December 8, 2020 – December 8, 2021 has been decreed the Year of Saint Joseph by Pope Francis. Mother of Divine Providence Church invites you to celebrate the Year of Saint Joseph by joining us in a Consecration to Saint Joseph. Consecration took place at the 4:00 PM Mass on Saturday, May 1, 2021, however, you can still do the consecration on your own. There will be an additional consecration on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at the 4:00 PM Mass. If you intend on preparing for this consecration over 33 days, you would begin on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. We invite you to visit our Saint Joseph shrine to the right of the sanctuary. Saint Joseph, pray for us!
The book we will be using is Consecration to Saint Joseph by Father Donald H. Calloway. This is a 33-day preparation for consecration. This book can be purchased via the following Platforms:
Amazon.com (The book is available with Prime as well as through other vendors on Amazon. The book may be back ordered at times, but several of our parishioners have said that they received their book far earlier than originally expected.)
Visit https://www.facebook.com/watch/mdpparish/445393666543725/ for a reading of the day's passage from the consecration book and reflection from Father Cioppi or another member of the MDP Pastoral Staff. Read along, pray, and reflect with us! These videos will be re-shared daily at 7:00 AM on www.Facebook.com/mdpparish beginning on Tuesday, November 2nd.
Traditionally, one of the final preparations for consecration is receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to consecration, and specifically in preparation for consecration. We welcome you to receive the Sacrament of Confession from 3:00 - 3:45 PM on Saturdays.
- What exactly is consecration to Saint Joseph? "It basically means that you acknowledge that he is your spiritual father, and you want to be like him. To show it, you entrust yourself entirely to his paternal care so that he can lovingly help you acquire his virtues and become holy. Total consecration to St. Joseph means you make a formal act of filial entrustment to your spiritual father so that he can take care of your spiritual well-being and lead you to God...Saint Joseph, in turn, will give those consecrated to him his loving attention, protection, and guidance." (Calloway, Consecration to St. Joseph, 5)
- Can I do this consecration if I have done another consecration? Yes! Even if you have done another consecration, such as a consecration to Mary, Morning Glory, Merciful Love, etc., you can still do this consecration! When doing a consecration, you are not exclusively consecrated to one thing or person! "God desires that all children be committed to the love and care of a mother and a father. You are not a member of a single-parent spiritual family...Total consecration to Mary is not diminished by total consecration to St. Joseph. Mary wants you to consecrate yourself to St. Joseph!" (Calloway, Consecration to St. Joseph, 5)
- How exactly do I do this consecration? "A simple prayer of entrustment is sufficient. However, if you truly want to understand the greatness of your spiritual father, it is best to follow a thorough preogram of preparation and consecration...[The book we will use] offers a comprehensive program of preparation and consecration to St. Joseph." (Calloway, Consecration to St. Joseph, 6)
- What is the format of the consecration provided by the book we will use? "I thought it best to emulate the tried-and-true 33-day preparation method employed by St. Louis de Montfort in his Marian consecration...Consecration to St. Joseph has three parts." (Calloway, Consecration to St. Joseph, 6)
- Each of the 33 days, read the day's preparation from Consecration to St. Joseph. You can do this on your own, or read with us daily on MDP's Facebook page.
- Read the noted passage of spiritual reading (noted at the end of each day's reading).
- Say a prayer to St. Joseph (noted at the end of each day's reading).
- Do I have to join a small group in order to be able to do the consecration with the parish? NO! The small groups are an optional addition. You can do the consecration with us by doing the daily readings on your own.