ST JOSEPH - REDEMPTORIS CUSTOS: GUARDIAN OF THE REDEEMER

 

REDEMPTORIS CUSTOS is the Apostolic Exhortation on St Joseph. 

The Introduction begins with a quote from Matthew, followed by Saint John Paul II's own comment. Called to be the Guardian of the Redeemer,  "Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took his wife" (cf. Mt 1 :24).

Inspired by the Gospel, the Fathers of the Church from the earliest centuries stressed that just as St. Joseph took loving care of Mary and gladly dedicated himself to Jesus Christ's upbringing, he likewise watches over and protects Christ's Mystical Body, that is, the Church, of which the Virgin Mary is the exemplar and model.

On the occasion of the centenary of Pope Leo XIII's Encyclical Epistle Quamquam Pluries, and in line with the veneration given to St. Joseph over the centuries, I wish to offer for your consideration, dear brothers, and sisters, some reflections concerning him "into whose custody God entrusted his most precious treasures."  I gladly fulfill this pastoral duty so that all may grow in devotion to the Patron of the Universal Church and in love for the Savior whom he served in such an exemplary manner.

In this way the whole Christian people not only will turn to St. Joseph with greater fervor and invoke his patronage with trust, but also will always keep before their eyes his humble, mature way of serving and of "taking part" in the plan of salvation.

I am convinced that by reflection upon the way that Mary's spouse shared in the divine mystery, the Church - on the road towards the future with all of humanity - will be enabled to discover ever anew her own identity within this redemptive plan, which is founded on the mystery of the Incarnation.

This is precisely the mystery in which Joseph of Nazareth "shared" like no other human being except Mary, the Mother of the Incarnate Word. He shared in it with her; he was involved in the same salvific event; he was the guardian of the same love, through the power of which the eternal Father "destined us to be his sons through Jesus Christ" (Eph 1:5).

Apostolic Exhortation Redemptoris Custos of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II on the Person and Mission of Saint Joseph in the Life of Christ and of the Church

https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_15081989_redemptoris-custos.html

Quamquam Pluries Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII on Devotion to Saint Joseph

https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15081889_quamquam-pluries.html

St Joseph Rosary - Oblates of St Joseph

https://osjusa.org/prayers/st-joseph-rosary/

https://youtu.be/WmCHFVj_bYs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9YaV-6oOQo

With thanks to vatican.va, osjusa.org and youtube. Image with thanks to St-joseph free clipart

LOVE LETTERS TO MARY THE VIRGIN, WRITTEN BY POETS OLD AND NEW - BY DR LUKY WHITTLE

 

LOVE LETTERS TO MARY THE VIRGIN

written by poets old and new

A COLLECTION OF MARIAN PRAISE POETRY

CLASSIFIED RESOURCE SUITABLOE

FOR USE IN MARIAN STUDIES

 Dr Whittle gathered Marian poems stemming from the first millennium to the end of the nineteenth century during research. She used “A ring-Decorated Maiden” from the quill of Cynewulf as the Marian poem to represent the genre of Marian poetry as it appeared in the first millennium AD. 

A number of mediaeval English lyrics in praise of Mary are included in this volume. One or two examples from the pen of more generally known later poets such as Robert Southwell, John Donne, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Patrick Kavanagh have likewise been incorporated.

Overall, however, the vast majority of the poems included in this collection were composed by often anonymous American nun-poets, mainly during the second quarter of the twentieth century. Further examples of their Marian poetry as well as that of many others may be found in the files of the Marian Library at Dayton Ohio.

To access the book, please click in the link below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sAoRi0GPGevtv4_B_KHtjHGbZawW4m4Y/view?usp=share_link

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL MARIAN PRAISE READERS

Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year

to all Marian Praise readers.

May blessings be with you and your loved ones

at this time of peace, joy and goodwill.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL MARIAN PRAISE READERS

Happy Easter to all Marian Praise readers.

May blessings be with you and your loved ones

at this time of peace, joy and goodwill.

An old tradition holds that Jesus visited His Mother

immediately after His Resurrection.

