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WEEKLY SNIPPETS ON THE WONDERS OF ST. JOSEPH
WEEK 1
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The Year of St. Joseph
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Pope Francis declared this year as The Year of St Joseph. We would like to invite you to get to know St. Joseph by joining in the 33 Day- Consecration to St Joseph. The 33 Day Consecration will begin on March 30 to end on May 1, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Every Sunday, we will also be bringing you a snippet of The Wonders of
St. Joseph.
In the New Testament, we read that Jesus "increased" in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man (Lk 2:52) under the watchful care of His parents. Such an "increase" can happen to us too if we entrust ourselves to the paternal care of St Joseph.
In the midst of crisis, confusion, and a world at odds with Christian values, let us entrust ourselves and our families to our spiritual father. St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus, Patron of the Universal Church and Pillar of Families, pray for us. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 2
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
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In the 17th century, Venerable Mary of Agreda, a mystic and acclaimed author, wrote about the extraordinary graces God gives to those who are devoted to St. Joseph. She wrote in her book titled The Mystical City of God the seven privileges that await those who are devoted to St.Joseph:
1st, for attaining the virtue of purity and overcoming the sensual inclinations of the flesh.
2nd, for procuring powerful help to escape sin and return to the friendship of God.
3rd, for increasing the love and devotion to most holy Mary.
4th, for securing the grace of a happy death and protection against the demon in that hour.
5th, for filling the demons with terror at the mere mention of his name by his clients.
6th, for gaining health of body and assistance in all kinds of difficulties.
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7th, for securing issue of children in families.
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These and many other favors God confers upon those who properly and with good disposition seek the intercession of the spouse of our Queen, St Joseph. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 3
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
St. Joseph is the delight of Saints. He is a unique saint. He is honoured and loved as the man closest to Christ. His virtues and holiness are extraordinary. Below are some excerpts from our heroes in faith:
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“I saw heaven opened and St, Joseph sitting upon a magnificent throne. I felt myself wonderfully affected when, each time his name was mentioned, all the saints made a profound inclination toward him, showing by the serenity and sweetness of their looks that they rejoiced with him on account of his exalted dignity.” - St. Gertrude the Great
”I have only my great devotion to St. Joseph. This it is that guides me and gives me full confidence. When you invoke St. Joseph, you don’t have to speak much. You know your Father in heaven knows what you need; so does his friend St. Joseph. Tell him, “If you were in my place, St. Joseph, what would you do?” - St. Andre Bessette
“With the exception of our loving Mother, St. Joseph stands above all the saints” – St. Maximilian Kolbe
“Who is not aware that, after the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph is, of all the saints, the one who is the dearest to God?” – St. Alphonsus Liguori
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(Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC)
WEEK 4
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
Life is filled with many sorrows. Loved ones will die, children sometimes rebel and gravity will eventually take away our youthfulness, making us old and immobile. No matter what life brings, however, St. Joseph will always be our consolation, comfort and solace. He knows well the hardships of life. He is a kind and loving father. He comforts everyone who comes to him in times of affliction. His fatherhood is unlike any other. God wants us to rest in St. Joseph’s fatherhood. St. Joseph will never abandon us no matter what our experiences of fatherhood have been.
Let us run to our spiritual father when life has us down. Pour out our hearts to him and tell him our troubles. St. Joseph is the most loving of fathers and will always be available for us, always attentive, always understanding. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC)
St. Joseph, comfort of the afflicted, pray for us.
WEEK 5
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
St. Joseph is a model of Patience.
