St. Joseph is the Father of the New Evangelization!
It is not well known that Saint Joseph had a special role in preparation of Vatican II. St. Pope John XXIII chose St Joseph as a protector of the Council, in his Apostolic Letter of March 19, 1961 Le voci che da tutti. In addition at the closing of the first session of the second Vatican Council on Dec. 8, 1962, St. John XXIII, inserted St Joseph into the Canon of the Mass. Currently the patron of second Vatican Council who appeared during the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima is now called the “Father of the New Evangelization” and “the holy patron of the third millennium."
It is not well known that Saint Joseph had a special role in preparation of Vatican II. St. Pope John XXIII chose St Joseph as a protector of the Council, in his Apostolic Letter of March 19, 1961 Le voci che da tutti. In addition at the closing of the first session of the second Vatican Council on Dec. 8, 1962, St. John XXIII, inserted St Joseph into the Canon of the Mass. Currently the patron of second Vatican Council who appeared during the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima is now called the “Father of the New Evangelization” and “the holy patron of the third millennium."
St. Joseph, Fatima and Fatherhood
St. Joseph was named Patron of
the Universal Church and protector of the the second Vatican
Council in 1960. This event in the
unfolding of providence linked Fatima and the 3rd secret with
the second Vatican Council and the cold war. However, those living at
the time did
not make the correlations with Fatima and the council. The pope probably
did as he read the secret and decided not to reveal it. It was within
his right as Christs Vicar not wanting to give the enemies of the church reason to fulfill a
prophecy. Those who detracted the pope for this are in error!
Most people are unaware that St. Joseph also appeared at Fatima during the Miracle of the Sun. The children saw him while the crowd beheld the stupendous miracle of the sun. Lucia Writes: "Our Lady having disappeared in the immensity of the firmament, we saw, beside the sun, Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady clothed in white with a blue mantle. Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus seemed to bless the world with gestures which they made with their hands in the form of a cross. Soon after, that apparition having ceased, I saw Our Lord and Our Lady, Who gave me the impression of being Our Lady of Sorrows. Our Lord seemed to bless the world in the same manner as Saint Joseph. That apparition disappeared and it seemed to me that I saw Our Lady again, this time as Our Lady of Mount Carmel!"
Most people are unaware that St. Joseph also appeared at Fatima during the Miracle of the Sun. The children saw him while the crowd beheld the stupendous miracle of the sun. Lucia Writes: "Our Lady having disappeared in the immensity of the firmament, we saw, beside the sun, Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady clothed in white with a blue mantle. Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus seemed to bless the world with gestures which they made with their hands in the form of a cross. Soon after, that apparition having ceased, I saw Our Lord and Our Lady, Who gave me the impression of being Our Lady of Sorrows. Our Lord seemed to bless the world in the same manner as Saint Joseph. That apparition disappeared and it seemed to me that I saw Our Lady again, this time as Our Lady of Mount Carmel!"
Throughout history there have been supernatural apparitions and signs which, to the surprise of believers and non-believers alike, play their part in the unfolding of human history. Fatima falls in this category. There is a deep significance in the apparition in its historical context but there is also a deeper hidden significance that can only, be discovered in prayer and meditation. Over tine the church with the help of the Holy Spirit reflects on the supernatural mysteries surrounding the apparitions uncovering hidden mysteries hidden for another time in the unfolding of providence. She discovers the finger of God writing on the wall within the symbols and events taking place.They are not coincidences! God has a purpose in everything he does. A message to proclaim at the time of the appearances as well as within the historical context sometimes for a later time. Prophecy in the symbols not with words
The presence of St. Joseph at Fatima falls in this category. Sr. Lucia requested the 3rd secret of Fatima to be opened and read in 1960. She said it would be more apparent then. In 1960 Kennedy ran for president, and one of his key election issues was an alleged "missile gap"with Russia. We were sinking deeper into the Cold War with Russia and threatened at this time with one of the Fatima prophecies of the annihilation of nations.
