This upcoming Friday, March 19th is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. It is the highest rank of feasts every year, and in the universal Church normally a holy day of obligation (but not in United States). In addition, this is the Year of St. Joseph. So, we had better celebrate the day! It falls on a Friday of Lent, so it triggers a special treat—the requirement for abstinence from meat is lifted. No fasting on a feast day of highest rank!
Our twin parish, Christ the King in Kansas City, Kansas has invited us to their St. Joseph’s Table on Friday, March 19th, from 5:00 - 8:00PM. They are having a Philly Cheese Steak Dinner (proof on this feast day we can eat meat even on a Friday of Lent). It will be at Christ the King parish, 3024 N 53rd St. 3024 N 53rd St Kansas City, KS 66104. Dinners should if possible be pre-ordered on line at: ctkkcks.org.
We at Prince of Peace will have a special Mass (beyond our morning Masses) on St. Joseph’s day at 6:00PM. And since it is a Friday, we do have Stations of the Cross at 7:00PM.
Let us celebrate this Solemnity of St. Joseph in this Year of St. Joseph well.
St. Joseph, please pray for us!.
THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH PRAYER
To you, O blessed Joseph (Ad te, beate Ioseph)
To you, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our afflictions, and having implored the help of your most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke your patronage also.
Through that charity which bound you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the paternal love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by his Blood, and with your power and strength to aid us in our necessities.
O most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be kind to us and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness.
As once you rescued the Child Jesus from deadly peril, so now protect God’s Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity; shield, too, each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by your example and your aid, we may be able to live piously, to die in holiness, and to obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.