Contemplative Haven: Feastday of St. Joseph 
Feastday of St. Joseph
St. Joseph was named the patron saint of Canada in 1637 by Pope Urban VIII.
St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal is dedicated to this humble, silent saint, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and foster-father of Jesus.
The Oratory is filled with unused crutches, similar to at Lourdes; they are wooden and metal witnesses to the miracles that have taken place there.
St. Teresa of Avila was a recipient of just such a miracle. As a young woman she was paralyzed for more than two years following an illness. In her autobiography, she tells us that it was St. Joseph who was responsible for her cure, that he, "was true to his own nature when he cured my paralysis and gave me the power to rise and walk..."
St. Teresa of Avila had a very special devotion to St. Joseph. She writes, "To other saints the Lord seems to have given grace to succour us in some of our necessities but of this glorious saint my experience is that he succours us in them all..." She explains that Jesus, in Heaven, wishes to do everything that his guardian and foster-father asks of Him, just as He did on earth.
St. Teresa tells us that, "those who practise prayer should have a special affection for him always", and that if, "anyone cannot find a master to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious saint as his master and he will not go astray."
Labels: St. Joseph, St. Joseph's Oratory, St. Teresa of Avila
posted by Gabrielle at 1:10 AM
1 Comments:
Thanks for writing this.
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