San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-10-04

fore is il permitted to recognize in this
ancient Patriarch figure of the later
one. In the same manner as the first
brought success and prosperity to the
domestic interests of his master, and
later rendered wonderful service to
all the kingdom, so the second, des-
tined to be the guardian of the Chris
tian religion, must be regarded as the
protector and defender of the Church,
which is truly the house of the Lord
and the kingdom of God upon earth.
Men of all conditions and of every
country have cause for recommending
and entrusting themselves to the
faithfulness and to the care of Blessed
| Joseph. The fathers of families find
in Joseph the most beautiful person.
ification of paternal vigilance and
solicitude; the married perfect ex-
ample Of love, unity, and conjugal
fidelity; virgins have in him not only
the model, but the protector of vir-
ginal integrity. The noble by birth
may learn from st. Joseph how to
preserve their dignity even in mis-
fortune; the rich may comprehend
through his teachings what are the
goods to be desired and to be acquired
at the price of all efforts. AS to
laborers. mechanics, and people of
middle estate, they have a special
right to have recourse to Joseph, and
to take him for their guide. Joseph,
of royal race, and united in marriage
to the greatest and most holy of
women, regarded as the father of the
Son of God, nevertheless passed his
life in labor, and obtained by his
work, as an artisan, all that was nee
essary for the maintenance of his fam
lily. Most true is it then that the
condition of the lowly is not abject;
and not only is the labor oil the work.
man not dishonoring, but it may be
highly ennobled when it joined to vir-
tue Joseph, content with the little he
possessed, supported the inherent
difficulties of the lowliness of his |
fortune with greatness of soul, in
imitation of his son, who, having |
accepted the form of a servant-He,
the Lord of all extraordinarily |
subjected himself to Indulgence and to |
the want of all.
By means of these considerations |
the poor, and all those who live by |
the work of their hand, may take
courage and think justly. Though |
they have the right to escape from
poverty and to acquire better posi-
ton by lawful means, reason and
justice forbid them to subvert the
order established by the Providence
of God. Much more must the |
recourse to force and to seditiOn and
violence be condemned as insensate
measures, for the most part increas-
ing the evils which they were intend
ed to suppress. Let the poor, there
fore, if they will be wise, put their
trust not in the promises of disorder
ly men, but in the example and in
the patronage of blessed Joseph, and
in the maternal charity of the church
who daily takes greater thought for
their condition.
Therefore do we hope much from
your authority and your episcopal
zeal, venerable brethren, and doubt
ing not that the good, pious and faith
full will oluntarily do yet more than
is desired of them, we now prescribe
that during the whole month of Octo-
Der, after the recitation of the rosary,
rules for which have been previ-
ously given, prayer to st. Joseph be
added, the form of which is sent to
you with this letter; and that this be
done every year in perpetuity.
To those who devoutly recite this
prayer we grant for each time an in
diligence of seven years and seven
1uarantines.
There is most salutary and praise
custom in some countries of
the month of March,
with dailydevotionst to thehoner of the
Holy Patriarch. Where this custom
cannot be conveniently established,
1t is at least to be desired that tridu-
I'm ofprayers be celebrated before his
feast in the principal church Of each
locality. In those places where
March 10Th, sacred to Blessed Joseph,
Is not feast OF obligation, we exhort
the faithful to sanctify this day as far
as possible by private devotions in
honor of their heavenly patron, as if
it were feast Of precept.
Meanwhile, as an earnest of heaven
~ gifts, and as a token of our good
will we give atfectionately in the
Lord to you, venerable brethren, to
your clergy, and your people, the
apostolic benediction.
Given at Rome, by st. Peters, on
August 18th, 1889, in the twelfth year
Of our pontificate.
LEO, NIL, Pope.
THE PRAYER To ST. JOSEPH.
We turn in our trouble to thee,
blessed Joseph, and after praying for
aid from thy holy spouse, we seek
with confidence thy patronage also.
By the affection which united thee to
the virgin immaculate, mother of
God; by the tatherly love wherewith
thou didst surround the infant
Jesus, we beseech thee to help us