Feast of Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph, Pray For Us!

“Saint Joseph Terror of Demons” by Bernadette Carstensen

From the outset of today’s Tridentine Mass, the praise of the Foster-Father of our Redeemer:

The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus: planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God…

Beloved of God and men, whose memory is in benediction. He made him like the Saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and showed him His glory. He sanctified him in his faith and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh. For He heard him and his voice, and brought him into a cloud. And He gave him commandment before His face, and a law of life and instruction.

“What the Year of St. Joseph Means and How to Gain the Indulgences”

The above article is from Denver Catholic, and lists the 6 ways to obtain the plenary indulgence in this “Year of Saint Joseph.” There are actually 7 ways, if you include the “Consecration to Saint Joseph,” which the article also discusses. Today is the perfect day to perform one of these (you will also be required to meet the usual conditions). Keep these devotions in mind for the remainder of this Month of Saint Joseph, and as a Lenten exercise. Also, keep them in mind on the May 1st Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. What a great family activity as well-it is these things which will make our children love the Holy Catholic Faith and want to hold on to it!

Bernadette Carstensen Illustration

Video Interview

When looking for images for my posts, I always look for something that jumps out among the rest. The image above did just that. I have never seen a depiction of Saint Joseph like this before…the stern expression and the raising of his arm, as if to exclaim, “Vade Retro Satana!”…protecting the innocent Child Jesus.

It is a copyrighted image, so I have just given you a snippet of this remarkable painting. To view the entirety, please see the link above. This image is also incorporated into a separate painting, which is on the same page. Needless to say, the artist, also known as Bernadette Carstensen-Cody, possesses a rare and exquisite talent. She is a young woman from San Francisco-please also view the 12-minute video interview with her, which features many of her other works. The above painting can be purchased at her site for a reasonable fee-what an awesome Fathers Day gift and addition to your home in this “Year of Saint Joseph!”

+ + +

Nomen Christi Apostolate Prayer to Saint Joseph*

O Saint Joseph

O Saint Joseph, Guardian of Our Lord and Our Lady, intercede for us before the Divine Majesty. O holy and humble carpenter, pray for God's children in all our great need. We pray this in the Name of the Christ Child, once held in your loving arms. Amen.

Saint Joseph Novena

Glorious St. Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, Foster-Father of Jesus Christ, obtain for me a pure, humble and 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 St. Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the 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 am confident that your prayers on my behalf will be graciously heard before the Throne of God.

Our Father + Hail Mary + Glory Be

(Recite for 9 consecutive days)

* I wrote this prayer several years ago and posted it on this blog. I was going for the “Hail Mary” of Saint Joseph, something that could be easily memorized. The “Name of the Christ Child” is invoked, as this ministry has a special devotion to the Holy Name (Nomen Christi). Please feel free to share this prayer with others.

September: Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

This month, we honor the sorrows of our Heavenly Mother. A wonderful devotion is the Chaplet of Our Lady of Sorrows, in which one meditates on the 7 Sorrows with a specially designed chaplet. You can buy one for a good price at Direct From Lourdes (get some Lourdes water while you’re at it!). The feast is September 15th.

Our dear Mother must look upon her children right now with great sorrow. Humanity is being separated and torn apart at the most fundamental levels. The Church has lost much attendance and the House of God has been turned into something looking more like a makeshift military hospital. Let us resolve to console her this month as she grieves over the world. Who knows what will transpire in the next several months? But there is reason for concern. Prayer and prepping are going to be critical, starting immediately. As it says on our Home page, “Pray & Prep!” This has never been more important in our lifetimes than it is RIGHT NOW.

Here is a selection of some of the interesting feasts this month:

3-St. Gregory the Great, Doctor, ”The Greatest of the Great”

4-First Friday

5-First Saturday / St. Teresa of Calcutta

8-BIRTH OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

12-MOST HOLY NAME OF MARY

13-St. John Chrysostom, Doctor, “The Golden-Mouthed,” “Doctor of the Eucharist” / Anniversary of Fifth Apparition at Fatima (Don’t forget our Holy Hour!)

