Dear parish of St. Joseph in Milton,
Friday is the Solemnity of St. Joseph and the patron saint of our Church parish in Milton. It is a day of great celebration in our universal church!
Because this Solemnity/Feast day falls on a Friday in Lent, the celebration of St. Joseph's feast day takes precedence over the requirement of abstaining from meat. So, yes, you can eat meat on this particular Friday during Lent. Add a little cake and ice cream too. Make this a day of honor to St. Joseph.
The Mass for the Solemnity of St. Joseph will be held at 6:30 AM Friday, March 19. I know its our early scheduled Friday morning Mass but we'd love to have you pray with us if you can make it. Regardless I will be praying for you and your family.
After Mass their will be a brief period of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and praying of the Rosary follows.
You might be interested in stopping by the Church for a few minutes on Friday. St. Joseph Church will be open until dark for those who wish to come and offer a special prayer request to St. Joseph in the 'Year of St. Joseph.' An area near our statue of St. Joseph on the right side of the altar is set aside for personal prayer. You may leave your prayer requests.
It would be a beautiful sight to behold if the entire parish or our unincorporated area of Milton could pass through Church and offer a brief three to five minute personal prayer to St. Joseph and ask for a special request -- even if you haven't been inside of St. Joseph Church in years! Go to good St. Joseph and let him know where you, your family, or someone we know needs for him to intercede. Ask for the grace to carry out all things good with courage, dedication, and sacrifice.
St. Joseph is the patron saint of the Universal Church, of workers, of families, of fathers, of travelers, of unborn children, of immigrants, of dying a happy death.
I will be praying for you on Friday! Many graces come to us by way of the Holy Family and we are grateful to St. Joseph for his protection and intercession.
Fr. Schambough.
A prayer to St. Joseph:
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires. O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him close in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for me, Amen.