Remembering... the Angels

Pardon my lack of creativity... but here is my first substantive post...

I think when I return full time I will do more posts like this: (From 9-29-09)

Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in praelio. Contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur. Tuque princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen.

Today is one of my favorite feast days. It is also the feast-day of my confirmation saint: Michael. So today is a fitting day to start this blog. Although, I do start it with a heavy heart; I received difficult news earlier that my father suffered a stroke today. His second in the past 4 months. So I do pray today with a heavy heart - asking God for quite a bit. Mostly I ask the angels to fly to my father, and my mother, and comfort their hearts and bring them the Peace of God.

Angels are a very real thing.

One of the best books I have read on this subject is: "St. Michael and the Angels"

This blog will not always be this serious... but today is important to pay attention to our angels. St. Augustine said, "The angels have care of us poor pilgrims, they have compassion on us and at God's command they hasten to our aid, so that we, too, may eventually arrive at our common fatherland."

St. Hilary says, "Our weakness could not resist the malice of the evil spirits without the assistance of our Guardian Angels!"

Angelic Spiritual study, is not a safe thing. It is like slide, once you begin you cannot easily stop your descent. Angelic study reminds me of the quote from the "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by: C.S. Lewis, said by Mr. Beaver:

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
— C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)

So it isn't for everyone... in fact I recommend that you don't jump into it lightheartedly, or thinking that you are indestructible, because you are not, at least not in an earthly and temporal way. Certainly if you are a Christian, your soul is sealed by God, but there are no promises about your body here on earth. This is not an exaggeration or some dramatic warning. It is very...VERY real. St. Peter warns us, "Be sober. be watchful, for your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking someone to devour." I Peter, 5:8.

So we must pray to our Archangels today... pray for their protection, and to give them Thanksgiving... for God entrusted them to protect heaven once, and he constantly entrusts them to protect his most precious people.

"Then war broke out in Heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but the could not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in Heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, which is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it." - Apocalypse 12:7-9

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin

Happy Birthday Mary... Queen of Angels.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha - July 14 - Ora Pro Nobis

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

°°°•°°°

"Lily of the Mohawks"

•••°•••

Ora Pro Nobis

The Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ - July 1

Some friends on a "social networking" site have decided to do another "topic" for posting on our blogs. This one is on:

"The Most Precious Blood of Jesus." 

Blood of Jesus, Precious Blood,

Praise to Thee for all Thou art;

Fount of grace, the Godhead's shrine,

Source of glory, Blood Divine.

Blood that angel hosts adore, 

Would that men would love Thee more,

Blood of Jesus, Sacred Blood,

Praise and thanks for all Thou art,

Home where all find peace and rest,

Be Thou known and loved and blest!

(Source: Saint Michael and the Angels, p. 10)

July 1st is the "Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ" in the usus antiquior. This means that if you were to go to a Mass in the  Extraordinary Form on July 1st, the Mass would be a Double First Class Feast and the priest would most likely be wearing RED Vestments, according to the Missale Romanum (Roman Missal) of 1962. What is somewhat ironic is the fact that the faithful do not actually receive the Blood of Christ, physically, at Masses celebrated in the usus antiquior. (Generally) 

When the Missale Romanum was re-issued following the changes instituted by Vatican II (1960's & 1970's) , the reception of Communion, sub utraque specie (under both species) became standard practice. Interestingly enough, in the new Missal and Calendar, the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ was no longer present, and therefore omitted as a Feast. 

So the question becomes, Why have we removed the importance of the Precious Blood from our "collective conscience" and yet, place an importance on the Precious Blood in a physical way? Are the two mutually exclusive? Is the answer not that, the Precious Blood should be viewed as the symbol and physical presence of the debt paid by Christ for our sins? We have benefited so much from the Blood that Christ shed, that little else that is present to us on earth gives us so much freedom and grace.

The Blood of Christ is the saving life-source our redemption. It was shed out of NECESSITY, and as It flowed with the water from the side of Christ, our physiological needs were met as well as our Spiritual needs. Just as we need both water and blood internally, in a physiological sense, to survive, we likewise need the Water of Baptism and the Precious Blood of Christ, in a Spiritual Sense, to survive in eternal life with Him in Heaven. 

