The March St. Joseph altar for the faithful’s intentions at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Paducah. COURTESY OF FR. BRUCE FOGLE
St. John the Evangelist Parish celebrates Solemnity of St. Joseph in the Year of St. Joseph
BY FR. BRUCE FOGLE, SPECIAL TO THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
At St. John the Evangelist Parish in Paducah, during this Year of St. Joseph we began the year by reciting the Litany of St. Joseph or a prayer to St. Joseph after our Wednesday Masses, as well as after any Mass on the 19th of each month. Praying each of the invocations of the Litany of St. Joseph certainly shows St. Joseph’s concern for all the members of the Body of Christ. We even made a video for all the shut-ins of our parish to pray the Litany and posted it on our parish website, stjohnspaducah.com.
We prepared a St. Joseph Altar during the month of March (traditionally dedicated to St. Joseph) with six-day votive candles encouraging people to bring their petitions to this powerful, yet humble, saint for his intercession before the throne of his Foster-Son, Jesus. People used this opportunity to pray for: husbands, fathers, the sick, the unemployed, for protection against the attacks of the devil, and for the grace for a holy and happy death.
On March 10-18, the parish at large prayed the Novena to St. Joseph. We pondered different aspects of our dear St. Joseph’s life: Foster-Father of Jesus, Virginal Husband of Mary, Man chosen by the Blessed Trinity, Faithful Servant, Patron of the Church, Patron of Families, Patron of Workers, Friend in Suffering, and Patron of a Happy Death. The graces and insights of this novena to St. Joseph helped us to prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, on March 19.
On March 19, after the 7:30 a.m. Mass and 6 p.m. Stations of the Cross, the parish of St. John’s blessed and celebrated (with pandemic guidelines in place) the traditional St. Joseph’s Table. The St. Joseph’s Table is rich in history among many countries as a “thank you” to St. Joseph’s protection for individuals, families, communities and nations. So, after the morning Mass and evening Stations of the Cross, packets of “sweet treats” – professionally baked and packaged by a local caterer (DeeDee’s Delights) with CDC guidelines in place – were blessed and distributed to all.
Hopefully by these little devotions and the Year of St. Joseph we at St. John the Evangelist in Paducah will grow in devotion, love and dependence upon our dear and loving St. Joseph.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.
Fr. Bruce Fogle is the pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Paducah.
Originally printed in the May 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.