The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-08
@ornlus Star and Catholic Messenger.
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NEW ORLEANS. SUNDAY MARCH 8 1874
ss. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church.

slsnor, in n special manner, the Blessed
sspouse of the Virgin Mary, Mother OF God
vse gladly borrow from the German Mes
,aoegcr the following article; and we do 81
al the more willingly as we regard st
Joseph as one of the special patrons OF tn
AEsostleship, whose interest our publication
In meant to further. Next to Mary, JOSEPH
70 the model of n true apostle of prayer
&o was humble and unknown to the world,
out he was faithful to the duties of that
Obscure and lowly life. He was laborious
and patient in adversely, ever tenderly
devoted to Jesus and Mary, ever filled with
Shs love of God:
"Our Holy Father, Pope Plus TX, in his
decree of Dec. 9Th, 1870. proclaiming st.
Ioecph, Patron of the Universal Church,
lad in view the glory of the Saint. by CON
Serripg on him q betting dignity, and
y,lacing him by the side of Mary as pro
uector of the entire human family. He
wished moreover to present us with an
3isicacious antidote against the appalling
>,viis of our day, by holding up to our
imitation, in the person OF TINS INDUSTRIOUS
Saint, consummatc model of those virtues,
5y the practice of which society can hope
for it's only salvation from the abyss of
ruin. His Holiness desired, in fine, by this
solemn dcclaration, to stimulate the con-
sidence of the faithful in st. Joseph, and to
present them With powerful motive to
sutrust the glorious servant of God with the
esuso of the struggling Church and their
own special grievances. The Church is
aware that God has at all times chosen the
weak and lowly to cOnfOund the strong
She beholds in the poor, hidden carpenter
s1f Nazareth, not the unlettered, despiscd,
forgotten man, that the world would fain
H.; I, tl,nt oinf1
who, next to his virgin spouse, was favored
with the deepest insight into the profound
,nystery of the Incarnation and of mans
Redemption, and after her concurrcd most
ia tho realization of that great work. If
ssile wcarisomeness of his occupation, the
aardshps of His earthly exile, and the
Shousand other sorrOws and trials which
CROSS the path of life, gave st. Joseph so
great a share in the work of redemption,
Stiese also ennoble him rs the co-operator
OF Jesus and Mary in the establishment of
She Church of God he therefore loves the
Church not merely as the work of Jesus
and Mary, but as his own work, as the fruit
OF his labors, his patience, and his prayers.
Tito Egyptian Joseph was appointed by
Pharaoh overseer of all the granaries, in
which provisions had been stored for the
seven years OF famine in far nobler
-'a,ose has our heavenly Father made st.
Joseph guardian of that most precious
God established him lord over His house.
chat house, in which His only begotten Son
zsrtd His Virgin Mother dwelt. The holy
Siouse of Nazareth and it's heavenly inmates,
aver whom st. Joseph ever held his pro-
tecting arm, are to us tho type of that
ERuiily, which covers the face Of the earth,
Esf che Church, that house of God on earth,
wherein Jesus, the living bread from heaven,
as preserved.
Weicannot then doubt that st. Joseph
gtow stands to the Universal Church, in the
sSEso relation that he did to the Holy
Family in the house of Nazareth. AS be
shared with Mary the guardianship of
Gtle Holy Family at Nazareth, it be-
isuovcs him now to exercise the same char
table Office in favor of the whole Catholic
eRuIily, of which that was the prototype |
As he was then the guardian of the real
body of Jesus, it is but reasonable to con.
Glade that he is now the armor of His !
Body, the Church. As he was the |
FIRST temporal head Of the infant Church |
within tho narrow precincts of the house at |
S&Ga reth, his watchful spirit does not cease |
tn direct her now that she has reached !
vGs3erabe age, and is known in all lands |
His arm will still shield her from the dan
ENrs by which she is beset, no less than
qstlcn prosecuted in her very cradle she was !
protected by the buckler of his power.
- Tho elevation of St. Joseph to the
patronage of the Universal Church is
neSciful dispensation of Divine Provi-
sicnce, which has been pleased to oppose
S&iis all powerful barrier to the destructive
nloads of vices peculiar to our age. At
40 other time have the Foundations Of -1u-
3sarity been SO shaken, or lawlessness exer-
cieed so unlimited sway. Inflated with
Yrtde men have set up the human Intellect
as the sole guide in matters of Faith, and
tho demands of corrupt nature us the
by which life should be directed.
they no longer inquire into the will and
slriDauccs of God they believe no more
chan their limited Understanding can
grasp, they follow only the dictates OF
ssaif-lovr. Hence the spread of Unbrlicf;
tIoucc the spirit of INSTRUMENTATION to the
and DEGREES of the Church hence
90 the prevalence of Revolution in all
lands and of division in the family. But in
the face of n community, tainted with un-
.sciief and inflated with presumption and
the Church raises to the
highest post of honor, st. Joseph, that
sithful servant, that man of Faith and of
obedience, who placed implicit trust in the
~ovd of God, and blindly subjected his
:oason to the injunctions of the Angel, the
Minister and Interpreter of the Divine
VIII. st. Joseph, as head of the Holy
Camily, was the highest authority on |