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

| lrODl Uu6 whole WOrlu. HaUn6r 90 we
believe that her Intervention will be
all the more marvellous, since she has
allowed herself TO be implored so long,
] But we have another design which
you venerable brethren, will second
with your customary zeal. In order
that God may show himself more ia
vorable to our prayers, and, the in
tercessors being many, that he may
come more quickly and generously
| TO THE AID OF HIS CHURCH.
we Judge 1t to DE expedIent that the
| Christian people should acquire the
habit of invoking the great piety and
| confidence, at the same time as the
Virgin Mother of God, her most chaste
spouse, Blessed Joseph, which we
know for certain will be according to
the wish OF the Virgin herself.
Today, for the first time, do we treat
publicly of this devotion; but we know
not only that the. people are inclined
to it, but that it is already esta blished
and in progress. We have, in fact,
seen the cult of st. Joseph, which in
former ages the pontiffs gradually de-
veloped and propagated, grow and
expand, especially after Plus IN. our
predecessor of blessed memory, had,
at the desire of numerous bishops,
proclaimed the most holy patriarch
TO be patron OF the universal church.
Nevertheless as it is of the highest
Importance that yeneration toward
st. Joseph should be rooted in Catho-
lie customs and institutions, we desire
that the christian people should be
melted to this by onr own word and
our own authority. The special reasons
and motives for the explicit naming of
st. Joseph as patron of the church,
and the causes of the church's great
hopes of his patronage and protection
in return, are that Joseph was the
spouse of Mary and was reputed the
father of Jesus Christ. From this
spring his dignity, his interest, his
sanctity, his glory. Assuredly the
dignity of the Mother of God is 50 high
that nothing can be created a bove her.
But since Joseph was united to the
Blessed Virgin by the conjugal bond,
doubtless no person approaches near
er than he to the supereminent digni-
ty by which the Mother of God is dis
above all created natures.
Marriage is in truth the most in innate
of all associations and unions, entail |
ing community of goods between
those so joined. And, III giving JOS
eph as spouse to the Vii gin, God gave |
her not only a companion OF her life, |
a witness to her virginity, a guardian |
of her honor, but also, by virtue of the
cOnjugal contract a participation in |
her sublime dignity. In the same |
way Joseph shines out amongst all by |
the most august honors, since he
was, by divine appointment, the
guardian of the Son of God, and |
looked upon by men as his father.
From this it followed that the word
of God was humbly submissive to
Joseph, that he obeyed him, and rem
dered him all the duty children are
obliged to render to their parents.
From this double dignity arose spon-
the duty which nature has
imposed upon the fathers of families,
in such wise that Joseph was the
guardian, the administrator, and the
lawful and natural defender of the
holy family of which he was the mead.
He exercised in fact this charge and
these functions during the whole of his
mortal life. He devoted himself to
protect with sovereign love and
daily solicituda his Spouse and the
Divine Child; ne earned regularly by
his labor, their needful food and
clothing; he preserved from death
the Child threatened with the jealousy
Of a king, and found Him a refuge;
in the tatigues of travel and the
troubles of exile he was the constant
helper and support of the
Virgin and of Jesus. Now, the Holy
governed by Joseph with the
of a father, con tained the
beginnings of the infant church. AS
the Most Blessed Virgin is the Mother
Of Jesus Christ, so she is the Mother
If all Christians, whom she brought
ortb on Calvary IN the midst OF The
supreme sutferings OF the Re-
1eemer, and Jesus Christ is
The first-born OF Christians, who
are by adoption and redemption
his own brethren. Such are the reas-
)ns why the holy patriarch considers
as especially entrusted to himself the
OF christians composing the
is 70 say, this immense
family spread through all the earth,
over whom, because ne is the spouse
Of Mary and the father OfJesus Christ,
he possesses as it were paternal au-
thority. Consequently, 1T is natural
and most worthy of the blessed Jo-
seph, that as in the past he provided
for the needs of the family of Naza-
reth, and surrounded them piously
with his protection, he should defend
and should cover with his patronage
from heaven the church of Jesus
Christ.
You will easily perceive, venerable
brethren, that these consideration
ire confirmed by the opinion, sane