Wednesday, October 2, 2013

First Nine Wednesdays are devoted to St. Joseph

 
Wednesdays came to be observed as St. Joseph's particular day of the week. In 1876 the Marist Teaching Brothers received permission to commemorate St. Joseph every Wednesday in their recitation of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin. It has already been noted that in 1883 the Roman Missal and Breviary established Wednesday for St. Joseph in assigning Votive Masses and Offices to the various days of the week. Subsequently on occasion particular churches were granted additional privileges for Wednesday votive Masses. At the request of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, indulgences were granted in 1921 to the faithful who make special St. Joseph devotions on the first Wednesday of each month, and these were increased in 1933. A contemporary author, Andrew Doze, leads us to the reflection that Wednesday, the fourth day of the week, is the middle day referring both to the first day, Sunday, the day of the Lord, and the last day, Saturday, the day assigned to Mary; St. Joseph's intimate relationship with Jesus and Mary thus make Wednesday his appropriate day.
 
 
 
 

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