Confraternity of St Joseph, Patron of the Dying | Ite ad Joseph!

From: St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin (by Father Prosper Gueranger 1870) http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Joseph.html

Such a life could not close save by a death that was worthy of so great a Saint. The time came for Jesus to quit the obscurity of Nazareth, and show himself to the world. His own works were henceforth to bear testimony to his divine origin; the ministry of Joseph, therefore, was no longer needed. It was time for him to leave this world, and wait, in Abraham's bosom, the arrival of that day, when heaven's gates were to be opened to the just. As Joseph lay on his bed of death, there was watching by his side He that is the master of life, and that had often called this his humble creature, Father. His last breath was received by the glorious Virgin Mother, whom he had, by a just right, called his Spouse. It was thus, with Jesus and Mary by his side, caring and caressing him, that Joseph sweetly slept in peace. The Spouse of Mary, the Foster-Father of Jesus, now reigns in heaven with a glory which, though inferior to that of Mary, is marked with certain prerogatives which no other inhabitant of heaven can have.

From heaven, he exercises a powerful protection over those that invoke him. In a few weeks from this time, the Church will show us the whole magnificence of this protection; we shall be having a special Feast in honour of the Patronage of St. Joseph. What the Liturgy proposes to us today, are his glories and privileges. Let us unite with the Faithful throughout the world, and offer the Spouse of Mary the Hymns, which are this day sung in his praise.

Important prayers to have close by:

From the Thirty Days Prayer to St Joseph, 

I ask it by the perfect love and conformity thou didst show in accepting the Divine order to depart from this life and from the company of Jesus and Mary (!). I ask it by the joy which filled thy soul when the Redeemer of the world, triumphant over death and Hell, entered into the possession of His kingdom and led thee into it with special honours. 

PS: I found this: http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com - beautiful site!

There's a beautiful piece on St. Joseph, written by a Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876. I obtained one of the pictures above from this site: http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/Sermons%20on%20the%20Feast%20of%20St.%20Joseph.html


In regard to the degree of glory to which St. Joseph is elevated in heaven, we behold him by the side of Jesus, in company with the Blessed Virgin Mary. This exaltation points, at the same time, to the degree of his union with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost in the Most Holy Trinity. How indeed could God the Father refuse to hear the prayer of him whom He appointed to be His representative here on earth? In like manner how could God the Son deny him a request, since He was subject to him on earth as his foster-Son? And how could God the Holy Ghost remain deaf to any prayer of his, since He made him protector and spouse of her whom we have the right to designate as spouse of that Divine Spirit? Besides, St. Joseph stands at the side of Jesus, who is at the same time Man, with Mary, His mother. Let him but give the faintest sign, and Mary surely will not refuse to unite her prayer with his that Jesus will grant the petition; for Jesus is almighty, and, through this union with the Saviour and His mother, St. Joseph becomes, so to say, almighty himself.

....

St. Joseph lived in retirement and silence--a hidden life. He lived in the deepest recollection of spirit, keeping God ever in view. And here we perceive one of the principal obstacles which stands in the path of so many who fain would think that they are seeking the most rapid way to perfection.

The constant turmoil in which they live is not conducive to a holy life. They shrink from that solitude wherein the Holy Ghost would speak to their hearts. They are given to much conversing, and that, where neither duty nor Christian charity demands it, is a great source of tepidity and lukewarmness. It sets a most pernicious example, which in many instances destroys whatever efforts are made for the sanctification of souls.

To this is added an excessive fondness for pleasure. What was at once the solace, the joy, and the recreation of St. Joseph, was his intercourse with Jesus and Mary; and this will impart to us a very important lesson. Christ our Lord is the model of all perfection, and after Him ranks Mary as the most faithful imitator of the splendor of those virtues which adorned her Son. For thirty years St. Joseph had this immaculate Mother and her divine Son daily before his eyes. He lived with Jesus and Mary, which circumstance gave him occasion to regulate his life in accordance with their example; and this he did with an assiduity and a fidelity proportionate to his knowledge of and love for them, and the ardor of his desire to resemble them daily more and more.

Hail Holy Joseph Hail!

Dearest St Joseph, who took care of Jesus and Mother Mary so well, please pray for us.

St. Joseph!

http://olrl.org/books/joseph.shtml

March, the month dedicated to St. Joseph
Feast of St. Joseph - March 20 [this year]
J.M.J. 