Life was not easy for St. Joseph. He went through many trials in the service of the Lord. A man of prayer and faith, he reacted to the unexpected events of his mission by responding without delay to God's calls: when he had to journey on foot with Mary, who was expecting Jesus any day, all the way to Bethlehem; when he experienced the poverty of the stable where Mary gave birth; when he received the formidable mission of saving the Saviour’s life from Herod's murderous jealousy by fleeing to Egypt where he and his family lived as refugees in a foreign land; in the daily work of Nazareth; in the unexpected finding of Jesus in the Temple after a three-day search. Yet, in every situation, St. Joseph was always peaceful, kind, calm and abandoned to Divine Providence. We, too, are going to experience many trials in life, trials that will test our love and our patience. As we get to know St. Joseph, we can imitate his patience and he will help us as he is the closest to the two perfect people (Mary and Jesus).
St. Joseph, mirror of patience, pray for us.
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WEEK 6
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
Restore hope, go to St. Joseph. St. Teresa of Avila had a great devotion to St. Joseph. She gives three reasons why we should be devoted to St. Joseph: First, He will rectify any of our petitions and align it with God’s will. Second, there is no greater spiritual guide than St. Joseph. Just as he guided and protected the child Jesus and Mary, he will also be able to guide us in the spiritual life. And third, anyone who is devoted to St. Joseph will make great progress in the life of virtue.
“I wish I could persuade everyone to be devoted to the glorious St Joseph, for I have great experience of the blessings which he can obtain from God. I do not remember that I have ever asked anything of him which he has failed to grant. I am astonished at the great favors which God has bestowed on me through this blessed saint, and at the perils from which he has delivered me, both in body and in soul. To other saints, the Lord seems to have given grace to help us in some of our necessities. But my experience is that St Joseph helps us in them all; also that the Lord wishes to teach us that, as he was himself subject on earth to St. Joseph, so in heaven he now does all that Joseph asks. This has also been the experience of other persons whom I have advised to commend themselves to the saint. ...I only request, for the love of God, whoever will not believe me will test the truth of what I say, for he will see by experience how great a blessing it is to recommend oneself to this glorious patriarch and to be devout to him....” -St Teresa of Avila
St. Joseph, restorer of hope, pray for us.
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WEEK 7
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
Savior of the Savior
To give life to someone is the greatest of all gifts. To save a life is the next. Who gave life to Jesus? It was Mary. Who saved his life? It was Joseph. Ask St. Paul who persecuted him. St. Peter who denied him. Ask all the saints who put him to death. But if we ask, “Who saved his life?” Be silent, patriarchs, be silent, prophets, be silent, apostles, confessors and martrys. Let St. Joseph speak, for this honor is his alone; he alone is the savior of his Savior. – Blessed William Joseph Charminade
Jesus wished to be indebted to St. Joseph for the necessities of life, and of this holy patriarch it may be said that he saved the life of his Savior. – St. Madeleine Sophie Barat
St. Joseph can be called the savior of the Savior because he saved Jesus from the wicked intentions of Herod by taking Jesus to Egypt (Mt 2:13-14). God wanted St. Joseph to have a unique title all to himself. It is a title that shows the greatness of the fatherhood of St. Joseph. It teaches us his important paternal role in the plan of God. St. Joseph, our spiritual father wants to protect us, help us in our trials and temptations, console us and teach us to make our lives a sacrifice for others.
St. Joseph, zealous Defender of Christ, pray for us.
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WEEK 8
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
Filled with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
St. Joseph had the loftiest of vocations, the greatest of missions. He was called to be the spouse of the Virgin Mary and the father of Jesus Christ. His mission required all the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (knowledge, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, fear of the Lord and wisdom).
St. Joseph was not only chosen to be the protector of Mary, but also the protector of Jesus – and us!This means
that St. Joseph’s mission is ongoing. From heaven, he watches over those entrusted to his loving care and ask the Holy Spirit to pour out gifts on his children. Let us ask St. Joseph to help us fulfil our mission in becoming holy, loving God truly and our neighbour mercifully.
St. Joseph, Protector of the Holy Church, pray for us.