As Father Faber, author of Precious Blood, once wrote:

There is not a corner of God's creation, which is not more or less benefited by the Precious Blood.

The Introit of the Mass of the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ says:

Redemísti nos, Dómine, in sánguine tuo, ex omni tribu, et lingua, et pópulo, et natióne: et fecísti nos Deo nostro regnum. Ps. lxxxviii. 2. Misericórdias Dómini in aetérnum cantábo: in generatiónem et generatiónem annuntiábo veritátem tuam in ore meo. v. Glória Patri.

Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue, and people and nation, and hast made us to our God a kingdom. Ps. The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever: I will show forth Thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation. v. Glory be.

Therefore, let us be mindful of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us show proper respect for It at Mass. If we receive, let us receive reverently, as we do the Bodily Eucharist of Christ. If we choose not to receive sub utraque specie let us still make some reverent sign of Adoration when we pass before It. For by His Most Precious Blood, He purchased for us everlasting life, because It takes away the sins of the world. It is therefore worthy to be praised and worshiped. 

(Source: St. Andrew Missal Project)

***UPDATE***:

For clarification purposes... and because of a comment from Mindyleigh, I have decided to post some relevant GIRM and Norms paragraphs for reference, regarding Communion under both species,

sub utraque specie:

Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America:
(Source: USCCB)

11. Since, however, by reason of the sign value, sharing in both eucharistic species reflects more fully the sacred realities that the Liturgy signifies, the Church in her wisdom has made provisions in recent years so that more frequent eucharistic participation from both the sacred host and the chalice of salvation might be made possible for the laity in the Latin Church.

17. From the first days of the Church's celebration of the Eucharist, Holy Communion consisted of the reception of both species in fulfillment of the Lord's command to "take and eat . . . take and drink." The distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful under both kinds was thus the norm for more than a millennium of Catholic liturgical practice.

18. The practice of Holy Communion under both kinds at Mass continued until the late eleventh century, when the custom of distributing the Eucharist to the faithful under the form of bread alone began to grow. By the twelfth century theologians such as Peter Cantor speak of Communion under one kind as a "custom" of the Church. This practice spread until the Council of Constance in 1415 decreed that Holy Communion under the form of bread alone would be distributed to the faithful.

20. The Council's decision to restore Holy Communion under both kinds at the bishop's discretion took expression in the first edition of the Missale Romanum and enjoys an even more generous application in the third typical edition of the Missale Romanum:

Holy Communion has a more complete form as a sign when it is received under both kinds. For in this manner of reception a fuller sign of the Eucharistic banquet shines forth. Moreover there is a clearer expression of that will by which the new and everlasting covenant is ratified in the blood of the Lord and of the relationship of the Eucharistic banquet to the eschatological banquet in the Father's kingdom.

The General Instruction further states that "at the same time the faithful should be guided toward a desire to take part more intensely in a sacred rite in which the sign of the Eucharistic meal stands out more explicitly."

21. The extension of the faculty for the distribution of Holy Communion under both kinds does not represent a change in the Church's immemorial beliefs concerning the Holy Eucharist. Rather, today the Church finds it salutary to restore a practice, when appropriate, that for various reasons was not opportune when the Council of Trent was convened in 1545. But with the passing of time, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the reform of the Second Vatican Council has resulted in the restoration of a practice by which the faithful are again able to experience "a fuller sign of the Eucharistic banquet."

24. The General Instruction then indicates that:

the diocesan Bishop may lay down norms for the distribution of Communion under both kinds for his own diocese, which must be observed. . . . The diocesan Bishop also has the faculty to allow Communion under both kinds, whenever it seems appropriate to the priest to whom charge of a given community has been entrusted as [its] own pastor, provided that the faithful have been well instructed and there is no danger of the profanation of the Sacrament or that the rite would be difficult to carry out on account of the number of participants or for some other reason.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal
(Source: Chapter 4)

Communion under Both Kinds

281. Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it is distributed under both kinds. For in this form the sign of the eucharistic banquet is more clearly evident and clear expression is given to the divine will by which the new and eternal Covenant is ratified in the Blood of the Lord, as also the relationship between the Eucharistic banquet and the eschatological banquet in the Father's Kingdom.