GO TO JOSEPH

"Of old it was said to the needy and suffering people in the kingdom of Egypt: 'Go to Joseph, and do all that he shall say to you.' (Gen. 41:55).

"The same is now said by the Sovereign Pontiff to all needy and suffering people in the kingdom of the Church: GO TO JOSEPH . . . .

"What was truly said of the first Joseph, as to his future, and as to his goodness, his chastity, his patience, his wisdom, his influence with the king, his power over the people, and his love for his
brethren, is verified much more perfectly, even to this day, in the second JOSEPH."
-- Herbert Cardinal Vaughan [1832-1903], Archbishop of Westminster

ST. TERESA'S PLEA
Words of St. Teresa of Avila

"Would that I could persuade all men to be devoted to this glorious Saint, for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and honored him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue: for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now very many years since I began asking him for something on his feast, and I have always received it. If the petition was in any way amiss, he rectified it for my greater good . . . I ask for the love of God that he who does not believe me will make the trial for himself - then he will find out by experience the great good that results from commending oneself to this glorious Patriarch and in being devoted to him . . ."
-Autobiography, VI, 11-12

WORDS OF ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI

"Since we all must die, we should cherish a special devotion to St. Joseph, that he may obtain for us a happy death. All Christians regard him as the advocate of the dying who had honored him during
their life, and that for three reasons:

"First, because Jesus Christ loved him not only as a friend, but as a father, and on this account his mediation is far more efficacious than that of any other Saint.

"Second, because St. Joseph has obtained special power against the evil spirits, who tempt us with redoubled vigor at the hour of death.

"Third, the assistance given St. Joseph at his death by Jesus and Mary obtained for him the right to secure a holy and peaceful death for his servants. Hence, if they invoke him at the hour of death he
will not only help them, but he will also obtain for them the assistance of Jesus and Mary."

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PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH
(Ad te Beate Joseph -- prayer of Pope Leo XIII)

To thee, O blessed Joseph, do we have recourse in our tribulation, and having implored the help of thy thrice holy Spouse, we confidently invoke thy patronage also. By that charity wherewith thou wast united to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and by that fatherly affection with which thou didst embrace the Child Jesus, we beseech thee and we humbly pray, that thou wouldst look graciously upon the inheritance which Jesus Christ hath purchased by His Blood, and assist us in our needs by thy power and strength. Most watchful Guardian of the Holy Family, protect the chosen people of Jesus Christ; keep far from us, most loving father, all blight of error and corruption: mercifully assist us from heaven, most mighty defender, in this our conflict with the powers of darkness; and, even as of old thou didst rescue the Child Jesus from the supreme peril of his life, so now defend God's Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity; keep us one and all under thy continual protection, that we may be supported by thine example and thine assistance, may be enabled to lead a holy life, die a happy death and come at last to the possession of everlasting blessedness in heaven. Amen.
-- A partial indulgence is attached to this prayer

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CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH

O, my beloved St. Joseph, adopt me as thy child, take care of my salvation, watch over me day and night, preserve me from the occasion of sin, obtain for me purity of soul and body! Through thy intercession with Jesus grant me a spirit of sacrifice, of humility and self-denial, a burning love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and a sweet tender love for Mary, my Mother. St. Joseph, be with me living, be with me dying and obtain for me a favorable judgment from Jesus, my merciful Savior. Amen

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The Most Wonderful Moment in Life! Mother Angelica

Requiescat in Pace dear Mother Angelica!


We don’t understand the awesomeness of living even one more day. I told my sisters the other day, “When I get really bad give me all the medicine I can take, all the tubes you can stuff down me.” ‘Why’d you want that?” “I want to live.” “Why?” “Because I will have suffered one more day for the love of God… I will exercise you in virtue. But most of all I will know God better. You cannot measure the value of one new thought about God in your own life.” - Mother Angelica


Mitte Domine operarios in messem tuam, messis quidem multa, operari autem pauci.

I would like to take this occasion to share Prayers for the Dying:

We have recourse to thee Blessed Joseph, Patron of the Dying. Thou, who, at the moment of thy happy demise, hadst Jesus and Mary present and watching over thee: by this double proof of love, we insistently recommend to thee the soul of thy servant who is in agony so that Thou liberate him/her from the wiles of the devil, from eternal death and that he/she merit to obtain eternal joy. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

My God, I offer Thee the Masses which have been celebrated today throughout the whold world for sinners who are in their agony and who are about to die today. May Jesus Christ obtain mercy for them through His Precious Blood. Amen. 

