Merry Christmas and Happy Feast Day of the Holy Family! When we think of the Holy Family, we remember all three members, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. I’d like to focus some attention on St. Joseph since he is the one of this trio we are most likely to forget about. Hopefully you have heard that Pope Francis has declared this year from December 8, 2020 till December 8, 2021 to be the Year of St. Joseph. The timing is significant as it is the 150th anniversary of Blessed Pius IX declaring St. Joseph as Patron of the Catholic Church. Plus, St. Joseph is a great protector and help in the midst of crisis, having protected and provided for his family through some challenging events. We need St. Joseph’s help and example today!
There are several additional plenary indulgences for this special year, so I will highlight just one that can be done this Sunday but also many other days. The Church states we can gain a plenary indulgence if we recite any legitimately approved prayer or act of piety in honor of St. Joseph — for example, “To you, O Blessed Joseph” (which I include below), especially on his feast days of March 19 and May 1, on the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (this Sunday!), on the Byzantine Rite’s
St. Joseph's Sunday, on the 19th of each month and on every Wednesday, the day dedicated to St. Joseph.
To receive a plenary indulgence, we need to do also the “usual conditions” — sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father, “with a soul detached from any sin” (that is the hardest one, but even if we aren’t perfect, we still get a partial indulgence). As long as we’re in the state of grace one sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and separate prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father are required for each plenary indulgence. According to the most recent Church guidelines on the subject, “it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act.” Yet “it is, however, fitting that
Communion be received and the prayer for the intention of the Holy Father be said on the same day the work is performed.” Some other conditions include that we can only receive one plenary indulgence per day. Remember, the only living person we can apply it to is our self. But we can apply it to any soul in purgatory. Think of all the souls we can help over this year!
To you, O Blessed Joseph,
do we come in our tribulation, 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.