14-Exaltation of the Holy Cross

15-OUR LADY OF SORROWS (new) / SEVEN SORROWS OF OUR LADY (trad)

16-Ember Wednesday (prayer and penance-trad meat at one meal)

17-St. Robert Bellarmine, Doctor, “Prince of Apologists,” “Gentle Doctor of The Controversies” / St. Hildegard of Bingen, Doctor, “The Teutonic Prophetess,” “Sibyl of the Rhine”

18-Ember Friday (prayer and penance)

19-Ember Saturday (prayer and penance-trad meat at one meal) / OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE (hist)

21-St. Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist

23-St. Pio of Pietralcina

24-OUR LADY OF RANSOM

29-Sts. Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archangels (new) / “Michaelmas Day” (trad)

30-St. Jerome, Doctor, “Father of Biblical Science”

This blog gives old and new feasts. The titles of the Doctors of the Church are taken from The 35 Doctors of the Church,TAN Books.

August Fatima Family Holy Hour for the Church

Thank you for joining our August Fatima Family Holy Hour for the Church! August 13th & 19th together comprise the Fourth Apparition at Fatima. Following is the Holy Hour Format to print and perform at home.  If you cannot do this on August 13th or 19th, please choose another day during the month. God bless you and may Our Lady shower graces upon you and your family during this difficult hour in the Church and in the world. Please contact us above and let us know how this Holy Hour has blessed your family. Your comments may be shared.

PRINTABLE VERSION OF AUGUST FATIMA FAMILY HOLY HOUR

+ + +

Candle-Lighting for Reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

(please light a candle next to a picture or statue of Our Lady)

+   Sign of the Cross   +

O Jesus, we thank Thee for this anniversary of the Fourth Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima to the three holy children in Portugal and all the miracles and wonders which took place there.  We thank Thee for our togetherness today honoring this anniversary, though it is at a difficult time for Thy Holy Church and the whole world.  We light this candle for the intention of reparation to Thy Mother's Immaculate Heart, which we honor during this month of August, and which so grieves over the sins of the world at this time.  We especially wish to console her for the terrible injustice to unborn children, for she is Mother to all.  May these little lights of ours ascend to her Queenly throne in Heaven, as she once ascended on the day of her glorious Assumption, which we also celebrate this month, and show her that indeed, there is still love for her on earth.  Love for Thy Mother always directs us to Thee, O Jesus, our Savior, Whom she holds up to the world in her loving arms.  Forgive us our sins and let us enter into this Holy Hour in a spirit of contrition and spiritual communion with Thee.  We beg Thee for a return of the normal functioning of the Catholic Church. Forgive us for the disrespect given to the Holy Eucharist for so many years. We offer as well, all the intentions of those participating.  Amen.

Saint Joseph, Pray for Us!

All Ye Holy Angels & Saints, Pray for Us!

+   + +

"Immaculate Mary"

Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing
You reign now in Heaven with Jesus our King
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria!  Ave, Ave, Maria!

In Heaven the blessed your glory proclaim
On earth we your children invoke your sweet name
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria!  Ave, Ave, Maria!

We pray for the Church our true mother on earth
And bless Holy Mary, the land of our birth
Ave, Ave, Ave, Maria!  Ave, Ave, Maria!

+   +   +

Fatima Reading & Prayer

The Fourth Apparition ~ August 13th & 19th, 1917

As August 13th approached, the story of the apparitions had reached the anti-religious secular press, and while this ensured that the whole country knew about Fatima, it also meant that many biased and negative reports were circulating. The children were apprehended on the morning of August 13th, before the apparition could take place, by the Mayor of Vila Nova de Ourem, Arturo Santos. They were interrogated about the Blessed Mother's Secret she had given them, but despite threats and promises of money, they refused to cooperate. They were moved to the local prison and threatened with a horrible death, but determined that they would die rather than reveal the Secret.

Though the children were not there, at Cova da Iria, thunder, followed by lightning, was heard at the usual time. The spectators noticed a small white cloud that hovered over the Oak for a few minutes. Phenomena of coloration were observed on the faces of the people, the clothing, the trees, and the ground.

