College Chaplain
Happy Feast day to you all
the solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the blessed virgin mary
Friends,
As we draw near to the great Paschal Feast and the entire Easter Season, our college, students and teachers and staff, Catholics and non-Catholics, have made a great preparation to join the biggest celebration of the Catholic Church and all Christians.
Last Wednesday with the help of the Mercy Sisters, Sr Theresa Foley and Sr Patricia Johnsons 8 priests from our diocese, two priests from Wagga Wagga, Fr Sean Byrne and Fr Cyprian Onuorah, Fr Anthony Dunn from Leeton, Fr Toni Oboshi from Narrandera, and Priests from Sacred Heart Parish, Griffith, Fr Tony Schipp, a retired priest living in Griffith, especially with the help of Miss Domenica Polimeni and Mr Gabriel Abdala, our Marian College had made a day for reconciliation with God and others. We give thanks to the Lord for his grace of forgiveness and mercy upon us and also to pray for ourselves that we can truly make a good and new resolution to lead a better Christian life after confession. We also give thanks to the Lord for those who worked hard to help us receive the grace of God. May the Lord grant them many blessings and graces upon their lives so that they can be the instrument of love and mercy of God and share the joy of being Christian to others.
As we move towards the Paschal Triduum and Easter Sunday, let us prepare ourselves spiritually. If we haven't got a solution for Lent, I invite you all to make more effort to deal with that and live the spirit of Lenten Season - Prayer - Fasting - Almsgiving. The purpose of this lenten spirit is to help us to return to God, come closer to Him and receive God's grace especially through the Eucharist and Reconciliation, and join the joy of Easter.
Let us remember, to go to the glory of the resurrection we will all go through the Cross of Christ. So I invite you all to join the Stations of the Cross with our College and meditate on the Crucifix.
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of St Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom
Pope Francis declared this year 2021 to be the year of St. Joseph. In his Apostolic Letter, the Pope wrote: ‘Joseph, then, teaches us that faith in God includes believing that he can work even through our fears, our frailties and our weaknesses. He also teaches us that amid the tempests of life, we must never be afraid to let the Lord steer our course. At times, we want to be in complete control, yet God always sees the bigger picture.’ (Patris Corde, 2020).
As we celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph, let us learn from this great saint how to have a faith that trusts in God at all times.
I invite you all to join me in this prayer to Saint Joseph.
God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit Have mercy on us
Holy Mary Pray for us
Saint Joseph Pray for us
Spouse of the Mother of God Pray for us
Chaste Guardian of the Virgin Pray for us
Foster-father of the Son of God Pray for us
Model of all who labour Pray for us
Reliable friend of Saint Mary of the Cross Pray for us
Hope of the sick Pray for us
Patron of the dying Pray for us
Protector of the Holy Church Pray for us
V. He has made him master of his house
R. and Ruler of all his possessions.
Let us pray:
O Lord, in your loving providence, you chose St Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in Heaven, whom we venerate as our protector on earth. AMEN.
Fr Paul