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St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

by Filed Under: 03 March, 03 March Saints, St. Joseph 2 Comments

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Joseph, a member of the royal family of David, was leading the obscure life of a village carpenter when God chose him to be the spouse of the Blessed Virgin and the foster father of the Incarnate Word. Scripture tells us that Joseph was just, pure, gentle, prudent, and a lover of holy silence. Above all, this humble guardian of the Child Jesus was unfailingly obedient to the divine will.
Joseph is not mentioned after he and Mary lost the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple and, following three days of agonized search, found their boy discoursing divinely with the learned doctors of the Law. The great task of the foster father of Christ must have been finished before the marriage feast at Cana and the beginning of the Savior’s public ministry. Untold millions have since then invoked St. Joseph as the patron of a happy death.

~~~

SAINT JOSEPH
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Confessor
Patron of the Universal Church

~~~

Our simple feast day celebration for the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and our earthly father, Dad.

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The table is made up of three tiers, symbolizing the Most Holy Trinity. The top tier held a statue of St. Joseph.  We included our Handprint Lilies and a topiary for the greenery.  Each child added a dish to the table.  The boys coordinated the arrangement of the plates.

The celebration began when Dad came home.  We served up his favorite dish, parmesan chicken.  Conveniently, our meal was made of left overs from the baptism.  Rose made two sweet treats in honor of St. Joseph and Dad. 

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Swallow's nestSwallow on St. Joseph's feast day

We had timely visitors for the feast of St. Joseph.  A family of swallows have made our porch their home.  Their nest was built with the previous owners and has remained since.  The swallows return every year.  We didn’t notice when they came in the previous year but we were on the lookout for them this year.  We did not have a citing until the morning after St. Joseph’s feast day.   It was a glorious morning surprise.

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Resources:

Virtual St. Joseph Altar BLOG: 4th Annual St. Joseph Altar Blog Fest

St. Thomas Aquinas

by Filed Under: 01 January Saints, 03 March Saints, Doctor of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas

"Regard yourself as more vile and miserable in the sight of God because of your faults than any sinner whatsoever, no matter what his sins." ~ St. Thomas Aquinas

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stthomas

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS
Confessor and Doctor of the Church

WEDNESDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK IN LENT ~ Feria in Lent

Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite ~ March 7

Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite ~ January 28

Commemoration of SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS
Thomas Aquinas (1226-74), a child of noble lineage, was educated at the Abbey of Monte Cassino and as a youth entered the new Dominican Order at the University of Naples, to become one of the greatest philosophers and theologians of all times, and in his day one of Europe’s most popular preachers and teachers. To extraordinary gifts of mind he added a prodigious capacity for work, complete singleness of purpose, and a profoundly mystical holiness of life. His Summa Theologica and Summa contra Gentiles constitute the most reasonable and comprehensive defense of Christian doctrine ever produced, and his Eucharistic prayers and poetry are enshrined in the Church’s liturgy. He is the patron of Catholic education.

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"Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you." ~St. Thomas Aquinas

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Resources:aquinas1

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St. Thomas Aquinas ~ ora pro nobis

 

St. Gabriel the Archangel

by Filed Under: 03 March, 03 March Saints, 09 September, 09 September Saints, Archangels, St. Gabriel

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SAINT GABRIEL
Archangel

"Man of God" or "God Has Shown Himself Mightily."

Traditional Calendar – March 24 ~ New Calendar – September 29

GREATER DOUBLE / WHITE
Gabriel the Archangel announced to Daniel the time of the coming of the Messias (Dan. 9:21), and to Zachary the future birth of the Precursor of the Word Incarnate (Luke 1:10). Then came the sublime message to Mary at Nazareth and the God-inspired salutation, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women" (Luke 1:28).
In the "Hail Mary," the words of the Angel of the Annunciation have been repeated through the centuries by countless millions of human beings. Thrice daily the church bells ring the "Angelus" to recall through the ages how the strong angel who stands before God bowed in reverence to a humble Jewish virgin, soon to become the Mother of Christ and the Queen of heaven and earth.