282. Sacred pastors should take care to ensure that the faithful who participate in the rite or are present at it are as fully aware as possible of the Catholic teaching on the form of Holy Communion as set forth by the Ecumenical Council of Trent. Above all, they should instruct the Christian faithful that the Catholic faith teaches that Christ, whole and entire, and the true Sacrament, is received even under only one species, and consequently that as far as the effects are concerned, those who receive under only one species are not deprived of any of the grace that is necessary for salvation.

They are to teach, furthermore, that the Church, in her stewardship of the Sacraments, has the power to set forth or alter whatever provisions, apart from the substance of the Sacraments, that she judges to be most conducive to the veneration of the Sacraments and the well-being of the recipients, in view of changing conditions, times, and places. At the same time, the faithful should be encouraged to seek to participate more eagerly in this sacred rite, by which the sign of the Eucharistic banquet is made more fully evident.

283. In addition to those cases given in the ritual books, Communion under both kinds is permitted for

1. Priests who are not able to celebrate or concelebrate Mass;
2. The deacon and others who perform some duty at the Mass;
3. Members of communities at the conventual Mass or "community" Mass, along with seminarians, and all who are engaged in a retreat or are taking part in a spiritual or pastoral gathering.

The Diocesan Bishop may establish norms for Communion under both kinds for his own diocese, which are also to be observed in churches of religious and at celebrations with small groups. The Diocesan Bishop is also given the faculty to permit Communion under both kinds whenever it may seem appropriate to the priest to whom, as its own shepherd, a community has been entrusted, provided that the faithful have been well instructed and there is no danger of profanation of the Sacrament or of the rite's becoming difficult because of the large number of participants or some other reason.

In all that pertains to Communion under both kinds, the Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America are to be followed (see nos. 27-54).

284. When Communion is distributed under both kinds,

The chalice is usually administered by a deacon or, when no deacon is present, by a priest, or even by a duly instituted acolyte or another extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, or by a member of the faithful who in case of necessity has been entrusted with this duty for a single occasion;

Whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ is consumed at the altar by the priest or the deacon or the duly instituted acolyte who ministered the chalice. The same then purifies, wipes, and arranges the sacred vessels in the usual way.
Any of the faithful who wish to receive Holy Communion under the species of bread alone should be granted their wish. 

285. For Communion under both kinds the following should be prepared:

If Communion from the chalice is carried out by communicants' drinking directly from the chalice, a chalice of a sufficiently large size or several chalices are prepared. Care should, however, be taken in planning lest beyond what is needed of the Blood of Christ remains to be consumed at the end of the celebration.

If Communion is carried out by intinction, the hosts should be neither too thin nor too small, but rather a little thicker than usual, so that after being dipped partly into the Blood of Christ they can still easily be distributed to each communicant.

286. If Communion of the Blood of Christ is carried out by communicants' drinking from the chalice, each communicant, after receiving the Body of Christ, moves and stands facing the minister of the chalice. The minister says, Sanguis Christi (The Blood of Christ), the communicant responds, Amen, and the minister hands over the chalice, which the communicant raises to his or her mouth. Each communicant drinks a little from the chalice, hands it back to the minister, and then withdraws; the minister wipes the rim of the chalice with the purificator.

287. If Communion from the chalice is carried out by intinction, each communicant, holding a communion-plate under the chin, approaches the priest, who holds a vessel with the sacred particles, a minister standing at his side and holding the chalice. The priest takes a host, dips it partly into the chalice and, showing it, says, Corpus et Sanguis Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ). The communicant responds, Amen, receives the Sacrament in the mouth from the priest, and then withdraws.

Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help - June 27

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Feastday - June 27

~

Ora Pro Nobis

June 27th is the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. For a wonderful devotion regarding this feast please read Adoro Te Devote's post from a few years ago: Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Solemnity - The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet:
he is the one of whom scripture says: Look, I am going to send my messenger in front of you to prepare your way before you.
'In truth I tell you, of all the children born to women, there has never been anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.
Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm.
Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading;
and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return.  -Matthew 11:9-14

Saint John the Baptist has always held a special place in my heart, because well... today is my birthday. His story is unique and important. In fact, the importance of his feast day, as a Nativity tells exactly how important he is.