Mary said 'yes' to God, and thus our Savior was

born to the world. Mary continued her 'yes' to God

and thus Jesus lived in the protection of His family

until the time came for His Messianic ministry.

Mary stood at the foot of the cross as Jesus suffered 

and died to save all humanity from sin.

How great is our joy! How deep our rejoicing! 

Jesus has risen from the dead. The shackles  of sin

which bound us have been broken. We have been

given the promise of eternal life.

Alleluia!

THE GOLDEN ROSE

 

On 21 November 1964, Saint Pope Paul VI concluded his closing address with reference to Mary. Just as at the invitation of Pope John XXIII he and the Council members had entered the council hall, along with "Mary, the Mother of Jesus", so at the close of the third session they were to leave that temple with the most holy and sweet name of Mary, Mother of the Church. [1]

Above all, Saint Pope Paul VI desired that it should be made clear that Mary, the humble handmaid of the Lord, exists only in relation to God and to Christ, our sole Mediator and Redeemer. The pontiff moreover expressed the hope that the true nature and aims of Marian veneration in the church be illustrated, particularly where many are separated from the church, so that those who are not a part of the Catholic community may understand that devotion to Mary, far from being an end in itself, is instead a means essentially ordained to orient souls to Christ and thus unite them with the Father in the love of the Holy Spirit.

St Pope Paul VI advised the Council members that he had decided to send a special mission to Fatima in the then near future in order to carry a Golden Rose to the sanctuary of Fatima, more dear than ever not only to the people of the noble Portuguese nation, but also to the Council members and the faithful.

In this manner the pontiff intended to entrust to the care of this heavenly mother the entire human family, with its problems and anxieties, with its legitimate aspirations and ardent hopes. St Pope Paul VI concluded with the following prayer: "O Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, to you we recommend the entire Church and our Ecumenical Council.

"You, auxilium Episcoporum, aid of bishops, protect and assist the bishops in their apostolic mission, and all those priests, religious and laymen who help them in their arduous work.

"You who were presented by your Son Himself, at the moment of His redeeming death, as mother to His best-beloved disciple, remember the Christian people who entrust themselves to you.

"Remember all yours sons; support their prayers to God, preserve their faith, strengthen their hope, increase their charity.

"Remember those who are in tribulation, in need, in danger and particularly those who suffer persecution and those who are in prison because of the faith. For these, O Virgin, obtain fortitude and hasten their day of just freedom.

"Look with benign eyes on our separated brothers and condescend to unite us, you who brought forth Christ as a bridge of unity between God and men.

"O, temple of light, without shadow and without blemish, intercede with your only Son, mediator of our reconciliation with the Father (cf. Rom. 5,11) that He may have mercy on our shortcomings and may dispel any differences between us, giving us the joy of loving.

"To your Immaculate Heart, O Mary, we finally recommend the entire human race. Lead it to the knowledge of the sole and true Saviour, Jesus Christ; protect it from the scourges provoked by sin, give to the entire world peace in truth, in justice, in liberty and in love.

"And let the entire Church, by celebrating this great ecumenical assembly, raise to the God of mercy the majestic hymn of praise and thanksgiving, the hymn of joy and of exaltation, because the Lord has worked great things through you, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary." [2]

The Third Session: The Debates and Decrees of Vatican Coucnil 2, September 14 to November 21, 1964. Faber: 1965. Xavier Rynne. 

[1] The Third Session. Page 388

[2] The Third Session, pp 388 to 389

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL MARIAN PRAISE READERS

Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year

to all Marian Praise readers.

May blessings be with you and your loved ones

at this time of peace, joy and goodwill.

We pray for an end to the pandemic.

We thank Almighty God for the 

emergence of natural immunity. 

A candle has been lit by Lumiere in 

remembrance of all who are suffering

or have lost ther lives since the

beginning of the pandemic.

Our thoughts are with their families,

colleagues and friends.

MOTHER MARY'S BEAUTY

The true beauty of the Mother of God is in her soul and hence incorruptible.

Giovanni Guareschi, The Little World of Don Camillo