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WEEK 9
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
Protector of the Holy Church
The church needs the protection of St. Joseph. According to the designs of Providence, the church has always needed his protection, but today it needs it more than ever. The church is being assaulted by those outside it (Satan and the world) and by those inside it (many of her own children). Sadly, the church also has to be protected from heterodox and spiritually weak priests and bishops. The only way to clear away the smoke and make the church beautiful again is to repent and return to order. There is no other way.
It is not easy to remain faithful, zealous and hopeful. Yet, we have a reason for hope. God will never abandon us. St. Joseph will never abandon us either. He knows what is going on in the church and he wants to correct it. Hold fast to Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph. They are with us. Trust in Divine Providence. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, pray for us.
WEEK 10
The Wonders of St. Joseph
Saint Joseph the Worker
In the first half of the 20 th century, communism had gained support from many leaders around the world and entire nations had succumbed to its ideas.
The Vicar of Christ, Venerable Pope Pius XII, turned to St. Joseph, as his predecessor had done and denounced the falsehood of communism by elevating the dignity of workers in a very specific way. On May 1, 1955, Pope Pius XII declared May 1 to be the liturgical feast of St. Joseph the Worker.
St. Joseph is indeed, a light in the darkness and the Model of Workmen. He brings light into the darkness of erroneous movements that seek to strip people of their human dignity and eliminate God from the minds and hearts of families and nations. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
St. Joseph, Model of Workmen, pray for us.
WEEK 11
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Patron of the Dying, pray for us!
In many monasteries, there are signs that read “Memento Mori” (Remember You Will Die). The sign is not meant to be morbid, but rather to serve as a reminder that our life on earth will come to an end, and we need to be prepared for death.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that, in order to prepare for death, we should “entrust ourselves to St. Joseph.” In other words, consecrate ourselves to St. Joseph! To prevent an unhappy death – a death that catches us unprepared, without the last sacraments – let’s prepare for it now by consecrating ourselves to St. Joseph and living a holy life. In giving everything to St. Joseph, death will not catch us unprepared. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
WEEK 12
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
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St. Joseph, Pillar of Families, pray for us!
Jesus, Mary and Joseph love families. Their three hearts are very concerned about what is happening to families today. Families are falling apart. Modern man has distanced himself from God and attempted to redefine what it means to be a family. As a result, divorce rates are at an all time high, the majority of married couples use contraception; abortion is legal and it is socially acceptable for children to be raised by two dads and/or two moms. The family stands on the edge of a great precipice.
How are we ever going to turn the situation around? How can we return to order? The only way is to elevate the Holy Family as the model and blueprint of the family. When the Holy Family is celebrated in society, we will again know the sanctity of motherhood, the heroism of fatherhood and the blessing of children.
St Joseph wants to be the Pillar of Our Family. A pillar is a foundation. In order for our home to stand on a firm foundation and be unshakable, we need St Joseph. He will teach our family the importance of prayer, mutual respect, purity, honesty, forgiveness, love and most importantly, placing God above all things. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 13
The Wonders of St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Head of the Holy Family, Pray for Us!
The Holy Trinity is a family, a Holy Family. They want us to be a member of their family. To make this happen, they have established a trinitarian replica on earth – an earthly trinity consisting of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. In a sense, they are the first church. Membership in this family will prepare us for membership in God’s eternal family in heaven.
St. Joseph is the father of the trinity on earth. If we want to be a member of the Trinitarian family in heaven, we need to be a child of St. Joseph on earth. As our spiritual father, he will teach us how to be holy, love, pray, sacrifice, work and how to do the will of God. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 14
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
Joseph Most Faithful, Pray for Us!
“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). A Christian is called to have faith in Jesus and trust in him. St. Joseph is a model of faith and trust. He knows who Jesus is and trusts in him. St. Joseph held fast to Jesus’ words even when his mind and senses were unable to completely understand what Jesus meant. He never doubted the divinity of Jesus or his power to conquer evil. To the world, Jesus looked like an ordinary child, but St. Joseph knew he was God. Let us imitate the faith and loving trust of St. Joseph. Be steadfast, trusting and intrepid in our faith. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
WEEK 15
The Wonders of St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Adorer of Christ, Pray for Us!
