Posted on 04/29/2005 7:22:48 AM PDT by jrny
I wanted to start a discussion about the upcoming feast of St. Joseph the Worker. In the traditional Mass (Missals dated between 1956 and 1962), this feast is celebrated on May 1st. as a feast of the First Class. This year it falls on Sunday and therefore, it supersedes the 5th. Sunday after Easter, with a Commemoration of the Sunday.
History...The feast was established by Pope Pius XII in 1955 (and first celebrated in 1956) as an effort to Christianize the Communist May Day. Pius XII gave Catholic workers a role model in St. Joseph and a correct understanding of the dignity of labor, as opposed to the Marxist falsehoods concerning labor.
Liturgically...prior to 1956, there existed the Feast of the Solemnity of St. Joseph, which was celebrated on the Wednesday after the 2nd. Sunday after Easter. It was termed Solemnity to refer to the fact that the Church wanted to celebrate St. Josesph in the full splendor and joy that was curtailed on his actual feast in March, which almost always occurs during Lent. Also, May 1st. was the feast of the Apostles Sts. Philip and James. Pius XII transferred their feast to May 11th, and he eliminated the Solemnity of St. Joseph in favor of St. Joseph the Worker. In the United States, the Mass of St. Joseph the Worker is also allowed as a Votive Mass of the 4th. Class on our Labor Day in September.
Sadly, in 1969 with the advent of the Novus Ordo, Pope Paul VI downgraded this feast to an optional Memorial on May 1st. Therefore, only traditional Mass venues who adhere to the Missals dated between 1956 and 1962 will be observing the feast of St. Joseph the Worker this Sunday. Traditionalists who adhere to pre-1956 Missals will be observing Sts. Philip and James this Sunday, while the Novus Ordo will be celebrating the 6th. Sunday of Easter.
Contentions...Some TLM priests and others still strongly object to this feast mostly because they see it as a platitude toward the Communists. I have witnedssed outright refusal to say this Mass among some priests who adhere to the 1962 Missal. In more cases, some traditionalists downplay this feast as much as they can within the letter of liturgical law. Personally, I don't understand the objection. What better way to trump the Communists than steal their message of "worker dominance" and replace it with a Christian view of the dignity of labor? What better patron than St. Joseph?
Any thoughts?
Ping.
I agree with you. I also do not understand the refusal to commemorate that feast. Then again, St. Joseph is my favorite saint!
As a Protestant,
it all sounds like a bunch of
lunatics mixing
politics with God,
and making religion look
like nannies fighting!
Christmas and Easter were similar and successful efforts to trump pagan celebrations. The Church uses elements of the natural world to convey us to the supernatural. That is basically a definition of liturgy.
Ping!
Do you some perspective since you many remember the implementation of this feast?
Is there a difference
between trumping pagans and
trivializing
Christianity?
If it's all the same, just with
updated posters,
why should pagans change?
If religion's just "drama,"
then why should kids care?
If as a Protestant you cannot appreciate Catholic Liturgy, then why in God's name are you trying to hijack my discussion?
Ping.
And how to you think that we have so many conversions to the Catholic faith?
It starts with little inquiries/comments like this.
*NOVENA PRAYER
*(prayer to be said at the end of each day's devotion)
Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you. You are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have special confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful with God and will never abandon your faithful servants. Therefore I humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at the hour of my death.
Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, obtain for me a pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore:
(Mention your request).
FULL TEXT
The Roman Catholic Church, the one and original, in business since 33 AD.
We're here to establish the reign of Christ the King. You betcha we're mixing politics, government and religion!
Not really. In HS, however, we were all reminded of this powerful saint, especially on March 19, by our teachers, members of the Sisters of St. Joseph. They celebrate his feast day.
They got it a**-backwards. The commie-friendly Novus Ordo hates this feast (hence its downgrading).
They got it a**-backwards. The commie-friendly Novus Ordo hates this feast (hence its downgrading).
I thought the same. Boggles my mind why the ultra-traditionalists hate this feast as much as the modernists? Strange bedfellows, huh?
Well I learned something today; I never knew St Joseph had another feast day on May 1. I thought March 19 was it. At first it did strike me as pandering to Communism. But if one understands Pope Pius XII's rationale for establishing the May feast, it's not a bad idea. Thinking of St Joseph/May Day along the same lines as Christmas/Saturnalia helps alot and makes it quite apparent this is not a concession to Communism.
When, five weeks later, Pius XII announced the feast of St. Joseph the Worker (which caused the ancient feast of Ss. Philip and James to be transferred, and which replaced the Solemnity of St Joseph, Patron of the Church), there was open opposition to it.
For more than a year the Sacred Congregation of Rites refused to compose the office and Mass for the new feast. Many interventions of the pope were necessary before the Congregation of Rites agreed, against their will, to publish the office in 1956—an office so badly composed that one might suspect it had been deliberately sabotaged. And it was only in 1960 that the melodies of the Mass and office were composed—melodies based on models of the worst taste.
"We relate this little-known episode to give an idea of the violence of the reaction to the first liturgical reforms of Pius XII".
I wonder if this is true. The author makes an error later in the article: John XXIII introduced the name of St. Joseph into the Canon during the council, violating the tradition that only the names of martyrs be mentioned in the Canon. He forgot that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first saint mentioned in the Canon!