Due to the people’s protests, the children were released from prison. On August 19th, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta were together at a place called Valinhos, near Fatima, when they again saw Mary, who spoke to Lucia: “Go again to the Cova on the 13th of next month and continue to say the Rosary every day.” Mary also said she would soon perform a miracle, so all would believe. Looking very sad, Mary then said: “Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to Hell because there are none to sacrifice themselves and pray for them.” With that, she rose into the air and moved towards the east before disappearing. By now, the children had thoroughly absorbed Mary’s plea for prayer and penance, and did everything they could to answer it.

Text courtesy World Apostolate of Fatima, USA, edited.

The apparitions of Our Lady to the children were not their first encounter with Heaven.  An angel appeared to them previously, three times, and gave them two prayers, as follows:

"My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee!  I beg pardon of Thee for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee!"

"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 with which He is offended.  By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners."

+   +   +

Luminous or Glorious Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary

+   +   +

Litany of Our Lady of Fatima

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for our dear country.
Our Lady of Fatima, sanctify our clergy.
Our Lady of Fatima, make our Catholics more fervent.
Our Lady of Fatima, guide and inspire those who govern us.
Our Lady of Fatima, cure the sick who confide in you.
Our Lady of Fatima, console the sorrowful who trust in you.
Our Lady of Fatima, help those who invoke your aid.
Our Lady of Fatima, deliver us from all dangers.
Our Lady of Fatima, help us to resist temptation.
Our Lady of Fatima, obtain for us all that we lovingly ask of you.
Our Lady of Fatima, help those who are dear to us.
Our Lady of Fatima, bring back to the right road our erring brothers.
Our Lady of Fatima, give us back our ancient fervor.
Our Lady of Fatima, obtain for us pardon of our manifold sins and offenses.
Our Lady of Fatima, bring all men to the feet of your Divine Child.
Our Lady of Fatima, obtain peace for the world.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Let Us Pray: O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in Thy dear Mother, whom we invoke under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Fatima, and grant us by her powerful intercession, all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need.  Through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

+   +   +

Final Prayer

O Most Holy Trinity, look upon the work of Thy Hands with mercy and give us the peace we so desperately need.  Shower Thy graces upon us like the rain, like a great flood engulfing us and end these many sorrows.  We live in unprecedented times, uncertain times.  Deliver us from all evil, visible and invisible and from all fear.  Help us to prepare for the days to come and to extricate ourselves from this inauthentic culture.  We pray for the triumphalism of Holy Mother Church and the salvation of all souls.  Give us peace in our hearts and courage to face the future and win our Heavenly reward.  Our Lady of Fatima, we love you!  Pray for us!  In the Holy Name of Christ, Nomen Christi.  Amen.

+   Sign of the Cross   +

+ + +

"Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above"

Hail, holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria
Hail, Queen of mercy and of love, O Maria
Triumph, all ye Cherubim
Sing with us, ye Seraphim
Heav'n and earth resound the hymn
Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina

The cause of joy to all below, O Maria
The spring through which all graces flow, O Maria
Angels, all your praises bring
Earth and heaven, with us sing
All creation echoing
Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina

O gentle, loving, holy one, O Maria
The God of light became your Son, O Maria
Triumph, all ye Cherubim
Sing with us, ye Seraphim
Heav'n and earth resound the hymn
Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina

Thank you for joining us~see you September 13th for the September Fatima Family Holy Hour!

For email reminders, please contact us at: director@nomenchristi.org

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Today is the new and old feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In the year 1251, Saint Simon Stock was given the Brown Scapular by Our Lady herself, this great and powerful treasure of our Faith. Our Lady of Fatima requested devotion to this sacramental. Many miracles have been associated with it. Please consider investiture (consecration) in the Brown Scapular. My parish is doing a special Mass with investiture today. Ask your pastor to consider doing this sometime soon. Especially in these difficult times, the scapular is a consoling and important sacramental.

