in 1571 by the combined Christian fleets under Don John of Austria. They achieved a significant naval victory over the Turks in the Straits of Lepanto through the intercession of Our Lady asked by those praying the Rosary in a procession in Rome.

God worked through Mary then & He will work through her now, if we ask Him. So, please pray this prayer today, trusting in God to act to once more bring us victory over the enemies of the Catholic Church, including the "culture of death".

 

Petition to the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O August Queen of Victories, O Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, at whose name the heavens rejoice

and the abyss trembles. O Glorious Queen of the Rosary, we, your devoted children, assembled (on

this solemn day*) in your Temple of Pompeii, pour out the affection of our hearts and with filial

confidence express our miseries to You.

From the Throne of clemency on which You are seated as Queen, turn, O Mary, your merciful gaze

on us, on our families, on Italy, on Europe and on the whole world. Have compassion on the

worries and trials which embitter our lives. See, O Mother, how many physical and spiritual

dangers and how many calamities and afflictions press upon us.

O Mother, implore the mercy of your Divine Son for us and conquer the hearts of sinners with your

benevolence. They are our brothers and your children who cause the heart of our sweet Jesus to

bleed and sadden your sensitive Heart. Show us all what You are, the Queen of Peace and of

Pardon.

Hail Mary…

It is true that, although we are your children, with our sins we are the first to crucify Jesus again in

our hearts and pierce your heart anew.

We confess that we deserve the most severe punishments, but remember that on Golgotha You

received, with the Divine Blood, the testament of the dying Saviour, who declared You our Mother,

the Mother of sinners. You then, as our Mother, are our Advocate, our Hope. And we raise our

pleading hands to You with sighs crying, "Mercy!".

O good Mother, have pity on us, on our souls, on our families, on our relatives, on our friends, on

our deceased, especially on our enemies, and on so many who call themselves Christian and yet

offend the Heart of your loving Son. We implore mercy for today's misguided Nations, for all

Europe, for the whole world, so that, repentant, they may return to your Heart.

Have mercy on us all, O Mother of Mercy!

Hail Mary…

Deign kindly to hear us, O Mary! Jesus has placed in your hands all the treasures of His Grace and

His Mercy.

You are seated crowned Queen at the right hand of your Son, resplendent with immortal glory

above all Choirs of Angels. You extend your dominion throughout heavens, and earth and all

creatures are subject to You.

You are omnipotent by grace and therefore You can help us. Were You not willing to help us

because we are ungrateful children and undeserving of your protection, we would not know to

whom to turn.

Your Mother’s heart would not allow seeing us, your children, lost. The Infant whom You hold on

your lap and the mystical Rosary which we gaze at your hand, inspire confidence in us that You

shall hear us. We confide totally in You and abandon ourselves to You, like helpless children into

the arms of the tenderest of mothers, and on this very day, we expect from You the longed-for

graces.

Hail Mary…

Let us ask for Mary's blessing

One last favour we ask of You, O Queen, which You cannot deny us (on this very solemn day*).

Grant us all your steadfast love and in a special way your maternal blessing.

We shall not leave You until You have blessed us. Bless, O Mary, at this moment, our Holy Father.

To the ancient splendours of your Crown, to the triumphs of your Rosary, whence You are called

Queen of Victories, add also this, O Mother: grant the victory of the Faith and give Peace to human

Society. Bless our Bishops, Priests and particularly those who work zealously to give honour to

your Shrine. Finally, bless all those who are associated with your Temple of Pompeii and all those

who cultivate and promote the devotion of the Holy Rosary.

O Blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet Chain which binds us to God, Bond of love which unites us to the

Angels, Tower of salvation against the assaults of hell, safe Haven in the universal shipwreck, we

shall never abandon You.

You will be our comfort in the hour of agony. For You is the last kiss of our dying life.

And the last word on our lips will be your sweet name, O Queen of the Rosary of Pompeii, O

Dearest Mother, O Refuge of Sinners, O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted.

May You be blessed everywhere, on Earth and in Heaven, today and forever. Amen.

Hail, Holy Queen…

(*) Only on the 8

th of May and the first Sunday of October.

The October Prayer to San Giuseppe, Terror of Demons - Needed Now More Than Ever

A few years ago I put up a post about the encyclical, Quamquam Pluries, that was written by Pope Leo XIiI encouraging greater devotion to San Giuseppe. It also had attached to it what became known as the October Prayer to St. Joseph. Pope Leo asked that this prayer be said after the Rosary during the month of October, hence the nickname. I also said that "Pope Leo gave a description of the circumstances the Church found herself in that could be said to be similar to today."

4 years later, the need to say this prayer is more urgent than ever. We have seen the attacks on the Catholic Church & what it teaches increase both from without & within. In the USA we have seen president Obama launch a wholescale attack on the Catholic Church's stand on life, abortion & birth control through ObamaCare & the HHS mandate. Catholics, as well as those of other faiths, has seen their Religious liberty being met with an all out assault aimed at taking it away & making us support things like abortion, birth control & gay marriage that the Church teaches are intrinsic evils.

All of those things are a part of the agenda put forward but the "culture of death" that Obama & his supporters are building. As I have pointed out many times, the origin of this culture is demonic.