In the breviary St. Augustine explains the reason for today's observance in the following words:


"Apart from the most holy solemnity commemorating our Savior's birth, the Church keeps the birthday of no other person except that of John the Baptist. (The feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin had not yet been introduced.) In the case of other saints or of God's chosen ones, the Church, as you know, solemnizes the day on which they were reborn to everlasting beatitude after ending the trials of this life and gloriously triumphing over the world.


"For all these the final day of their lives, the day on which they completed their earthly service is honored. But for John the day of his birth, the day on which he began this mortal life is likewise sacred. The reason for this is, of course, that the Lord willed to announce to men His own coming through the Baptist, lest if He appeared suddenly, they would fail to recognize Him. John represented the Old Covenant and the Law. Therefore he preceded the Redeemer, even as the Law preceded and heralded the new dispensation of grace."

Saint John the Baptist has been thought to have been cleansed of Original Sin in the womb of his mother Elizabeth. Now, this is not an official "teaching" of the Church in the sense that it has been formulated in some Dogmatic way, but instead is what has been called a "pious probable belief." Similar to the way we think about purgatory. What this means, is that based on what has been written about him in scripture, and the way that Catholic teachings explain original sin, sin, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and Concupiscence, one can logically come to the conclusion that John was born, freed from Original Sin, not born immaculate as was Mary. We start first with Luke 1:13-15, where we are told that John will be "filled with the Holy Spirit, even in his mother's womb." Because we know that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can only occur, or does occur only in the absence of sin, we can deduce that a form of "baptism" must have occurred.

What this means is that he still retained the marks or "stains from (not of)" Original Sin, or in other words Concupiscence. This means, that the tendency to sin, or the "scars" left behind from Original Sin remained on his soul. In other words, the temporal consequences are left behind, from the Original Sin or again what we as Catholics know as Concupiscence. This aligns itself with Matthew 11:11 where Christ proclaims that of those born of women, none are greater, but the least in heaven is greater than he is. This fits logically with the idea, that even if John was born freed from Original Sin, the scars of sin, or the temporal consequences remained which placed him below those in heaven, in essence that heaven was not "assured" for him, as it was in the same way for Mary. Mary was different in that she was "immaculate" or conceived without Original Sin, and therefore free from any scar of sin and was assured heaven; which we learn later meant full Assumption.

Now again, this is not laid out anywhere in a succinct form, but it can be gleamed from various teachings, and logically deduced. Therefore, we can take these ideas as "pious probability" and be fairly certain that this is the case. Of course, we can be wrong... but it is our job as faithful to try and understand these things, because they ultimately lead to the Glory of God.

A Note:
N.B.: When Jesus (in Matt. 11:11) says that John is the greatest born of women, this does not place him higher above either Mary or Himself. In fact, Raban in the Catena Aurea has this to say about that subject:

RABAN; As much as to say; What need to recount one by one the praises of John the Baptist; I say verily to you, Among them that are born of women &c. He says women, not virgins. If the same word mulier, which denotes a married person, is any where in the Gospels applied to Mary, it should be known that the translator has there used 'mulier' for 'femina'; as in that, Woman, behold your son!

Patron Saint of Lawyers

Saint Thomas More ~ Ora Pro Nobis

Also:

Check out this drawing of St. Thomas More

by: Matthew Alderman over at Shrine of the Holy Whapping

Feast of Corpus Christi: "Pange Lingua Gloriosi Corporis Mysterium"

Ascension Thursday-Sunday

This Thursday is ASCENSION THURSDAY.

Oh wait... no. Well, er um.

Where do you live? Yes it matters.
More than likely... Thursday is...well 40 days from Easter, but not Ascension Thursday.
Sunday is Ascension Thursday the feast of the Ascension.
The whole issue is quite confusing, but the American Bishops, well most of them have decided to move the feast to Sunday, for a multitude of reasons.

