MASS SCHEDULE
Weekend: Saturday 5:30 pm Vigil
Sunday: 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 noon
Holy Days: As Announced
Weekdays: Monday - Saturday: 8:15am
Sacrament of Penance
Saturday: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Eucharistic Adoration
First Friday of each month
9:00 am - 11:00 am
SAINTS & RELICS AT ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
A segment of the remains of a martyr or saint is a relic. The depositing of relics follows an ancient tradition of our Church,
and these relics help us remember the faith we share today has been passed down to us by saintly heirs of ages past. We should
remember that as we celebrate the Eucharist, that along with Jesus our risen Lord, we are in Communion with the saints in the
new altar. Along with St. Lawrence and St. John Neumann are relics of Irish and English saints. This is a prayer of peace and
reconciliation, not only in Northern Ireland but also of peace among all nations. The Icon panels mounted on the walls to either
side of the altar are of the same motif as the central triptych and the stations of the cross which surround the Church.
These icons, which depict the eight saints whose relics are now imbedded in the altar, were written (painted) by the same iconographer,
Peter Pearson:
St. Brigid of Ireland
St. Columbian of Leinster
St. Edward the Confessor
St. Lawrence O´Toole
St. John Neumann
St. Oliver Plunkett
St. Patrick
St. Thomas Beckett
St. Brigid of Ireland
St. Brigid of Ireland was probably born at Faughart near Dundalk, Louth, Ireland. Her parents were baptized by St. Patrick, with whom she developed a close friendship. Even as a young girl she evinced an interest for a religious life and took the veil in her youth from St. Macaille at Croghan. She settled with seven of her virgins at the foot of Croghan Hill. About the year 470 she founded a double monastery at Cill-Dara (Kildare) and was Abbess of the convent, the first in Ireland. The foundation developed into a center of learning and spirituality, and around it grew up the Cathedral city of Kildare. She founded a school of art at Kildare and its illuminated manuscripts became famous, notably the Book of Kildare, which was praised as one of the finest of all illuminated Irish manuscripts before its disappearance three centuries ago. Brigid was one of the most remarkable women of her times.
Her feast day is February 1.
St. Columban of Leinster
St. Columban was born about 559 and a native of Leinster. Columban was one of the greatest missionaries of the Celtic Church. He established numerous monasteries in Ireland, England and Italy. Columban left Ireland (c.590) with 12 monks, including Attala, and Gall. He lived the simplest life with his companions, on the bark of trees, the wild herbs, the bilberries in the firwoods, and whatever the neighbors would give, out of charity. There, in his long and close communion with bare and savage nature, every living creature obeyed his voice. At the end of some years the increasing number of his disciples obliged him to seek another residence and established himself in Gaul. He advocated the independence of the monastic movement from the Church and was indicted before a synod of French bishops. He went with Gall to Switzerland, where he preached to the Alemanni, a pagan Germanic people. Compelled to leave, he went to Italy and founded the monastery of Bobbio.
His feastday is November 23rd.
St. Edward the Confessor
St. Edward the Confessor was the son of King Ethelred III and his wife Emma. He was born at Islip, England, and sent to Normandy with his mother in the year 1013 when the Danes under Sweyn and his son Canute invaded England. Canute remained in England and the year after Ethelred's death in 1016, married Emma, who had returned to England, and became King of England. Edward remained in Normandy, was brought up a Norman, and in 1042, on the death of his half-brother, Hardicanute, son of Canute and Emma, and largely through the support of the powerful Earl Godwin, he was acclaimed king of England. In 1044, he married Godwin's daughter Edith. His reign was a peaceful one characterized by his good rule and remission of odious taxes, but also by the struggle. Edward became interested in religious affairs and built St. Peter's Abbey at Westminster, the site of the present Abbey, where he is buried. His piety gained him the surname "the Confessor".
His feast day is October 13th.
