-Read the Book
- Make a 33-Day Consecration
- Trust your life to St. Joseph

As you may know, this Year of Grace 2021 has been dedicated as the Year of the Eucharist by Archbishop Aymond and the Year of St. Joseph by Pope Francis. Throughout the year, we will pay special attention to the importance of the Eucharist and St. Joseph in our Catholic faith. Of these two, you may be asking yourself why St. Joseph, as we know so little about him. He is most prominent during the Christmas season, but after that, we rarely hear his name again unless he is referenced on feast days of our Blessed Mother or on his feast day, March 19th. Despite the fact that he is rarely mentioned, he is one of the most powerful intercessors in our church, especially for those who are dying. There is so much we can learn from his silent life.

Late last year, Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC released a book entitled Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father. As the titles says, it is a way to consecrate yourself to St. Joseph. It involves 33 days of prayer in preparation for the consecration. It is a commitment to pray the prayers and readings each of the 33 days with the consecration occurring on the 33rd day. These prayers can take about 20-30 minutes each day. The feast of St. Joseph is celebrated by the church on March the 19th. It would be the ideal day for the Consecration celebration to take place. I encourage all of our parishioners to join this Consecration to St. Joseph movement here in our parish. I am making a special appeal to the men of our parish, the Men’s Club and the Knights of Columbus and all who are involved in the ministries of our parish. I make this appeal to the young men of our parish as well, as you are or will be the spiritual fathers of your families who can rely on the intercession of St. Joseph throughout your lives.

March 19, 2021, the Feast of St. Joseph will be the day to make our consecration to St. Joseph. This means the 33 days to consecration will begin on February 15th. It is imperative to order a copy of this book now if you wish to start on the 15th. You can order your books or get them at your favorite bookstore or online. Please sign up at the Transcontinental entrance or online at our website if you want to be in prayer with those of our parish who are making the consecration to St Joseph. More details to follow in our announcements on Sundays and on our website.

(Bookstore suggestions: St Paul’s Bookstore, Mule’s gifts and books, and the Catholic bookstore in New Orleans).

St. Joseph pray for us.

Deacon Tom Fox