As I have said in the past... I think we should RESTORE all of the Holy Days of Obligation... and in this case return the Feast to its proper day, and maintain its obligatory status. Father Z. has a famous "rant" about this issue and explains the significance of this feast day:

Be clear. Not only Christ’s humanity but our humanity ascended into heaven. Preaching on 1 June 444 St. Leo I, “the Great” (+461) taught (my emphasis), “Truly it was a great and indescribable source of rejoicing when, in the sight of the heavenly multitudes, the nature of our human race ascended over the dignity of all heavenly creatures, to pass the angelic orders and to be raised beyond the heights of archangels. In its ascension it did not stop at any other height until this same nature was received at the seat of the eternal Father, to be associated on the throne of the glory of that One to whose nature it was joined in the Son.”

Therefore he is perplexed as to why we would think it ok to just up and move the feast day. He continues his rant and says:

Folks, I know the argument. The bishops hope to expose more people to the mystery of the Ascension of the Lord. Because it is too hard to go to Mass also on Thursday, they moved the feast to Sunday. Well… in most places they moved it to Sunday. What is even more confusing is that it isn’t transferred in some dioceses. In the 1983 Code of Canon Law c. 1246, Ascension Thursday is indicated as one of the few Holy Days of Obligation. Again, I know the laudable reason for moving the feast.


However, perhaps it is the influence of reading so much St. Augustine over the years, but my present view of human nature suggests to me that when Holy Mother Church’s pastors lower expectations regarding the liturgy, people get the hint: it just isn’t that important. Maybe none of it is important.


Thus, I am left with the opinion that the option to dislocate such an important and ancient feast is an arrogant novelty.


The celebration of Ascension on a particular Thursday is rooted in Scripture and reflects the ancient practice of the Church in East and West alike. We read in Holy Scripture that nine days, not six, intervened between the Lord’s physical ascent to the Father’s right hand and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Ascension Thursday was fixed at the 40th day after Easter from about the end of the 4th century. In the Latin West, St. Augustine of Hippo (+430) called it Quadragesima (“fortieth”) Ascensionis. In the Greek East, St. Gregory of Nyssa spoke of it in 388. That’s only a 16 century tradition. Eastern Christians haven’t transferred Ascension.


What must the Easterners think of us Latins?

 This is another example of our faith speaking to us in idiom... whose idiom, I am not sure. Again, through this little move we lose a part of the Sacredness of our Faith. We have abandoned not only tradition, but scripture. There is little to no support for this move... except modernism. A replacement of the sacred with the "busyness of life." We must pray for a return of the feast to Sunday... for continuity with the rest of the world and with the Theological teachings of Holy Mother Church.

St. George's Feast Day

Sorry for the slow blogging day... I was celebrating St. George's Day by going out and slaying some Dragons!

Well... not really... but you could imagine.

I will most defenitely be updating this weekend. Part of the reason for the slow night last night, and this morning was because of some things I have been talking about, thinking about, and praying about in regards to my parish and the community therein.

St. George ~ Ora Pro Nobis ~ We all have dragons to slay.

For more Info on St. George:
St. George - Catholic Online

Feast of Saint Benjamin - March 31

I need to wish my God-son, Brian's son, Ben a HAPPY FEAST DAY! Although our culture doesn't really celebrate these days, and since we are in Holy Week things should be toned down, I wanted to make sure that I honored you this day, and your namesake.

Today is the feast of Saint Benjamin. Although it isn't generally celebrated by Roman Catholics, he is quite important in the Orthodox churches.

St. Benjamin was a brave and loyal Christian. As a Martyr he died for his faith. I pray that my God-son will also be a bold and courageous defender of the faith, and willing to live it out in all aspects of his life. So appeal to your namesake in intercession, and pray that your Guardian Angel defends you and guides you in the path of the Saints before you. Know that many of us will be ready to help you and guide you along your path in life and throughout your faith journey.
Here is a little bit of info from Catholic.org:

St. Benjamin, Martyr (Feast Day - March 31) The Christians in Persia had enjoyed twelve years of peace during the reign of Isdegerd, son of Sapor III, when in 420 it was disturbed by the indiscreet zeal of Abdas, a Christian Bishop who burned the Temple of Fire, the great sanctuary of the Persians. King Isdegerd threatened to destroy all the churches of the Christians unless the Bishop would rebuild it.


As Abdas refused to comply, the threat was executed; the churches were demolished, Abdas himself was put to death, and a general persecution began which lasted forty years. Isdegerd died in 421, but his son and successor, Varanes, carried on the persecution with great fury. The Christians were submitted to the most cruel tortures.


