Devotions, holy days & Special Liturgies
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Faith involves both the head and the heart. Catholic devotions and traditions enliven and nurture our Catholic faith, touching our hearts and allowing us to express our love of God. We hold a number of special seasonal liturgies that have become an integral part of the worship life of this parish (see below).
Lighting A Candle
When you enter St. Joseph Church, you’ll see small side altars with statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of Saint Joseph and rows of votive candles. The word “votive” comes from the Latin “votum” meaning “vow,” and these candles are, when lit, used to symbolize our prayers, vows of prayer, or simply our honoring God or one of His Saints. They are lit outside of Mass (before or after, or during simple visits to a church) – usually for a specific intention.
It’s a very Catholic thing to say to someone that you will “light a candle for them,” meaning that you will pray for them and ritually symbolize those prayers by the lighting of votives. We light the candle while praying for our intention or offering our thanks and then leave the flame burning as signs of our prayers. The Catholic custom of lighting candles is rooted in Church teaching that Christ is the Light of the World. Candles serve as an outward sign of the light of faith burning in our hearts. They help us to draw into communion with the Living Christ. They are our silent sentinels lifting up our prayer intentions to the Lord. You will see blue envelopes for donations to help offset the cost for the candles (simply leave near the altar or drop in the collection basket).
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U.S. Catholic Holy Days of Obligation
The Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church says that there are nine holy days of obligation other than Sundays, but it also says that the local conference of bishops can suppress some of them or transfer them to a Sunday. Bishops in the United States have suppressed the feast of Saint Joseph and the feast of Saints Peter and Paul as holy days of obligation. In addition, the feast of Epiphany is always celebrated on a Sunday in the U.S., leaving us with six remaining days.
- Solemnity of Mary, January 1
- Ascension of Jesus, transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter in U.S.
- Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15
- Solemnity of All Saints, November 1
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, December 8
- Christmas, December 25
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The Holy Rosary
The Rosary is an incredible prayer. It's deceptively simple, and profoundly deep. A simple vocal prayer, and a school of silent contemplation. It's as small as a palm full of beads, and as wide as the Gospels. The Rosary will be prayed on Saturdays at 4:15 p.m. Please gather near our Mary statue and join us for this devotion. Leaders: Deacon Gerry Scopilliti, Sr. Joyce Schreiber, SND, Michelle Ward-Clayton, Susan Zukas
In addition, PSR classes and members of the the Sisterhood of St. Joseph lead The Rosary at various times throughout the year. Please refer to the parish bulletin for further details.
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May Crowning
The practice of May crownings dates back to 1837 and Pope Gregory XVI. Since then, it has been traditional for parishes, groups, or even families to hold a ceremony in which a statue or icon of Mary is “crowned” with a wreath of flowers or an actual gold crown, usually by young girls. The ritual varies from place to place and is often improvised, but usually consists of traditional Marian hymns, the recitation of the rosary, and Marian prayers. especially the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It may occur within the context of Benediction, or even a special Mass. A statue of Mary is honored with a wreath of blossoms to indicate Mary's virtues, virtues that were to be imitated by the faithful. The First Communion class leads this devotion to Mary in May. For specific date and time, please refer to bulletin and parish news.
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Miracle of Fatima
May 13, 2017 marked the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Mary to the children of Fatima in Portugal during the First World War. Mary instructed the children to pray the Rosary “to bring peace to the world and an end to the war.” Mary’s appearances continued until October 13, 1917, when Mary identified herself to the children saying, “I am the Lady of the Rosary. Please consider Mary’s invitation and Jesus desire that his disciples be bearers of his peace to the world. Praying the rosary is a means to becoming that kind of disciple. To pray the rosary requires, in its simplicity, our four basic Catholic prayers: The Sign of the Cross, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory be. Each decade can be recited for an intention you and your family want to pray for. Try to include the intention of peace somewhere. It is so simple even young children can get it.
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Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Parishioners are encouraged to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament in prayer and devotion from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. the first Friday of each month (beginning in 2020, our January, February, and March Adoration times are 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. to allow participants to attend before dark). The evening may include silent prayer, praise, worship, adoration, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, group prayer, and music. All are welcome to take part in this act of worshiping God as He is present in the consecrated Eucharist.
Leaders: Fr. Ed Stafford, Deacon Gerry Scopilliti, Michelle Ward-Clayton, Julie Engelhart
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Blue Mass for
Safety Forces
The Father John Cassidy Assembly #3034 of the Knights of Columbus cordially invite all local Law Enforcement, Fire, and EMT members and their families and all St. Joseph parishioners to a Blue Mass to honor our safety forces in September each year. The intent of this Mass is to recognize all the hard work and dedication these individuals do for our communities. A light reception follows immediately following in Hughes Hall courtesy of Father Cassidy Assembly. For more information, please contact Chuck Casalicchio (216-544-7332) or Jim Fields (330-402-2862).
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All Souls' Day
The Church has a long tradition of remembering those who have died, to the love and mercy of God. We do this in a special way on the Feast of All Souls’ Day observances and throughout November. Our Book of the Names of the Dead is in the Narthex during October for you to add the names of loved ones who have passed away.
All Souls' Day Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed is celebrated on November 2 at 10:00 a.m. Mass. Many who are grieving have expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of support offered by the parish community at this liturgy. Please plan to attend and join your prayers with those of the entire parish community as we express our faith, our belief in the resurrection and offer support to the grieving.
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The Way (Stations) of the Cross
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The Way of the Cross follows Jesus on his way to Calvary. There are fourteen stations, or stops along the route. They are depicted in churches by small carvings, pictures, or crosses along the wall of the church. The person(s) praying the stations goes from one to the next, remembering at each the passion and death of Jesus, and reflecting on some particular aspect of his suffering.
Stations are held each Friday of Lent in church at 3:00 p.m. and at 7:00 p.m. During Lent, Stations are included with our first Friday Eucharistic Adoration (no Adoration in 2020 due to other Lenten activities). Please come pray and reflect on our Lord's passion and its meaning for Catholics. All are welcome.Leaders: Fr. Ed Stafford, Deacon Gerry Scopilliti, Joanne Sawyer
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