From The New Marian Missal, Veritas Press:

This Feast commemorates the favors granted by our Lady on Mount Carmel [the vision took place in England]. The Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Simon Stock, General of the Order of Carmelites, holding in her hand the form of a scapular, and directed him to institute a pious confraternity, the members of which should consecrate themselves to her service, and wear her livery. She promised that “those who die wearing it, will not suffer hell fire.”

For more info, including the history of this devotion, please see World Apostolate of Fatima, USA.

Image courtesy https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com

July: Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, in satisfaction for my sins, in supplication for the holy souls in Purgatory, for the needs of Holy Church and especially for the soul of (Name). From The Raccolta

Today is the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the traditional calendar. And it is the first day of the month in which Holy Church gives us the Blood of Christ to meditate upon and honor. His Precious Blood has been poured out upon the whole world. How much more should we pour ourselves out upon Him. All our guilt. All our sorrows. All our confusion. All our doubt. All our worry. Just give it to Him as He gives Himself to us. This is our great consolation.

In addition to this feast of Our Lord, we also have two Marian feasts coming up this month-the Visitation and Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We have two Apostles, Saint Mary Magdalen and the parents of Our Lady. We celebrate 3 Doctors of the Church as well.

There are many devotions to the Precious Blood we might acquaint ourselves with. How wonderful it always is to learn new prayers and devotions! How endless are the treasures of our Faith! In addition to the prayer above, here are two other devotions:

Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Chaplet of the Precious Blood

Here is a sampling of some of the old and new feasts this month:

7/1-Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

7/2-Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

7/3-St. Thomas, Apostle

7/6-St. Maria Goretti

7/14-St. Kateri Tekakwitha / St. Bonaventure, Doctor (trad)

7/15-St. Bonaventure, Doctor (new)

7/16-Our Lady of Mount Carmel (instituted Brown Scapular devotion to St. Simon Stock)

7/19-St. Vincent de Paul

7/21-St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor

7/22-St. Mary Magdalen

7/25-St. James the Greater, Apostle / St. Christopher

7/26-Sts. Joachim & Anne

7/30-St. Peter Chrysologus, Doctor

7/31-St. Ignatius of Loyola

Image courtesy joyfilledfamily.com

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

This week, we have talked about “Mary, Mother of the Church” and the Ember Days of Summer in the Octave of Pentecost (prayer and penance for the coming season). What else do we have to look forward to in this Month of June? Let’s look at a sampling, as we normally do….

Trinity Sunday is both an old and new feast. In the old, it marks the end of Eastertide and the beginning of the Season After Pentecost. However, we are still celebrating the Mystery of the Redemption, as we are still in the Easter Cycle, the Second Part of the Liturgical Year. A new Liturgical Year begins at Advent, when we contemplate the Mystery of the Incarnation.

We have several feasts of Our Lord this month and one for Our Lady. I get excited every June, when we celebrate the “back-to-back” feasts of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart. Let’s think in advance how we will honor these feasts together. We can be celebratory, since the Sacred Heart is a Solemnity! We honor 3 Doctors of the Church and several Apostles as well.

What can we do to give glory to the Sacred Heart of Jesus this month? We can educate ourselves about St. Margaret Mary and the Devotion that was given to her. Please see link on our last post and link below. The Sacred & Immaculate Hearts at EWTN, has a variety of wonderful prayers. One of Our Lord’s “12 Promises of the Sacred Heart” to St. Margaret Mary was:  “I will bless those places wherein the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.” If you do not already have this image in a place of honor in your home, that would be a great little project this month!

7-Trinity Sunday

9-St. Ephrem of Syria, Doctor

11-Corpus Christi

13-St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor

14-Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ (new version of Corpus Christi), St. Basil the Great, Doctor

18-St. Ephrem of Syria, Doctor (trad)

19-Most Sacred Heart of Jesus-Solemnity, no penance

20-Immaculate Heart of Mary

23-Vigil of St. John the Baptist

24-Nativity of St. John the Baptist (my 25th wedding anniversary:)

26-Sts. John & Paul

27-St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor

28-Vigil of Sts. Peter & Paul

29-Sts. Peter & Paul

30-Commemoration of St. Paul

We provide both old and new feasts.

