ST JOSEPH: PATRON SAINT OF CANADA

It saddens me to know that many Canadians have no clue that St Joseph is the Patron Saint of our nation. From the very beginning, New France (Canada) had placed St Joseph in a position of honor for the new country. At the time, the feast day of St Joseph, on March 19, had just been made mandatory for the whole Church in 1621 under Pope Gregory XV. There was a new sense of appreciation and vigor for devotion to St Joseph, as was made evident by the Canadian missionaries. It was the missionary Joseph Le Caron who chose St Joseph as the Patron Saint of New France (Canada.) Le Caron wrote of the Huron Indians and the difficulties of the work of evangelization. He noted on March 19, 1624: "We held a great feast in honor of St Joseph where all the inhabitants were included, several wild. This feast was held as a vow we made to St. Joseph, choosing him as Patron of New France.” 

In 1637, Father Le Jeune wrote that "the feast of the glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, father, patron and protector of New France, is one of the great solemnities of the country." It was under his patronage that was accomplished the evangelization of the Indians and Joseph’s name was given to the majority of new converts. The custom of bestowing the name of Joseph, either as first or middle name, was quickly established in New France, and continues to this day among many French-Canadian Roman Catholics.

The first Church in Canada named for St Joseph

 

Many chapels and churches of Canada are dedicated to him, the oldest being in the territory of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil. It is the parish of Saint-Joseph-de-Chambly whose canonical dates back to 1665. The largest shrine in the world dedicated to St Joseph is on Mount Royal in Montreal, St Joseph's Oratory, which is also the final resting place of the body of St André Bessette.

www.PrinceOfTheChurch.yolasite.com

Tribute to Our Pontiffs and to Glorious St Joseph Patron of the Universal Church

Summus Pontifex Ecclesiae Universalis

Left to Right: Bl Pius IX, Leo XIII, St Pius X, Benedict XV, Pius XI, Ven Pius XII, Bl John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, Bl John Paul II, HH Benedict XVI

The Royalty of St Joseph

The Sovereign Lord had deigned to make St. Joseph of royal blood, placing in him all the honor and glory of the House of David. Though St. Joseph’s family no longer sat on the throne, he was still a continuation of this nobility. He carried this heritage as though it were a secret between himself and his Lord – a sacred bond between an earthly prince and the Ruler of Heaven and Earth. St. Joseph’s royalty was not shown with an outward crown, but one which was hidden within his most Chaste Heart – a heart in which the Lord Jesus took great consolation and great delight. - Joe Rodrigues, Apostolate of St. Joseph Prince of the Church

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Catholic Roundtable Interview with Joe Rodrigues of the Apostolate of St Joseph Prince of the Church

On October 16 I had the privilege of making my radio debut on the Catholic Roundtable Radio Show (Deeper Truth Blog) on which I got to talk all about St Joseph. Please click below to have a listen and share with others. Benedicamus Domino et Ite Ad Ioseph! 

 

1 Hour

 

Sanctification and Childhood of St Joseph

This brief presentation discusses Insights into the Sanctification of St Joseph while in his mother's womb (just like St John the Baptist), the graces he possessed, and his troubled childhood and adolescence. Read about the childhood of St Joseph in the book "St Joseph Prince of the Church."

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Assumption of St Joseph

THE BODILY ASSUMPTION of ST. JOSEPH INTO HEAVEN

 

Just as the Holy Trinity is without sin, so is their reflection on Earth of Jesus Mary and Joseph. Our Lord, being God, is incapable of having sin in Him. Our Lady, as we all know, as Immaculately conceived. And in St. Joseph's case (as with John the Baptist) original sin was destroyed in him while still in the womb. So technically St. Joseph was "born without sin", however not "conceived without sin."

Just as the Trinity is a Virginal one, so was the "Earthly" one: Jesus, Mary & Joseph.

Just as Our Lord did not know decay, nor Our Blessed Mother, it makes sense that the same applied to St. Joseph. (though not officially defined by the Church, we are free to accept it one way or the other).

Our Lord Ascended to heaven Himself- which means under His own power as God he ascended to Heaven. Our Lady and St. Joseph, not being divine, were Assumed into Heaven body and soul which means not under their own power did they go to Heaven like this, but rather God BROUGHT them, "Collected them" up to Heaven body and soul before people's eyes. Saints and Pope's through the ages have supported this.

 - Joe Rodrigues, St. Joseph: Prince of the Church

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"How could we doubt that Our Lord raised glorious St. Joseph up into Heaven, body and soul? For he had the honor and grace of carrying Him so often in his blessed arms, arms in which Our Lord took so much pleasure. St. Joseph is therefore in Heaven body and soul, without a doubt."

-St. Francis de Sales
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In the same way that Mary was assumed into Heaven, it is thought that Jesus deigned to glorify Joseph on the day of the Resurrection. In this way, all of the Holy Family – Jesus, Mary and Joseph – who lived together on Earth, would reign together in Heaven.

-St. Bernardino of Sienna
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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
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We name two of the most intimate persons in Christ’s life: John the Baptist – the Precursor, and Joseph of Nazareth – his putative father and custodian. It corresponds to them – we may piously believe – the honor and the privilege of Jesus allowing them to admirably accompany him on the path to Heaven (on the day of his Ascension) and to sing the first notes of the never ending hymn, “Te Deum”. -Blessed Pope John XXIII 

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It is beyond doubt that Christ did not deny to Joseph in heaven that intimacy, respect, and high honor which he showed to him as to a father during his own human life, but rather completed and perfected it. Justifiably the words of the Lord should be applied to him, ‘Enter into the joy of your Lord.’ Although it is the joy of eternal happiness that comes into the heart of man, the Lord prefers to say to him ‘enter into joy’. The mystical implication is that this joy is not just inside man, but surrounds him everywhere and absorbs him, as if he were plunged in an infinite abyss. -St. Bernardino of Sienna

 

ST JOSEPH'S FATHER: JACOB OR HELI?

... as discussed in the book "St Joseph: Prince of the Church." 
Please be sure to listen to this and share it with others. God bless.

IDENTITY OF ST JOSEPH'S FATHER:

JACOB OR HELI?

Prayer of St Francis of Assisi

Feast of St Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury,pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may 

not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Dear St Francis, pray for us and help us to follow 

the example of your prayer. Amen.

ST JOSEPH GALLERY

Hello Apostolate members, just a note to say I have added a Gallery section to the Apostolate website. More images coming soon! If anyone has some favourite images they would like me to add, please feel free to send them to me. Ite Ad Ioseph - Go to Joseph :)  Click below to be taken to the image page...

 

  ::  ST JOSEPH GALLERY  ::