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Show MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH. ' The month of March has been consecrated conse-crated .by the church to St. Joseph, whose feast occurs on the 19th. St. Joseph was, by birth, of the royal family fam-ily of David, but was living in huble obucurity as a carpenter, when God raised him to the highest sanctity, and fitted him to be the spouse of his Virgin-mother and foster-father and guardian of the Incarnate Word. Jo- ; seph. says the Holy Scripture, was a iust man- he was innocent and pure, : as became the husband of Mary; He i was gontle and tender, as one worthy to be named the father of Jesus; he : was prudent and a lover of silence as became the master of the holy house: above all, he was faithful and obedient ; to divine calls. Hi3 conversation was 1 with angels rather than with men. When he learned that Mary bore within with-in her womb the Lord of Heaven, he feared to take her as his wife; but an angel bade him fear not, and all doubts vanished. When Herod sought the Di- i vine Infant; an angel told Joseph in I a dream, to fly with the child and his j mother into Egypt. Joseph at once j arose and obeyed. When the danger was past' a third time an angel spoke, j and at his bidding, the faithful Joseph returned to the peace of Nazareth. Here for .'long years he lived, uniting with his domestic care and daily toil the contemplation of heavenly things until his work was done; and the greatest great-est of God's saints breathed his last in the arms of Jesus and Mary. St. Joseph was appointed Patron and Protector pf the Universal church by Pope Pius lX., Dec. 8, 1S70, at the Vatican Vat-ican Council. The month consecrated to him should be a month of prayer and special devotion. Do not miss mass on the, feast. |