Among those who suffered was St. Benjamin, a Deacon, who had been imprisoned a year for his Faith. At the end of this period, an ambassador of the Emperor of Constantinople obtained his release on condition that he would never speak to any of the courtiers about religion.


St. Benjamin, however, declared it was his duty to preach Christ and that he could not be silent. Although he had been liberated on the agreement made with the ambassador and the Persian authorities, he would not acquiesce in it, and neglected no opportunity of preaching. He was again apprehended and brought before the king. The tyrant ordered that reeds should be thrust in between his nails and his flesh and into all the tenderest parts of his body and then withdrawn. After this torture had been repeated several times, a knotted stake was inserted into his bowels to rend and tear him. The martyr expired in the most terrible agony about the year 424.

Now I have talked about celebrating FEAST DAYS before... in lieu of birthdays but I think it is important to restate my position. I think that a good way to inject Catholic faith and culture into a family is to celebrate days that Halmark DOESN'T make cards for... but your local Catholic bookstore might. This doesn't mean ignore birthdays... it means celebrate a feast day! I mean... you could even do it every other year. This might be especially helpful for kids that have summer or winter birthdays and always wanted the opposite.

I wanted to originally name our child by a name of a saint upon the day in which they were born, but for various reasons we DIDN'T and I am glad. It allows us to shift the focus from a birthday, which is GREAT,  to our faith and celebrate that as well.

Saint Joseph ~ Ora Pro Nobis

Today is my Name Day, or Feast Day!! Pretty exciting stuff. Actually, my wife and I have decided we are going to make this a custom in our household. Not because we want to be european but because our names are meaningful, and we named our daughter for a very distinct reason, choosing a Saint's name on purpose. Therefore, the feast day of that Saint should be important not only for the purpose of honoring the Saint, but honoring our Catholic heritage and faith.

With today being St. Joseph's Day it is special to me for a lot of reasons. One, it is my first St. Joseph's Day, who is the father of the Universal Church, as a father. Second, I just finished the St. Joseph Novena, along with several others including Brian - co-author of the blog, to better discern and realize my vocation as a husband, father, and worker. Thirdly, the name Joseph is also that of our Pope. He always needs our prayers and it seems now more than ever and therefore this unity through names allows me to unify my prayer and my thought on several people, several intentions, and in several ways.

For those wanting more info about St. Joseph and the various things that occur today here are some links:

Saint Joseph Info - Catholic.org

St. Joseph Novena

St. Joseph Novena - EWTN

St. Joseph's Day Traditions

One of my most treasured memories about my Feast Day was my grandmother telling me about the Swallows at the Mission of San Juan Capistrano. For those that don't know about that here is a version:

The miracle of the "Swallows" of Capistrano takes place each year at the Mission San Juan Capistano, on March 19th, St. Joseph's Day.

As the little birds wing their way back to the most famous Mission in California, the village of San Juan Capistrano takes on a fiesta air and the visitors from all parts of the world, and all walks of life, gather in great numbers to witness the "miracle" of the return of the swallows.

Each year the "Scout Swallows" precede the main flock by a few days and it seems to be their chief duty to clear the way for the main flock to arrive at the "Old Mission" of Capistrano.

With the arrival of early dawn on St. Joseph's Day, the little birds begin to arrive and begin rebuilding their mud nests, which are clinging to the ruins of the old stone church of San Juan Capistrano. The arches of the two story, high vaulted Chapel were left bare and exposed, as the roof collapsed during the earthquake of 1812.

This Chapel, said to be the largest and most ornate in any of the missions, now has a more humble destiny--that of housing the birds that St. Francis loved so well.

After the summer spent within the sheltered walls of the Old Mission in San Juan Capistrano, the swallows take flight again, and on the Day of San Juan, October 23, they leave after circling the Mission bidding farewell to the "JEWEL OF ALL MISSIONS" San Juan Capistrano, California.

I would be remiss if I didn't at least list one St. Joseph Prayer. I know that you are probably overwhelmed with St. Joseph material today, but we can never have too much can we? Plus as my namesake, I think it is appropriate:

Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God. I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your devine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls - Pray for me.

-Posted by: Joe