If St. Joseph lived with Jesus for 30 years, his vocation was one of perpetual adoration. In many ways, the home of the Holy Family in Nazareth was the first Christian monastery. Wherever St. Joseph travelled with his wife and Son, his home became an Adoration chapel. Nazareth, Bethlehem and Egypt are all places where St. Joseph contemplated the divine presence of Jesus Christ and welcomed others to do the same. In that sense, St. Joseph is the founder of Adoration chapels and with his wife, is the first to conduct a procession with the Body and Blood of Christ. Along with Jesus and Mary, St. Joseph gave the world the greatest adoration chapel known to man, the Catholic church. Thanks to Mary and St. Joseph, every Catholic church around the world has a tabernacle housing the Real Presence of Jesus Christ – Christ present in his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 16
The Wonders of St. Joseph
Joseph Most Courageous, Pray for Us!
St. Joseph desired nothing but the things of heaven. He lived entirely for love of Jesus Christ and after Mary, is Jesus’ most faithful disciple. Many are willing to follow Jesus when it is pleasant, but not many are willing to follow Jesus when it is difficult and filled with sorrow. St. Joseph was always faithful, always courageous. Jesus himself learned courage from the example of St. Joseph. He witnessed his father’s courage in Egypt, Nazareth, Jerusalem and the many other places they travelled together. With St. Joseph as our spiritual father, we will learn through his example, manly love, courage, strength and fortitude. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 17
The Wonders of St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Light of Patriarchs, Pray for Us!
The word “patriarchs” means father. What all the patriarchs of the Old Testament foreshadowed, and all Christian fathers are called to reflect, is the paternal light of God shining through the fatherhood of St. Joseph. After Christ, St. Joseph is the greatest of all patriarchs; he is the greatest of all fathers! St. Joseph is the perfect reflection of the Father of Lights (Jas 1:17) and he helps us to receive the light of Christ. St. Joseph is a bearer of light. He brings Jesus, the true Light of the World to us and he will help us live in the light of God. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
WEEK 18
The Wonders of St. Joseph
Joseph Most Chaste, Pray for Us!
Lust is the pre-dominant vice at work in the hearts of men today. The world is filled with immoral and lust-filled actions. These actions greatly offend God, ruin families and cry out for heaven for justice. In the battle for purity, everyone needs to go to St. Joseph. If a man or a woman, struggles with lust, they must go to St. Joseph. If temptations against purity batter your mind, heart and soul, let us run to our spiritual father. St. Joseph is capable of increasing the virtue of chastity in our hearts and leading us to true, virtuous love of God and neighbor. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 19
The Wonders of St. Joseph
NOW IS THE TIME OF ST. JOSEPH!
Pope Francis declared this year as the year of St. Joseph. We would like to invite you to get to know St Joseph and join countless individuals, families and parishes all over the world in the Consecration to St. Joseph, a spiritual programme introduced by Fr. Donald Calloway (MIC) through his book Consecration to St Joseph - The Wonders of our Spiritual Father. The programme consists of 33 days of readings and prayers leading up to a prayer of consecration recited on a feast day connected to St. Joseph. You can start the 33 Day preparation for Total Consecration to St Joseph on the 20 th of July ending on 21 st August, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Knock.
To make a Consecration to St. Joseph is to make a formal act of filial entrustment acknowledging St. Joseph as our spiritual father whom we desire to be close to and resemble in virtue and holiness. We encourage families to do this together. That way, not only can we learn more about St Joseph but also grow closer as a family.