Image courtesy Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in London-please read their page on the Sacred Heart.

Octave of Pentecost / Ember Friday / First Friday

Let us be joyful today in the gift of the Holy Ghost, yet with a spirit of penance, due to the Ember Days and the current state of Holy Church. Beautiful Sequence from the trad Pentecost Mass:

Come, Thou Holy Spirit, come, and from Thy celestial home shed a ray of light divine!

Come, Thou Father of the poor, come, Thou source of all our store, come, within our bosoms shine.

Thou of Comforters the best, Thou the soul’s delightful guest, sweet refreshment here below.

In our labour rest most sweet, pleasant coolness in the heat, solace in the midst of woe.

O most blessed Light divine, shine within these hearts of Thine, and our inmost being fill.

Where Thou art not, man hath nought, nothing good in deed or thought, nothing free from taint of ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew, on our dryness pour Thy dew, wash the stains of guilt away.

Bend the stubborn heart and will, melt the frozen, warm the chill, guide the steps that go astray.

On Thy faithful who adore, and confess Thee evermore, in Thy sevenfold gifts descend.

Give them virtue’s sure reward, give them Thy salvation, Lord, give them joys that never end.

Amen. Alleluia!

From Ember Friday Mass (the second line is deeply consoling and appropriate at this time, due to great confusion and deception-please read full Mass with your family and consider a partial abstinence tomorrow):

Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise, alleluia; that I may sing, alleluia; my lips shall rejoice when I shall sing to Thee, alleluia, alleluia!

In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be put to confusion: deliver me in Thy justice, and rescue me.

It is also the First Friday in the month of June. Please see The Nine First Fridays Devotion. If you cannot receive Holy Communion, please make a Spiritual Act of Communion. Also, tomorrow is the First Saturday. If you cannot get to church, please see First Saturdays At Home-Never More Important!

First Saturdays At Home-Never More Important!

The observance of the Five First Saturdays are one of the requests of Our Lady of Fatima, to obtain reparation to her Immaculate Heart. As humanity is now engulfed in a difficult and confusing situation, there has never been a more important time to respect this request of Our Blessed Mother. We know not how this will ultimately play out. We much beseech God’s mercy. Trust. Be at peace. But take this as a serious warning. Public masses are shut down. Even confession is gone in some places, which was previously unthinkable. Our Blessed Lord said:

“Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of man.”

Luke 21:36

So we, as Children of God, are at peace.

Normally the First Saturdays are observed in church. Since many are now at home, we can still fulfill this request to the best of our ability. I am sure our dear Mother will accept this. She has requested they be observed for 5 months in a row, but it is not a bad idea to perform them perpetually. Following are the activities (and the substitutions where applicable), based on the World Apostolate of Fatima’s recommendations. This is all done with the intention of making reparation to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart and what a wonderful devotion to do with your family at home during this time!

1) Receive the Sacrament of Penance. At home: Make an intention to receive the sacrament as soon as possible. I might add, to say an Act of Contrition, trying to be sorry for the Love of God (perfect contrition), not just the fear of punishment.

2) Receive Holy Communion. At home: Make a Spiritual Act of Communion (see link below for help with this).

3) Recite the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary (some say the Sorrowful Mysteries during Lent).

4) Meditate on the Mysteries of the Rosary for 15 minutes with Our Blessed Mother. If you are unaccustomed to this devotion, this may be the most challenging aspect for you. Here are some tips: Place yourself in Our Lady’s presence (a picture or statue is very helpful). Ask her to enlighten you further on the Mysteries you just contemplated in the Rosary (I suppose you could contemplate other Mysteries as well). Let your thoughts drift. Imagine the Mysteries visually. Don’t try, just let the inspirations come to you. And they will! As you perform this exercise more, it will get easier. Your relationship with Our Mother will grow and eventually it will no longer be an “exercise,” but an intimate and wonderful conversation!

+++

Today is a traditional feast of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!

Please see the World Apostolate of Fatima’s page addressing the First Saturdays during this time. Lots of great info:

https://www.bluearmy.com/first-saturday-devotion/