The symbolism's contained within the recently revealed
portions of the 3rd secret are also prophetic in nature pointing to a possible
future calamity or apocalypse if men do not stop offending God. Taken in
conjunction with the prophetic aspect of the three Rosary scenes shown to the
children during the miracle of the sun, it is plausible to see a foreshadowing
of some new evil which would produce repercussions on a cosmic scale, the worst
evil in the history of Christianity according to Msgr. Joseph Cirrincione:
namely, the universal rejection of the Fatherhood of God.
Fatherhood, Family Under Attack
by Msgr. Joseph Cirrincione
According
to Msgr. Cirrincione, that which is
the common denominator, the future event which this scene foreshadowed
during the miracle of the sun is the role of fatherhood. He is led without any doubt to this
conclusion
because in that last vision at Fatima. St. Joseph was holding the Child
Jesus in his arms and both of them were blessing the world, while Our
Lady
looked on. Msgr. Joseph goes on: "In the convulsions of the sun I see an ominous
foreshadowing of the consequences for the world which are sure to be
felt
if the true Fatherhood of God and the traditional, strong role of the
father
of the family are rejected by mankind. St.
Joseph was the head of the Holy Family not
because he was the holiest member of it. In fact, in that respect he
was
the least. Nor was he the head because he had been chosen by agreement
of the other two members. He was the head of the Holy Family because he
was the FATHER of the family. And as father he represented God the
Father.
"The
combination of this practical atheism and
secularism, which amounts to an official rejection of God's Fatherhood
or authority, is a first in the history of the Christian era,
foreshadowed
by the 'Miracle of the Sun' at Fatima in 1917. Rejection
of the Fatherhood of God by the vast
majority of mankind inevitably has set in motion a chain reaction of
consequences
affecting fatherhood. Since human
fatherhood,
as a reflection of the Fatherhood of God, and was designed to be the pillar
of the family, the disappearance of esteem for fathers and fatherhood
has
led to the collapse of that pillar and thus to the disintegration of
the
family. Since
the family is the fundamental unit of society,
the disintegration of the family inexorably leads to the disintegration
of society itself."
The spirit of Anti-Fatherhood
Entered the Church!
"
Recognition of the fatherhood of the Vicar of Christ, the Pope, has
eroded
to an alarming degree. Like the lip service paid to religion by
secularist
governments, a certain outward respect is still paid to the Holy
Father.
However, his authority in faith and morals is openly rejected by many
who
still consider themselves to be Catholics. Some priests, have
bartered the respect they have enjoyed for years as spiritual fathers,
for a mess of pottage
--
to be considered
"pals' of their people, dressing and acting like laity. Read more: St. Joseph, Fatima and Fatherhood
Humanae
Vitae
Controversial & Crucial for Humanity's Future
Three years after the closing of the Second Vatican Council On July 25, 1968. Paul VI issued the encyclical Humanae Vitae on Human Life. Subtitled "On the Regulation of Birth", the encyclical re-affirmed the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church regarding abortion, contraception, and other issues pertaining to human life. The encyclical has been controversial because of its prohibition of all forms of artificial contraception, and did not set will with the new cultural revolution taking place. Pope Paul VI did not issue any additional encyclicals in the remaining ten years of his pontificate.
In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI called the encyclical on Humane Vitea "so controversial, yet so crucial for humanity's future." Humanae Vitae became " a sign of contradiction but also of continuity of the Church's doctrine and tradition... What was true yesterday is true also today.
Our Lady told Lucia that if her requests are not honored, many souls
will be lost, "the Holy Father will have much to suffer, there will be
further wars and persecutions of the Church and "various nations will be
annihilated." The annihilation of nations predicted at Fatima
has not
yet occurred, but many fear that it will soon happen. Could America be
threatened and fall prey to communism without a war? Look at what is
happening today in light of the New Health Care Mandate with Freedom of
Religion at stake! We are undergoing a spiritual annihilation of
sorts? How many nations in once Christian Europe have already fallen in
this spiritual battle because we rejected the teachings of Paul VI in
the encyclical on
Humanae Vitea? Christian Europe is fast becoming Muslim because
Christians no longer reproduce themselves and abort their offspring.