As I have also regularly pointed out, the prime weapon we have in battling this demonic culture is prayer, esp the Rosary.

I have also mentioned that 1 of the titles given to San Giuseppe is terror of demons & that we need to call on his aide in interceding as well.

So I feel it is appropriate that I reprint that post that ended with the october prayer. I urge everyone to please add this prayer add the end of any Rosary you may pray. & not only for the month of October. The prayer can also be said on its own.

Our actions are important. We must speak out, we must vote for Pro-life candidates & those who will defend the Religious Liberties of the Catholic Church (& all other churches as well). But, as I am won't to say, our efforts MUST begin, end & be undergirded with prayer.

Additionaly, I would recommend you read both the encyclical about San Giuseppe I mention below, Pope Leo's Quamquam Pluries &  the apostolic ehhortation of Pope John Paul, Redemptoris Custos as well. Their teachings are loaded with plenty of wisdom & solid teaching that we can take & apply to our lives. In doing so, we will be better armed to understand spritual battle that we are in at this time as well as how tocombat the enemy as God would have us.

 

San Giuseppe, Terror of Demons, Protector of Holy Church, Pray for Us

 

On 15 August 1889, Pope Leo XIII issued an encyclical, Quamquam Pluries, encouraging a greater devotion to San Giuseppe. In explaining his reasons, Pope Leo gave a description of the circumstances the Church found herself in that could be said to be similar to today.

"During periods of stress and trial - chiefly when every lawlessness of act seems permitted to the powers of darkness - it has been the custom in the Church to plead with special fervour and perseverance to God, her author and protector, by recourse to the intercession of the saints" . . . . "Now, Venerable Brethren, you know the times in which we live; they are scarcely less deplorable for the Christian religion than the worst days, which in time past were most full of misery to the Church. We see faith, the root of all the Christian virtues, lessening in many souls; we see charity growing cold; the young generation daily growing in depravity of morals and views; the Church of Jesus Christ attacked on every side by open force or by craft; a relentless war waged against the Sovereign Pontiff; and the very foundations of religion undermined with a boldness which waxes daily in intensity. These things are, indeed, so much a matter of notoriety that it is needless for Us to expatiate on the depths to which society has sunk in these days, or on the designs which now agitate the minds of men. In circumstances so unhappy and troublous, human remedies are insufficient, and it becomes necessary, as a sole resource, to beg for assistance from the Divine power." Like I said, sound familiar?

Pope Leo goes on to call for greater prayer by the faithful. He also explained the special role that San Giuseppe played as Padrone of the Universal Church. He also called on the faithful to develop a greater devotion to San Giuseppe, esp asking his intercession. He even had a special prayer composed that he sent out with the encyclical. He called on the faithful to use this pray. "We prescribe that during the whole month of October, after the recitation of the Rosary a prayer to St. Joseph be added and that this custom should be repeated every year."

October is still the month of the Rosary. Sadly the prayer to San Giuseppe has fallen mostly (but not completely) into disuse. Given the fact that the circumstances we face are similar, I would suggest that we again regularly say this prayer, not only after the Rosary during the month of October, but year round.

This prayer is esp appropriate for those of us who are on the front lines battling for the "Culture of Life". As Pope Leo said: "It is, then, natural and worthy that as the Blessed Joseph ministered to all the needs of the family at Nazareth and girt it about with his protection, he should now cover with the cloak of his heavenly patronage and defend the Church of Jesus Christ."

On 15 August 1989, Pope John Paul the Great released an Apostolic Exhortation, Redemptoris Custos to commemorate the 100th Anniversay of Pope Leo's encyclical. Towards the end he echoed Pope Leo's call: "Even today we have many reasons to pray in a similar way: "Most beloved father, dispel the evil of falsehood and sin...graciously assist us from heaven in our struggle with the powers of darkness...and just as once you saved the Child Jesus from mortal danger, so now defend God's holy Church from the snares of her enemies and from all adversity." Today we still have good reason to commend everyone to St. Joseph."

Pope John Paul went on to say: "It is my heartfelt wish that these reflections on the person of St. Joseph will renew in us the prayerful devotion which my Predecessor called for a century ago. Our prayers and the very person of Joseph have renewed significance for the Church in our day in light of the Third Christian Millennium."

God gave us the gift of the Saints in Heaven interceding for us. He wants us to call on them, just as He wants us to call on our Christian brothers & sisters here on Earth, to intercede for us. We would be foolish not to take advantage of all the gifts available for us to accomplish the work to which we have been called by Jesus.

 

Prayer of Pope Leo XIII to St. Joseph

To Be Said After the Rosary

To you, O Blessed Joseph, we come in our trials, and having asked the help of your most holy spouse, we confidently ask your patronage also. Through that sacred bond of charity which united you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the fatherly love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you to look graciously upon the beloved inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased by his blood, and to aid us in our necessities with your power and strength.
O most provident guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ. Most beloved father, dispel the evil of falsehood and sin. Our most mighty protector, graciously assist us from heaven in our struggle with the powers of darkness. And just as you once saved the Child Jesus from mortal danger, so now defend God's Holy Church from the snares of her enemies and from all adversity. Shield each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by your example and your help, we may be able to live a virtuous life, to die a holy death, and to obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.

 

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