St. Lawrence O´Toole
St. Lawrence O´Toole was born about the year 1125. At the age of 10, he was given up as a hostage to King Mac Murehad of Leinster who treated him with such inhumanity, that his father obliged the King to turn him over to the Bishop of Glendalough. This holy youth grew to be such a model of virtues that at the age of only 25, he was chosen to replace the Bishop as abbot upon the Bishop´s death. He governed his community with virtue and prudence, and was unanimously chosen to fill the new See of Dublin in 1161. St. Lawrence was known for his piety, charity, and prudence, and was respected as a negotiator. In 1171, St. Lawrence visited King Henry II of England to handle affairs of his diocese. While approaching the altar to officiate at Mass, the Archbishop was violently attacked by a maniac. All present concluded it to be a mortal wound, but Saint Lawrence came to, asked for some water, blessed it and applied it to his wound. The bleeding immediately stopped, and the Archbishop continued to celebrate Mass.
His feastday is November 14th.
St. John Neumann
St. John Neumann was born in Bohemia in 1811. He was looking forward to being ordained in 1835 when the bishop decided there would be no more ordinations Bohemia was overstocked with priests. John wrote to bishops all over Europe to no avail. He had learned English by working in a factory with English-speaking workers so he wrote to the bishops in America. Finally, the bishop in New York agreed to ordain him. In New York, John was one of 36 priests for 200,000 Catholics. John's parish in western New York stretched from Lake Ontario to Pennsylvania. He spent most of his time traveling from village to village, climbing mountains to visit the sick, staying in garrets and taverns to teach, and celebrating the Mass at kitchen tables. John was appointed bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. As bishop, he was the first to organize a diocesan Catholic school system. A founder of Catholic education in this country, he increased the number of Catholic schools in his diocese from two to 100. The ability to learn languages that had brought him to America led him to learn Spanish, French, Italian, and Dutch so he could hear confessions in at least six languages. When Irish immigration started, he learned Gaelic so well that one Irish woman remarked, "Isn't it grand that we have an Irish bishop.
His feastday is January 5th.
St. Oliver Plunkett
St. Oliver Plunkett was born in Loughcrew in County Meath, Ireland on November 1, 1625. In 1647, he studied for the priesthood in the Irish College in Rome. On January 1, 1654, he was ordained a priest in the Propaganda College in Rome. Due to religious persecution, it was not possible for him to return to minister to his people. Oliver taught in Rome until 1669, then was appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland. He set about visiting his people, establishing schools, ordaining priests, and confirming thousands. 1673 brought a renewal of religious persecution, and bishops were banned by edict. went into hiding, suffering from cold and hunger. He remained a faithful shepherd to his people. He thanked God "Who gave us the grace to suffer for the chair of Peter." In 1679 he was falsely charged with treason. The government could not get him convicted at his trial in Dundalk. He was brought to London and was unable to defend himself because he was not given time to bring his own witnesses from Ireland. With the help of perjured witnesses, was sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn. With deep serenity of soul, he was prepared to die, refusing to save himself by giving false evidence against his brother bishops. Oliver Plunkett publicly forgave all those who were responsible for his death on July 1, 1681. On October 12, 1975, he was canonized a saint.
His feast day is July 11th.
St. Patrick
St. Patrick was born around 385. At age fourteen, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a shepherd slave. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people, but during his captivity, he often turned to God in prayer. At the age of twenty, he escaped after having a dream from God in which he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britian, where he reunited with his family. He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." He began his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, whom he had studied under for years. Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands, building churches all over the country. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, and it has been associated with him and the Irish since that time. Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick's message. Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions.
March 17th is his feastday.
St. Thomas Beckett
St. Thomas Becket was born in London. He studied both in London and at the University of Paris. Because his father's death left him broke, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who sent him on several missions to Rome, took him in and financed his education in canon law. St. Thomas became involved in the political happenings of the time, and was eventually appointed chancellor of England by Henry II, becoming the second most powerful man in England next to Henry. He was famed for the luxury and magnificence of his life-style, which took a dramatic turn when Henry nominated him Archbishop of Canterbury. He was ordained a priest the day before his consecration, and changed his life completely. Living in great austerity, he soon clashed with the King over clerical and Church rights. For six years these personal battles continued, until Henry was overheard saying he wished he were rid of St. Thomas. Four of his knights took him seriously, and murdered St. Thomas in his cathedral. The act shocked all of Europe, and St. Thomas was at once proclaimed a martyr.
His feast day is December 29th.