Prayer of the Confraternity of St Joseph, Patron of the Dying

O most merciful Jesus, who burneth with such ardent love for souls, 
I adjure Thee by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart 
and by the sorry of Thy Immaculate Mother,
purify in Thy blood all the sinners of the earth 
who art now in their agony 
and who, even today, must die. 
Amen.

Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have pity on the dying!

Also, sharing the Prayer the Angel of Portugal taught the 3 seers of Fatima, some 100 years ago! (1916, before Mother Mary appeared in 1917): 

The Angel’s second visit in 1916 was to teach Lucy, Francisco and Jacinta a lesson about making sacrifices. A very great responsibility for children so young.

My God, I believe in Thee! I adore Thee! I hope in Thee, and I love Thee! I ask pardon of Thee for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love Thee. (3 times)

Most Holy Trinity-Father, Son and Holy Ghost-I adore Thee profoundly, I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.


Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and as a petition for the conversion of sinners. Bring peace to your country this way.

You can do so by saying this short prayer. When things in life did not go as Blessed Jacintha and Sr Lucy would have wished it to happen, they found great solace in offering everything they experienced (Deo volente, God-willing) to dearest Jesus:

O my Jesus, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, for the Holy Father, and in reparation for the wrongs done to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

St Alphonsus Ligouri, Ora pro nobis!

Today is the Feast Day of St Alphonsus Ligouri and also First Friday. Some thoughts on what I have been thinking and meditating about this last week:

St Joseph - no rash judgments (I will elaborate on this)

When inner struggles weigh you down, my dearest Jesus, stay with me. Help me always to remember:

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori!

and this:

St Thomas speaks in IIa IIae qu. 60 a.3: “this [interpreting doubts in the evil side] is due to a man being ill-disposed towards another: for when a man hates or despises another, or is angry with or envious of him, he is led by slight indications to think evil of him, because everyone easily believes what he desires. 

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori

Jesu mitis et humilis corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum Cor tuum. (ter)

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Anne, Therese, Alphonsus, I love You; Save Souls!

Ite ad Joseph!

Go to Joseph! Always!

I haven't blogged in a long time as I have been really busy with work & family :)

I would like to wish all my readers a (very belated Merry Christmas & a Holy and Happy New Year :)) another thing, I would like to wish everyone a very holy Feast of the Purification (belated again - Feb 2) and here are two more upcoming feasts that I would like to remember very well:

(1) March 19: Feast of St Joseph

The purpose why I decided to post this piece now is because I want to remind myself (too) that I am doing a Novena (with our Priory in Singapore -SSPXasia) to St Joseph for some really special intentions. (My dearest Angel Guardian, please remind me) and also, my dear readers, please pray for me. Dankeschoen! I really appreciate it.

More posts on St Joseph in time to come :)) (this month: especially on St Joseph's SORROWS & JOYS and how they are related to Our Lord and Dearest Mother Mary)

For now, to stress the importance of St Joseph,

In one of the famous visits of Our Lady to Venerable Mary of Agreda she said,

"The children of this world are ignorant regarding the privileges and rights which the Most High

has conferred on my holy spouse, and the power of his intercession with the Divine Majesty

and with me. But I assure you, my daughter, that in Heaven he is most intimate with the Lord,

and has great power to avert the punishment of Divine Justice from sinners.

In all trials seek his intercession, because the Heavenly Father will grant whatever my spouse asks."

A little background on the book where you can find this:

"The Mystical City of God" by Venerable Mary of Agreda [1600s; recordings of Mother Mary's revelations to Mary of Agreda]

(2) March 7: Feast of St Thomas Aquinas

My Patron Saint in terms of Education (see one of my previous posts)

He has such a clear mind, especially with regards to all things in relation to God. And I want to implore his heavenly assistance and guidance

when it comes to educating my students charged under my care.

His Summa Theologica summarises (i) Who is God? What is God? (2) All other things (living & non-living) in relation to God.

More on St Thomas later this month too (What is metaphysics? St Thomas Aquinas's 5 proofs - universal - for the existence of God)

In the meantime, I implore your great assistance to pray for my intentions, and rest assured, I will always pray for everyone's intentions.

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Anne, Therese, I love You; Save Souls!

Jesu mitis et humilis corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum Cor tuum (ter).