NOVENA FOR 'SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM'

Thanks to Notre-Dame de Chrétienté, with whom numerous members of our Order have walked from Paris to Chartres over many years at Pentecost, we can propose that you join in the Novena to Saint Joseph for the preservation intact of Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical “Summorum Pontificum”. SEE HERE. There is much confusion about what may or may not be happening in Rome.

As FrZ writes - “If there is a threat to Summorum, this is a good thing to do. If there isn’t really a threat to Summorum, this is a good thing to do.”

We would ourselves add - “If you are devoted to the Old Mass this is a good thing to do. If you are not really bothered about the Old Mass this is still a good thing to do, as you will be praying for something which helps other people get into Heaven.”

So please say some of the Novena Prayers, starting tomorrow Thursday 10th June, ideally including Pope Francis’ prayer to St Joseph, as below. It is an act of charity to the Church, which will bring you many graces.

The Novena starts with a Mass of Thanksgiving at Sainte Odile in Paris, to which we might unite ourselves spiritually, as we should with the thousands of people praying this novena with us.

Prayer of Brother André Bessette, the Apostle of St Joseph, 1845 – 1937 

(Each day of the novena)

Saint Joseph, most faithful foster father of the divine Child, chaste husband of the Mother of God, powerful protector of the Holy Church, we come to you to place ourselves under your special protection. 

You have sought nothing in this world except the glory of God and the good of your neighbour. Having given everything to the Saviour, it was your joy to pray, to work, to sacrifice yourselves, to suffer, to die for Him. 

You were unknown in this world and yet known to Jesus, His gaze rested with kindness on your simple and hidden life in Him. 

Saint Joseph, you have already helped so many men, we come to you with great confidence. 

You see in the light of God what is lacking in us; you know our worries, our difficulties, our sorrows. 

We recommend to your fatherly concern this particular matter, the preservation without restrictions of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum in the Church. 

We place it in your hands, which saved Jesus the Child, but above all implore for ourselves the grace never to separate ourselves from Jesus by mortal sin; to know Him and to love Him more and more, as well as His holy Mother; to live always in the presence of God, to do everything for His glory and the good of souls, and to arrive one day at the blessed vision of God to praise him eternally with you. Amen.

Pope Francis’ Prayer to Saint Joseph.

(Each day of the novena)

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,

Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To you God entrusted his only Son;

in you Mary placed her trust;

with you Christ became man. 

Blessed Joseph, to us too,

show yourself a father

and guide us in the path of life.

Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage,

and defend us from every evil. Amen.

You might with to read and meditate upon some passages of the devotion to St Joseph in Pope Francis’s Motu Proprio Patris Corde during the days. HERE in English. Even on the beautiful opening sentence alone, one could meditate for a week: “Patris corde: ita Ioseph amabat Iesum, qui in omnibus quattuor Evangeliis ‘filius Ioseph’ vocatur.” “WITH A FATHER’S HEART: that is how Joseph loved Jesus, whom all four Gospels refer to as ‘the son of Joseph’.”

Saint Joseph, pray for the Church

Our Lady of Philermo, pray for the Church