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WEEK 20
The Wonders of St. Joseph
A Miraculous Staircase in New Mexico (Part 1)
In 1873, the Sisters of Loretto operated a girl’s academy in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The academy was very successful, so the sisters wanted to build a new chapel. They hired a well known architect to complete the task. The building project took five years to complete. However, once the chapel was finished, the sisters realized that the chapel lacked a way to get to the upper choir loft without the use of a very long ladder, the choir loft was 20 feet above the main floor. The sisters could not rehire the man who had built the chapel because he died shortly after the chapel was completed. What were they to do? Well, the sisters prayed to St. Joseph for help. They began a novena to St. Joseph asking him to send a carpenter to help them. Remarkably, on the final day of the novena, a mysterious man arrived at the convent and stated that he was interested in building the staircase to the choir loft for the sisters. The gentleman had only one request, he wanted to work alone and behind closed doors. (to be continued…) (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 21
The Wonders of St. Joseph
Sleeping St. Joseph
God loves sleep. He made it. Our Heavenly Father has designed us so that approximately one-third of
our life should be spent to sleep. He himself rested after creating the heaven and earth (see Gen 2:2-
3). In the life and mission of St. Joseph, God choose to speak to him as he slept.
In recent times, a popular devotion to St. Joseph under the title “Sleeping St. Joseph” has developed
in the church. It involves obtaining a statue depicting St. Joseph asleep, asking St. Joseph’s
intercession for a particular intention, writing the intention on a piece of paper and placing the piece of
paper underneath the statue of the “Sleeping St. Joseph”.
The sleep of St. Joseph can teach modern man important lessons about life. One of the most
important lessons it teaches us is that it is okay to rest. Being a workaholic is never a good thing. God
communicated with St. Joseph when he slept and he was a holier husband and father because of it.
(Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 22
The Wonders of St. Joseph
Act of Consecration to St. Joseph by St. Bernardine of Siena
O my beloved St. Joseph, adopt me as thy child. Take charge of my salvation, watch over me day
and night; preserve me from the occasions of sin; obtain for me purity of body. Through thy
intercession with Jesus, grant me a spirit of sacrifice, humility, self-denial, burning love for Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament, and a sweet and tender love for Mary, my mother. St. Joseph, be with me
living, be with me dying, and obtain for me a favourable judgment from Jesus, my merciful Savior.
Amen. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 23
The Wonders of St. Joseph
CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH WILL INCREASE YOUR LOVE FOR JESUS!
Are you familiar with the phrase *To Jesus through Mary”? It’s a wonderful expression of devotion coined in the early 18 th century by St. Louis de Montfort. In his book True Devotion to Mary, St Louis taught that Mary is the surest, easiest and fastest way of going to Jesus. He mentions St. Joseph a few times in his book as the church had not yet developed a theology of St. Joseph. An understanding of the greatness of St Joseph did not begin to flourish in the devotional life of the church until mid-19 th century, 100 years he lived. Were St Louis de Montfort preaching in the streets of France today, he would most likely be heard extolling the wonders of St Joseph. He might even add St Joseph to his famous phrase and say, ‘To Jesus through Mary and Joseph”. Jesus wants us to know and love his mother and his father. The entire life and mission of St Joseph points to Jesus. St Joseph never points to himself. His role isto lead everyone to Jesus just as Mary does. Mary was predestined to be the Immaculate Mother of the Savior, St Joseph was predestined to be the earthly father of the Savior and our spiritual father. Our spiritual father has been given all the graces necessary to complete his mission, a mission that includes increasing our relationship with Jesus. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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WEEK 24
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The Wonders of St. Joseph
Prayer to St. Joseph, Terror of Demons
St. Joseph, Terror of demons, cast your solemn gaze upon the devil and all his minions and protect us with your mighty staff. You fled through the night to avoid the devil’s wicked designs; now with the power of God, smite the demons as they flee from you! Grant special protection, we pray, for children, fathers, families and the dying. By God’s grace, no demon dares approach while you are near, so we beg ofyou, always be near to us! Amen. (Source: Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC)
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