Devotions & Special Liturgies

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.


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).

 
Eucharistic Adoration
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will take place the first Friday of each month, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Parishioners are encouraged to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament in prayer and devotion. 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:  Deacon Gerry Scopilliti, Michelle Ward-Clayton, Julie Engelhart

Stations of the Cross
Held each Friday of Lent in church at 3:00 p.m. and at 7:00 p.m. in church (Good Friday - 3:00 p.m. only). During Lent Stations are included with our first Friday Eucharistic Adoration. 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

Jesus is condemned to death	Jesus takes up his cross	Jesus falls for the first time	The Virgin Mary meets Jesus
Simon of Cyrene is made to help Jesus bear the cross	Veronica wipes the face of Jesus	Jeus falls for the second time	Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
Jesus falls for the third time	Jesus is stripped of his garments	Jesus is crucified	Jesus dies on the cross
Jesus is taken down from the cross and laid in the arms of Mary	Jesus is laid in the tomb

The Holy Rosary - Contemplating Christ with Mary
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 4:20 p.m. Please 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 K of C Women's Auxiliary lead The Rosary at various times throughout the year. Please refer to the parish bulletin for further details.

The Rosary Prayer Group meets on Thursdays following the 8:00 a.m. morning Mass praying the rosary at 8:30 a.m.. The group, led by Sr. Joyce Schreiber, includes prayers for those names included on our prayer list. All are welcome.


100^th Anniversary of Fatima Renews a Message from Mary
May 13, 2017 marked the 100^th 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. And try to include the intention of peace somewhere. It is so simple even young children can get it.


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.


Blue Mass For Safety Forces