St. Joseph – Page 3

Viva San Giuseppe

March 20, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} 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.

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.

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.

We 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.

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.

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“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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A Saint for ALL

March 19, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} 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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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.

Novena to St. Joseph

March 10, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Novena, St. Joseph

Novena to St. Joseph

SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND FOSTER FATHER OF JESUS

Feast Day – March 19

The novena that I selected is taken from EWTN. It has specific meditations for each day.
If one starts the novena on March 11, he will complete the novena on March 19 – St. Joseph’s feast day.
or
One could start the novena today, March 10 and complete the novena on March 18 – the Eve of St. Joseph’s Feast Day. My family likes this approach best.

*NOVENA PRAYER

*(prayer to be said at the end of each day’s devotion)

Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you. You are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have special confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful with God and will never abandon your faithful servants. Therefore I humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at the hour of my death.

Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, obtain for me a pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore:

(Mention your request).

Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers in my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.

MEMORARE

Remember, most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, my loving protector, Saint Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to your protection or asked for your aid without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in your goodness, I come before you and humbly implore you. Despise not my petitions, foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.

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