advocate-summer-2013.. - The Mill Hill Missionaries

FROM THE EDITORAt the beginning of the SecondVatican Council in 1962,one of the bishops stood upand remarked that St. Josephwas much neglected in theteaching of the church. Apparently,there was a rather cynicalreaction; this was notexactly the kind of issue that bishops hadbeen summoned to Rome to discuss!But there was a surprise coming; thefollowing day, Tuesday 13th of November1962, Pope John 23rd announced thathe had decided to introduce St Josephinto the Canon of the Mass. This was abold move; he was introducing a changeinto the Canon that was unchanged sincethe time of Pius V at the end of the sixteenthcentury. Pope John was giving anunmistakable message. St. Joseph washis favourite saint and he had earlierplaced the Council in his hands – underhis patronage. He had also given instructionsthat the altar dedicated to St Josephin St Peter’s Basilica should be decoratedand become a centre of devotion forChristians.In 2012, when Pope Benedict XVIproclaimed a ‘Year of Faith’ for theChurch, he emphasised the importance ofSt. Joseph in his reflection about faithand commitment. In announcing theYear's theme, His Holiness urgedCatholics to put themselves under theguidance of Saint Joseph and engage ina ‘spiritual dialogue’ with him. The Popesaid: ‘It is more important than ever to2Fr. Jim O’Connell,mhmestablish a kind of spiritual dialoguewith Saint Joseph, sothat he might help us to live inabundance this great mystery’.During a visit to Africa in2009, Pope Benedict emphasizedthe importance of the figureof Saint Joseph: ‘Josephreveals to us the secret of a humanitywhich abides in the presence of mysteryand is open to that mystery in the mostconcrete events of our existence. InJoseph, faith is not separated from action.His faith gave decisive direction to hisactions’.In 1989, Blessed John Paul II wrote:‘St. Joseph’s patronage must be invokedas ever necessary for the Church, as animpetus for her renewed commitment toevangelization in the world. Whether inbringing the first proclamation of Christ,or in bringing it anew wherever it hasbeen neglected or forgotten, the Churchhas need of special ‘power from on high’(Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8) - most assuredlya gift of the Lord's Spirit but, nonetheless,a gift not unrelated to the intercessionand example of his saints…This is where the model that is SaintJoseph leads the way. He is but a manfrom Nazareth, yet, he formed the Manwho would proclaim the Gospel. Theman in charge of educating the ‘Redeemer’will surely move us to a moreprofound understanding of the Christianmessage – and of our Faith’.ST JOSEPH’S FAITH“The discretion with whichJoseph carried out the role entrustedto him by God highlights his faith,which consisted in always listeningto the Lord, seeking to understandhis will and obey it with his wholeheart and strength. This is why theGospel describes him as a ‘justman’ (Mt. 1:19). The ‘just’ personprays, lives by faith, and seeks to dogood in every concrete circumstanceof life.Saint Joseph's intrepid faith isprecisely what the Church needs inorder to devote itself to the urgenttask of the new evangelization”.(Blessed John Paul II).Appreciation and thanksWe offer our sincere thanks to all who joined in the Novena to St. Joseph. We hadgood crowds for the Novena Celebrations in our chapel in Kilkenny each eveningat eight o’clock. We also know that many people joined the Novena by praying theNovena prayers in their own homes. We are deeply grateful for the number of youwho wrote to us, sending in the Novena Petitions and a donations. We very muchappreciate the help and support we receive – and continue to receive at this time,when things are difficult and money is scarce. Remember that you share in thegood work of our missionaries around the world. Please continue to pray for them,especially for those who work in difficult and dangerous mission areas. We assureyou that you are remembered in our prayers and masses.3