Page 46 - Reflections on St. Joseph

MADERA and BAKERSFIELD:
the Oblate parish priests try to live the virtues of St. Joseph and to pray together the Litany of
St. Joseph at the daily noon visit; they pray the litany and seven sorrows and joys devotion
with the people after the Wednesday parish Masses; votive Masses to St. Joseph are celebrated
on Wednesdays when possible; the annual novena to St. Joseph is preached to the people in
March; Holy Spouses spiritual support societies are promoted in the marriage preparation
programs and celebrated on January 23; parish building projects are specially consecrated to
the patronage of St. Joseph; the pro-life apostolate of spiritual adoption of babies in the womb
is under the patronage of St. Joseph; efforts are being made to implement the Constitutions
and By-laws for SLIM but it is at a very small and initial phase.

Devotion to St. Joseph in Pennsylvania

PARISHES:
The members of our Province who minister in our four parishes: St. Anthony, in Exeter, Our
Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Rocco in Pittston, and Annunciation Parish, in Hazelton strive to live
the Oblate spirituality of devotion to St. Joseph in a daily manner by reciting Litany of St. Joseph
during the noonday visit together; in a weekly manner with the recitation of the Seven
Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph after the votive Mass to St. Joseph in each Church with the
parishioners, culminating with a blessing with the relic of St. Joseph Marello. We also have
devotions for the Annual Novena to St. Joseph (March 10-18) and celebrate the feast solemnly
on March 19th. The feasts of the Holy Spouses Jan. 23rd , and St. Joseph the Worker May 1st,
are not celebrated as solemnly because we gather together to celebrate these feasts at the
Seminary. (see below) All the parishes have people who belong to our Josephite-Marellian Laity
(SLIM), who attend a monthly meeting at the Seminary preceded by the weekly devotions. In
Hazelton about 20 of these members attend a monthly class on the Theology of St. Joseph .

ST. JOSEPH’S OBLATE SEMINARY:
--headquarters for the quarterly publication of the Joseph (Newsletter of the Province)
--Daily recitation of the Litany of St. Joseph during the daily noon visit
--Weekly Wednesday devotions to St. Joseph consisting of the Votive Mass of St. Joseph,
followed by the recitation of the seven sorrows and joys of St. Joseph; culminating with the
blessing with the relic of St. Joseph Marello. It is well attended by the Josephite-Marellian Laity
(SLIM).
--A monthly meeting with the Josephite-Marellian Laity (SLIM) is preceded by Wednesday
devotion to St. Joseph
-Annually solemn celebrations of the feasts of the Holy Spouses in January, St. Joseph in
March, and St. Joseph the Worker on Labor Day in September.

22 Reflections on st. joseph