Friday 20 March 2020

STAY FIRM IN FAITH, SEEK ST. JOSEPH'S INTER-CESSION, POPE SAYS

 March 21-22 2020 | March: Month of St Joseph | 4th Sunday in Lent

STAY FIRM IN FAITH, SEEK ST. JOSEPH'S INTER-CESSION, POPE SAYS

In a video message, Pope Francis encourages people to pray together March 19, 2020, "entrusting ourselves to the intercession of St. Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family, guardian of our families," as the world faces the coronavirus pan-demic.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the daily lives and routines of millions of people have been turned upside down, Pope Francis said, but they must help each other stay firm in faith.
In a video message released March 19, the feast of St. Joseph, the pope said Jesus' stepfather also knew "uncertainty and disappointment" and worry about what the future would bring, but he still placed himself without reservation into God's hands.

The Vatican released the text of the pope's message a few hours before the video was to be broadcast as part of a campaign, led by the Italian bishops' conference, to have Catholics pray the rosary together for an end to the pandemic, for the healing of the sick and for the well-being of families in their second week of lockdown.

"The rosary is the prayer of the humble and of the saints who use its mysteries to contemplate with Mary the life of Jesus, the merciful face of the Father," the pope said in his message. "How we all need to be truly consoled, to feel surrounded by his loving presence!"
"With the Virgin Mother, we beg the Lord to free the world from every form of pandemic," he prayed.

Pope Francis said he understood how the lockdown could be difficult for families whose worlds now are "restricted to the walls of our homes," but he urged people to be kind and gentle and "be the first to demonstrate charity, understanding, patience, forgiveness."

"This evening," he said, "we pray together, entrusting ourselves to the intercession of St. Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family, guardian of our families. Even the carpenter from Nazareth knew uncertainty and disappointment, concern about the future, but he also knew how to walk in the dark of certain moments letting himself be guided, without reservation, by God's will."

Pope Francis prayed that God would enlighten scientists seeking a cure for the pandemic and political leaders, so that, like St. Joseph, they would safeguard the good of all those entrusted to their care.
"Sustain those who give of themselves for the needy," he prayed to St. Joseph, mentioning especially "the volunteers, nurses (and) doctors, who are on the frontlines in caring for the sick, even at the cost of their own safety."

He prayed that God would make the church "a sign and instrument of your light and goodness."
"St. Joseph," he prayed, "accompany families. With your prayerful silence, build harmony between parents and children, especially the smallest ones."

And, he continued, "protect the elderly from solitude. Make sure that no one is left in the desperation of abandonment and discouragement. Console those who are most fragile, encourage those who waver, intercede for the poor."

Cindy Wooden | Catholic News Service
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Friday 13 March 2020

Why is the feast of St. Joseph on March 19?

 March 14-15 2020 | March: Month of St Joseph | 3rd Sunday in Lent | Parish Marian Year

Why is the feast of St. Joseph on March 19? Devotion to St. Joseph, husband of Mary, can be traced back to the beginning of the Church

Devotion to St. Joseph, husband of Mary, can be traced back to the beginning of the Church, with a local feast dedicated to St. Joseph confirmed in Egypt as early as the 4th century. One of the earliest dates for honoring St. Joseph was July 20.

However, a commemoration of St. Joseph was soon added to the Byzantine calendar on December 26. Many Eastern Churches continue this celebration, mentioning Joseph as “Holy Righteous Joseph the Betrothed.” According to the Orthodox Church, “Saint Joseph is commemorated on the Sunday after the Nativity. If there is no Sunday between December 25 and January 1, his Feast is moved to Decem-ber 26.” This celebration of Joseph puts him near the feast of Christ’s birth, December 25, an event he was present for, according to the Gospel accounts.

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
In the Western Church, the feast of St. Joseph wasn’t fixed until the 15th century. According to some traditions, March 19 was the day of Joseph’s death, though there is little evidence to support it, as it is unclear when Joseph died. It is certain that he was present when Jesus was 12 and “lost in the Temple” but there is no mention of him at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, say at the wedding in Cana, when Our Lord turned the water to wine.

The Bible is entirely silent about his death and as a result, the Church relies on oral traditions passed down over the centuries.

By 1621 Pope Gregory XV extended a feast of St. Joseph to the entire Church and it was elevated even more when Pope Pius IX declared Joseph the “Patron of the Universal Church” in 1870. For many decades March 19 was a holy day of obligation on par with other major feasts in the Catholic Church.

This placement of St. Joseph in March puts him in proximity to another biblical episode where he is directly mentioned. On March 25 the Church commemorates the Annunciation of the Lord, when the angel Gabriel visited the Blessed Virgin Mary. As the Gospel of Matthew narrates, “before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly” (Matthew 1:18-19).

The primary focus of the feast on March 19 is revealed in the liturgical title, “Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” This solemnity — with the highest liturgical ranking accorded to saints — honours his commitment to Mary and dedication as a faithful and devoted husband.
St. Joseph’s Day is a beautiful feast, one that is beloved and cherished by Catholics around the world

Philip Kosloski | Mar 18, 2019
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2020:
January 1880: 140th anniversary of OLR Primary School
May 3 1820: 200th anniversary of arrival of Fr John Therry, Fr Philip Conolly.
May 18 1920: Centenary of birth of Pope Saint John Paul II.
200th anniversary of Catholic education in Australia.
May 8(Europe)/Sept 2(Pacific) 1945: 75th anniversary of end of World War II.
August 10-15: World Apostolic Congress of Mercy, Samoa.
December 8 1870: 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.

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“No one will ever be able worthily to praise Joseph, whom thou, O true only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, has deigned to have for thy foster father!” St Ephrem the Syrian.
“In Joseph, heads of the household are blessed with the unsurpassed model of fatherly watchfulness and care.”
Leo XIII

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