Right off the SSPV website! No surprise here :)
against their will, to publish the office in 1956—an office so badly composed that one might suspect it had been deliberately sabotaged. And it was only in 1960 that the melodies of the Mass and office were composed—melodies based on models of the worst taste.
Is this opinion or fact? Who determined what is bad composition or taste? I have a copy of the Office, and its antiphons are beautiful ("Christ became worthy to be the son of an artisan"), and the Introit is sung in a beautiful and joyful 7th. Mode. The readings of Matins incorporate the passage of Genesis about how work was dignified BEFORE the fall, and also the writings of Pius XII in establishing this feast.
violating the tradition that only the names of martyrs be mentioned in the Canon. He forgot that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first saint mentioned in the Canon!
Actually, Our Lady is considered the Queen of Martyrs, and hence they (SSPV) will tell you that she rightfully should be included in that list.
Of course, however true it may be! :-Þ
Is that in the Liber Usualis?
Only if your Liber is dated 1956 or later.
St Joe ping!
AREN'T THOSE INVOLVED IN THE SSPV excommunicated?
especially since they are using THEIR OWN LITURAL calendar-AND NOT THE CALENDAR OF THE CHURCH?? THEREFORE NOT IN COMMUNION WITH THE CHURCH...????
In case you or anyone needs a refreshed...
The SSPV (Society of St. Pius V) was formed in 1983 as a result of 9 priests who broke away from the SSPX (Society of St. Pius X) over liturgical differences and acceptance of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and the legitimacy of Pope John Paul II.
Formally excommunicated? No.
De facto excommunicated? Yes, since they are sedevacantists.They have no desire to be in communion with the Pope.
The choice of liturgical calendars is not an excommunicable offense.
I know all about the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. I am very good friends with a group called the Catholic Worker (great soup kitchens, but total lefties) who celebrate their founding on this day as well. Dorothy Day herself was what I would call a Christian Anarchist-Pacifist, but always faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Pope had to do something public to counter the belief that the left were the only ones concerned about the working person. I personally celebrate the other feast of St. Joseph March 19....can't help it, I have an Italian mother.
I'm paisane too! I am going to try to extend some of the festivities of March 19th. to May 1st. as well...especially the food part!
In my memory, it was not appreciated in the spiritual sense at all. It was a classification to be avoided. People who were above that station, while giving due Christian deference to the intrinsic value of the laborer, wuold have recoiled with horror should their child aspire to be no more than such.
If my perceptions are accurate, and I think they are, even and especially among Catholics, the laborer is tolerated but not truly admired or appreciated outside the sympathy factor.
Why don't they wish to be in communion with the Pope????because of non latin masses?
WHY don't they just attend the Latin masses of the "Fraternity of St Peter" which is approved by the Holy See?
You have just asked three $64,000 questions...the answers to which are complicated and would turn this thread into another flame war.
Given recent events, maybe we can toss him into the prayer mix.
St. Benedict is celebrated on March 21st. in the traditional calendar, but we'll invoke his intercession just the same any day.
Prayers all the same.
Sunday is also my youngest daughter's First Holy Communion!
Congratulations and God bless her!
The short answer is that the issue goes well beyond the Latin Mass itself.
I am sure you did not intend to start a flame war. There are others here who would jump on you and me over these issues. I just want to keep this thread on topic about the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker instead of it turning into a Trad/Novus Ordo fight.
I think it's an important feast. Though I admit I thought it was merely a coincidence between the date of the first and the celebration of May Day.
I don't necessarily think we should begin pumping up feast days or solemnities for the sole purpose of trumping or "outflanking" a heresy or idolatrous practice.
The feast is worthy in it's own rite. I think it's good that it is moved outside the Lenten calendar so that the solemnity is,...well,..less solemn.
The feast is worthy in it's own rite. I think it's good that it is moved outside the Lenten calendar so that the solemnity is,...well,..less solemn.
I agree...but there are still 2 separate feasts of St. Joseph. The more well known one is March 19th., which always falls in Lent, and tomorrow, which always falls in Easter time.
Solemn as defined liturgically does not mean somber or serious...it means more important and more joyful actually. So, Easter is the most solemn season. Sunday is the most solemn day of the week. The Solemn Tones of Chant are more ornate, etc., etc.
For what it's worth, the 2004 calendar put out by the Angelus Press (SSPX) lists May 1 as the feast day of St. Joseph the Workman.
Of course they do...the SSPX does follow the 1962 Calendar. What I witnessed, however, was 2 individual priests of the SSPX refuse to say the Mass of St. Joseph the Worker.
More common, however, is the fact that everywhere I have been in the SSPX, they downplay the feast. They say the Mass, yes, but there is a never a High Mass for it, Vespers, or even a mention of it from the pulpit. On the other hand, the Feast of St. Joseph on March 19th. is always observed with great solemnity. So, what I don't understand is why they do not afford the same honors to St. Joseph on his other feast with all the extra pomp that is becoming of a first class feast.
The fact that the feast this year fell on Sunday sort of forced them to celebrate it with more solemnity this year.
Trump the communists? They've been ripping off and bastardizing and secularizing Holy Doctrine from the start. A little reflection will lead to the inevitable conclusion that it is the "spirit of Antichrist." It's not atheistic for nothing. Pardon me if I state the obvious.
BTTT on the Optional Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1, 2007!
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