The people themselves
are responsible
"Since we did not heed this appeal of the Message, we see that it has been fulfilled, Russia has invaded the world with her errors. And if we have not yet seen the complete fulfillment of the final part of this prophecy, we are going towards it little by little with great strides. If we do not reject the path of sin, hatred, revenge, injustice, violations of the rights of the human person, immorality and violence, etc.-And let us not say that it is God who is punishing us in this way; on the contrary it is people themselves who are preparing their own punishment. In his kindness God warns us and calls us to the right path, while respecting the freedom he has given us; hence people are responsible”. Sister Lucia letter to pope-1982
Tarcisio Bertone, SDB Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2000 said that "Our Lady, who appeared at Fatima, recalls these forgotten values. She reminds us that man's future is in God, and that we are active and responsible partners in creating that future."
The vision of St. Joseph and the Infant Jesus blessing
the
world, with Mary by the side of the sun hurtling towards the earth,
is
God's assurance that although men are free to reject Him, God will never reject
man.
In describing the father of the prodigal son in His famous parable,
Jesus
was actually describing His own Eternal Father. God the Father is ever
waiting for sinners in particular and mankind in general to return to
Him
and His law. And as the principal theme at Fatima would indicate, the
road
by which the prodigal world will someday return to God the Father is
called
the Way of the Immaculate Heart of Mary whether one believes in Fatima or not!" Quote from St. Joseph, Fatima, and Fatherhood
Its up to us what happens!
Benedict XVI on June 26, 2000, commented on the third secret of Fatima as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. “The
vision (3rd
Secret) then shows the power which stands opposed to the force of
destruction the splendor of the Mother of God and, stemming from this
in a certain way, the summons to penance. In this way, the importance of
human freedom is underlined: the future is not in fact unchangeable
set, the
image which the children saw is in no way a film preview of a future in
which nothing can be changed. Indeed, the whole point of the vision is
to bring freedom onto the scene and to steer freedom in a positive
direction. ... Its meaning is to mobilize the forces of
change in the right direction. Therefore we must totally discount
fatalistic explanations of the 'secret,' such as, for example, the claim
that the would-be assassin of May 13 1981 was merely an instrument of
the divine plan guided by Providence. ... Rather, the vision speaks of
dangers and how we might be saved from them."
Pope Benedict XVI said that he
went to Fatima to confess to the Virgin that he “loves her”, to pray for
mankind “afflicted by so much misery and suffering” and to pray for
priests. ...saying also that whomever thinks the prophecy of Fatima is fulfilled is mistaken”,
because the Virgin is the one who can change a person’s heart, when
facing death and fear. At a
time when the human family was ready to sacrifice all that was most
sacred on the altar of the petty selfish interests of nations,
races, ideologies, groups and individuals, our Blessed Mother came from
heaven.” Benedict XVI Fatima 2010
St Joseph Patron of the Church
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| © Speramus-We Hope |
St Joseph is
also invoked as the Patron of the Universal Church in apt
recognition of his strength and fortitude. God the father gave St. Joseph the most exalted duty of protecting the
Sacred Humanity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who would redeem mankind and endow it with the most perfect
and ultimate gift of Eternal Life through His Passion death and resurrection. To
fulfill His Divine mission, God the Father entrusted His Son to
the paternal care of St. Joseph. St. Joseph is the epitome of a pure
man: pure in thought, pure in heart;
pure in body and soul – destined to be the most chaste spouse of Mary
Most Holy conceived without sin.
The Catholic Church, born from
the water that gushed forth from Jesus' side, and nurtured by the
maternal love of Our Lady, sought comfort and protection from the snares
and malice of Satan and his followers in the hands of St. Joseph, the
terror of demons! We can expect that God also endowed him with an
equally proportional
grace to carry out such a mission in life. And certainly we can
picture him as an icon of manliness and a pillar of strength that
would sow fear among the powers of darkness. Given the noble
task under his watch.In recognition of this special place, the Church
honors him with the highest veneration next to Mary.