 

~~~

Novena for the Annunciation

O most holy Virgin Mary, to whom God sent the Angel Gabriel to announce that you should be the mother of His Only-Begotten Son, pray for us who have recourse to you. Holy, lovely Mary We give our all to you What is past and present, And the future, too. Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the most blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

300 days. Plenary, under usual conditions, if said daily for a month. S. Pen., Nov. 8, 1934.

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HYMN I
Let us all exult with joyous hearts,
and strike the tuneful lyre;
’tis the great Gabriel that comes
in all his brightness from the high heavens.
This is the feast of the glorious Virgin’s messenger,
and with him comes the whole host of Angels,
singing in varied hymns
the praise of Christ.
Let our choir, therefore,
sing the praises of Gabriel the prince,
for he is one of the seven that stand
before the Lord and do His biddings.
Gabriel cheerfully descends whithersoever God wills,
for he is the messenger of Heaven,
nay the mediator that reveals to the world
the secret decrees of the omnipotent God.
Be thou, O Gabriel, we beseech thee,
messenger to us of the special gift of eternal peace,
wherewith we may finally reach Heaven,
and everlastingly rejoice.
May the Godhead ever blessed of
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Whose glory is proclaimed through the whole world,
grant us this our prayer. Amen.

~~~

RESOURCES:

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Pray, O Gabriel, for the Church militant, and defend her against the attacks of hell. The times are evil; the spirits of malice are let loose, nor can we make stand against them, unless with God’s help. It is by His holy angels that He gives victory to His bride. Be thou, O strength of God! foremost in the ranks. Drive heresy back, keep schism down, foil the false wisdom of men, frustrate the policy of the world, arouse the well-minded from apathy; that over the earth He has redeemed, and that we may sing together with thee and the whole angelic choir: ‘Glory be to God, peace to men!’

~ Dom Prosper Gueranger

Viva San Giuseppe

by Filed Under: 03 March, 03 March Saints, Dad, Patron Saint, St. Joseph

On March 19th, the Festa San Giuseppe takes place. Although traditionally it began in Sicily, the Feast of San Giuseppe (St. Joseph) is now celebrated throughout most of Italy. According to legend, during the Middle Ages a terrible drought and famine plagued the people of Sicily. It virtually destroyed most of their crops and many people in the western part of Sicily died of starvation. The people began praying to St. Joseph and begged for his intercession to their plight. In return they promised to celebrate his feast day by having special altars abundant in food that would be shared with all people rich and poor as their thanksgiving to him.image

This is dad’s family crest from his maternal grandfather.

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We had a simple celebration for the feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Virgin Mary.  We honored our earthly father (husband) and St. Joseph.

dad with his treat

Sparkles coordinated a surprise for dad.  She led her siblings in a St. Joseph procession around the house.  Then she presented dad with his treat, a yummy peanut butter, and chocolate, caramel ice-cream sundae.

dad's treatWe had not planned to create a St. Joseph’s Altar but we decided to improvise while dad went out for an errand.  Our St. Joseph Altar was simple and non-traditional.

We placed some of dad’s favorites on the altar.  It was our first official break in our Lenten fast.  Dad was elated to see what we worked on for him in honor of St. Joseph.  All, including Papa & Nana, enjoyed it.

dad's st joseph's altar

Sparkles invented a sweet game for the feast of St. Joseph.  She hid St. Joseph’s heart (chocolate heart candies) in the sawdust (breadcrumbs).  Everyone took turns finding his heart in the sawdust.  Papi (3) loved this game and insisted he needed more hearts.

May St. Joseph Always Smile Upon Us.

