Page 93 - Reflections on St. Joseph

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The Feast of St. Joseph on March 19 is celebrated and prepared for by a Novena or Triduum.
The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1 is also celebrated.
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Particular celebrations are also held for the Feast of the Holy Family, the titular patron of the
Province, and the Feast of the Holy Spouses, usually on the Sunday which follows the actual feast
day.

The Groups of Josephite-Marellian Laity have at least one meeting a month with a time for
Josephite-Marellian formation. During one of the aforementioned feasts the Groups renew
their annual membership.

Two houses, Solofra (Avellino) and Margherita di Savoia (Barletta), distinguish themselves in
honoring St. Joseph the Worker on May 1st with a Novena or Triduum in preparation, special
celebrations and events, and the day of the Feast masses, processions and recreational moments.

In Solfora this is the Patronal Feast of the Church-Rectory. In Margherita di Savoia it is the
Patronal Feast of the Chapel located in the new area of the Parish.

It is good to recall that for an Oblate of St. Joseph, or even anyone who belongs to the Josephite-
Marellian Family (an Oblate Sister, one of our laity), it is important to see “how” we live and
present or spread the devotion to St. Joseph our Patron and Model given to us by our Holy
Founder Joseph Marello. But first there is the need and the question of “what” is the devotion to
St. Joseph for each one of us Oblates.

Our Rules say that the devotion to St. Joseph belongs to the nature and purpose of the
Congregation.

We quote first article 1 from the General Directory : “The Congregation has St. Joseph as its
Patron. Therefore, all its members are called Oblates of St. Joseph and make a special effort to
honor and love him as a father by imitating his virtues and promoting his devotion” (First
Rules). The explicit reference to the “First Rules” from 1892 (Chapter I – Nature of the
Congregation) is due to the fact that the text is identical in both documents.

Article 3 of the Constitutions is more specific. We quote only the parts from in which are of
interest to us here. After having stated that the Oblates of St. Joseph “are called to reproduce in
their lives and in the ministry the Christian mystery as it was lived by St. Joseph” (a statement
which quoted completely at the beginning of the previous reflection), the article speaks of our
“forms of ministry” in service of the Church and presents three of them in particular. The third
is to “promote devotion to St. Joseph”.

To be thorough we have articles 74-75 of the Constitutions and 41 of the General Directory
which give some “Josephite” indications for our ministry.

“Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit”, so as to have a greater awareness of what for us Oblates
on a personal level is devotion to St. Joseph, independently of that which is done…or is not done.

Laus Deo!

Reflections on st. joseph 69