St. Joseph a Model for Priests
and Consecrated Souls
"On many occasions, Benedict XVI has invited
Catholics to learn from the school of Saint Joseph, to have a “spiritual
conversation” with him, linked to a renewal of faith. During the Angelus on December 18, 2005, he
said: “It is therefore particularly appropriate in the days that precede
Christmas to establish a sort of spiritual conversation with St Joseph,
so that he may help us live to the full this great mystery of faith.
"In our meditations on the human and spiritual journey of Saint Joseph let us ponder his vocation in all its richness, and to see him as a constant model for all those who have devoted their lives to Christ in the priesthood, in the consecrated life or in the different forms of lay engagement. Joseph was caught up at every moment by the mystery of the Incarnation. Not only physically, but in his heart as well, Joseph reveals to us the secret of a humanity which dwells in the presence of mystery and is open to that mystery at every moment of everyday life. In Joseph, faith is not separated from action. His faith had a decisive effect on his actions. Paradoxically, it was by acting, by carrying out his responsibilities, that he stepped aside and left God free to act, placing no obstacles in his way. Joseph is a 'just man' (Mt 1:19) because his existence is 'ad-justed' to the word of God.” March 18, 2009, in Yaounde, Cameroon Read more....
Benedict XVI Entrusted Pastors of Universal Church to St. JosephBenedict XVI reflected before the Angelus in December 19, 2010 entrusting to St. Joseph's protection all the priests worldwide. "I would like to entrust all Pastors to St Joseph, the Universal Patron of the Church, while I urge them to offer “Christ’s [humble] words and actions each day to the faithful and to the whole world." Stressing his role as legal Father of Jesus in God's plan of salvation. In witnessing to Mary's virginity, and safeguarding the Messiah's earthly life, St. Joseph announces the miracle of the Lord. Let us venerate St Joseph because the new man is outlined in him, who looks with trust and courage to the future. He does not follow his own plans but entrusts himself without reserve to the infinite mercy of the one who will fulfill the prophecies and open the time of salvation" For more details....
Pope Francis & St. Joseph
The pontificate of Pope Francis began under the sign of St. Joseph father and protector of the Holy Family and the Church. The essential message in the homily that was given by Pope Francis to open his pontificate draws on the image of St. Joseph, spouse of Mary and head of the Holy Family. And that message is to "protect." This message is so important at a time when the figure of the person who "protects," be he or she a father, a mother, a priest, a scholar, a leader, is under attack -- in a time when the "protection" is entrusted to others, or to none, when the "protectors" are anonymous, or hidden, or when they simply don't exist. To "protect" means to make sure what one protects is not harmed, not hurt. Click link to read more: VIVA LA PAPA! Today,with the feast of Saint Joseph, we are celebrating the beginning of the ministry of the Successor of Peter!
St. Teresa of Avila's devotion to St. Joseph
"I
took for my advocate and lord the glorious Saint Joseph and commended
myself earnestly to him; and I found that this my father and lord
delivered me both from this trouble and also from other and greater
troubles concerning my honor and the loss of my soul, and that he gave
me greater blessings than I could ask of him. I do not remember even now
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 freed me, both
in body and in soul. To other saints the Lord seems to have given grace
to succor us in some of our necessities but of this glorious saint my
experience is that he succors us in them all and that the Lord wishes to
teach us that as He was Himself subject to him on earth (for, being His
guardian and being called His father, he could command Him) just so in
Heaven He still does all that he asks. This has also been the experience
of other persons whom I have advised to commend themselves to him; and
even to-day there are many who have great devotion to him through having
experienced this truth." "The Autobiography of St. Teresa", ch. 6A Prayer to St. Joseph
Saint
Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you. You are the faithful
protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know
that I have special confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I
place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful
with God and will never abandon your faithful servants. Therefore I
humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me and
all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love
for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at
the hour of my death. Come Holy Father, with Jesus and Mary, to aid me,
and obtain for me this only solace which I ask for in that hour, to die
encircled by their holy arms. Into your sacred hands living and dying,
Jesus, Mary and Joseph I commend my soul. ITE AD JOSEPH! --GO TO JOSEPH!