 

~~~San Giuseppe

 “Day after day, at home in the carpenter’s shop, his eyes rested on Jesus: he  protected Him against the dangers of childhood; he guided His advancing years, and by hard work and with religious devotedness he provided for the increasing needs of the Mother and the Son… And there was Joseph, modest, self effacing, yet exercising authority over the family.  How holy he must have been!  Under his fatherly protection and ceaseless tireless care the young Boy grew into manhood…Don’t you think that now in heaven he is the same loving father and guardian of the whole Church, of all its members, as he was of its Head on earth?  We hear your answer; Yes.  And does he not know that oh so many of its children are terribly in need of help?  They need help for their souls – grace of repentance, the grace of humble, unstinted surrender to the holy will of God; and Joseph turns to Jesus, of old his Boy of Nazareth and at once graces flow abundantly for the souls of men.”  ~ Fr.  Gilsdorf, Go to Joseph

 

 

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2011blogfest

A Saint for ALL

by Filed Under: 03 March, 03 March Saints, St. Joseph, St. Teresa Avila

Today, the feast of St. Joseph,  is ‘father’s day” in our home.   We honor St. Joseph and give thanks for our earthly father, husband, and papa.

We attended a High Mass in honor of the spouse of the Virgin Mary.  Dad gets dictate the plans for the day.

We pray to grow in devotion to Saint Joseph, just as St. Teresa of Avila prescribes. 

Jesus and Mary had a special devotion to St. Joseph – we can do no better than Mary & Jesus. ~ Fr. L, Sermon March 19, 2011

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St. Joseph spouse of the Virgin Mary

The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus

The Great Debt She Owed to Our Lord for His Mercy to Her. She Takes St. Joseph for Her Patron.

I took for my patron and lord the glorious St. Joseph, and recommended myself earnestly to him. I saw clearly that both out of this my present trouble, and out of others of greater importance, relating to my honour and the loss of my soul, this my father and lord delivered me, and rendered me greater services than I knew how to ask for. I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him at any time for anything which he has not granted; and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favours which God hath given me through this blessed Saint; the dangers from which he hath delivered me, both of body and of soul. To other Saints, our Lord seems to have given grace to succour men in some special necessity; but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, to help us in all: and our Lord would have us understand that as He was Himself subject to him upon earth—for St. Joseph having the title of father, and being His guardian, could command Him—so now in heaven He performs all his petitions. I have asked others to recommend themselves to St. Joseph, and they too know this by experience; and 37 there are many who are now of late devout to him, having had experience of this truth. ~ Chapter 6 (9)

Would that I could persuade all men to be devout to this glorious Saint; for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known any one who was really devout to him, and who honoured him by particular services, who did not visibly grow more and more in virtue; for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now some years since I have always on his feast asked him for something, and I always have it. If the petition be in any way amiss, he directs it aright for my greater good. ~ Chapter 6 (11)

I ask, for the love of God, that he who does not believe me will make the trial for himself—when he will see by experience the great good that results from commending oneself to this glorious patriarch, and being devout to him. Those who give themselves to prayer should in a special manner have always a devotion to St. Joseph; for I know not how any man can think of the Queen of the angels, during the time that she suffered so much with the Infant Jesus, without giving thanks to St. Joseph for the services he rendered them then. He who cannot find any one to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious Saint for his master, and he will not wander out of the way. ~ Chapter 6 (12)

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PRAYER FOR ST. JOSEPH’S INTERCESSION
O God, who in your unspeakable providence chose blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother, grant, we beseech you, that we may deserve to have him as our intercessor in Heaven, whom we venerate on earth as our protector. Who lives and reigns world without end.
Amen.
(MP, p. 212; derived from the Collect of the Votive Mass of St. Joseph from the Roman Missal)

ORATIO AD SANCTUM IOSEPH
Deus, Qui ineffabile providentia
beatum Joseph sanctissimae Genitricis Filii tui sponsum
eligere dignatus es,
praesta, quaesumus,
ut quem protectorem veneramur in terris,
intercessorem habere mereamur in caelis.
Amen.

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