Thursday, 11 March 2010

A Call and a Suggestion from Fr. Mark: Novena to St Joseph

Most of you have probably already started this, but in case there's anyone else like me who missed the relevant posts on Vultus Chisti, here are the direct links:

For the St. Joseph Novena go here

In a more recent post entitled "In Our Struggle with the Powers of Darkness", Father concentrates on the figure of another Joseph, our Holy Father Pope Benedict, and records "the impression that. as the Year of the Priesthood draws to a close, the forces of evil are trying desperately to discredit the Holy Father and to disfigure the face of the Church. Days of shame and darkness have come upon Our Lord's beloved priests in so many countries........"

Oh how many Catholics do we all know, perhaps ourselves included, who feel the same, and with it a terrible sense of impotence. But Father suggests that there is in fact a cause for hope, and invites us to pray the St. Joseph Novena "for the Joseph whom God has set over the household of His Church: Pope Benedict XVI....................... It is no coincidence that in these days of battle against the powers of darkness, the Successor of Peter bears the name of Joseph, protector of the universal Church. The providential designs of God are often revealed in such details."

Father then recommends the prayer to St. Joseph written by Pope Leo XIII and quotes it in full. (see link to article above.) It is he says "perhaps more suitable today that when it was written". We can, as is done in many places, add it at the end of our Rosaries, and for good measure, incorporate in into the Novena as well.

As I always say when begging people's prayers for Our Holy Father, if you offer those prayers, you not only support him personally, but you pray as he does, for all Our Lord's beloved priests.

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