One of my "little" joys this week was to learn from a proud mother parishioner that her two youngest daughters (still little children) enjoyed watching on our YouTube channel the morning show of "Fr. Alain and Fr. Ben" praying the daily reflections of the 33-day Consecration to St Joseph. I was rather puzzled, and I questioned these little children: "what have you learned about St Joseph? " and I got the most beautiful answer: "when I love St Joseph, he will help me to love Jesus!" Little children know best. This is what the Consecration to St Joseph is all about: to help lead us to JESUS! If you have not yet begun this Consecration, you can still join us and learn about a great model for your Christian life while discovering in St Joseph your Spiritual Father!

We just completed today February 24th, the tenth day of the Consecration to St Joseph, "Light of Patriarchs, Pray for us". The word Patriarch means Father. What all the patriarchs of the Old Testament foreshadowed, and all CHRISTIAN FATHERS are called to reflect, is the paternal light of God shining through the FATHERHOOD of ST JOSEPH. My own Father's name was Joseph, and he was truly the Patriarch of our family, always a good example of devoted Christian husband and loving father to my brother, sister, and myself. Tomorrow, Day 11, we will reflect on St Joseph "Spouse of the Mother of God". St Joseph is the model husband. Pope Benedict XVI said: "Dear Fathers, like St Joseph, respect and love your spouse; and by your love and your wise presence, lead your children to God."

Since my childhood, I have had a great devotion to HOLY MARY and little devotion to ST JOSEPH. My only devotion to St Joseph was through THE HOLY FAMILY. Today, I consider myself a Marian priest. Born near Lourdes in Southern France and living my entire childhood in Tarbes, only 10 miles away from Lourdes, OUR LADY has been an integral part of my spiritual life. I may have visited Lourdes 100 times. My home parish in the US for 30 years was OUR LADY OF MERCY .. and all my priesthood (except the first year) has been serving OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS parish. My favorite place of prayer in the US is close to Waldorf, The National Shrine of the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. I consecrated myself to Mary in my first year as seminarian and renewed my consecration to her three times every year since. I have consecrated my entire priesthood to Mary on the day of celebrating my first Mass. SO WHY SHOULD I CONSECRATE MYSELF TO ST JOSEPH? Father Calloway gave me the answer in the First Day of Consecration:
"Do you want to ascend to greater heights in the spiritual life? Consecration to St Joseph will take you there.. Consecration to St Joseph will help you become ANOTHER JOSEPH for Jesus and Mary. That is, entrusting yourself entirely to St Joseph helps you become a faithful, loving and trusting companion of Jesus and Mary...St Joseph is the INCREASER. He has paternal love for you and the power to INCREASE the presence of God in your life and take you to greater heights in the spiritual life. For centuries, this secret of St Joseph lay hidden. Saints, Mystics, and a handful of Popes knew of it. Now it is your turn to discover it."

Every day of the Consecration, I discover something new about St Joseph. My prayer is that in THIS YEAR OF ST JOSEPH, the world can benefit from the protection of this great, unknown Saint, especially (1) the FAMILY, which is more and more under attack by the devil, and also (2) the CATHOLIC CHURCH undergoing "vicious assaults from the world, the flesh, the devil, and some of her own children". My prayer is for all of us at OLHOC that in these challenging times, we can "discover St Joseph as a spiritual father that will help us to draw nearer to Jesus and Mary and experience an increase in virtue." As I mentioned to you several times, my greatest, personal desire is to be a "saint" right here right now and forever and ever... Our common desire should become a Holy parish so that we can walk together on this journey to HEAVEN!

Let us pray together with St PETER JULIAN EYMARD, a great Saint of the 19th century, founder of the CONGREGATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT: "I consecrate to you, good St Joseph, as my spiritual father. I choose you to rule my soul and to teach me the interior life, the life hidden away with Jesus, Mary and yourself...I consecrate to you as my guide and model in all my duties so that I may learn to fulfill them with meekness and humility: with meekness toward my brethren, my neighbor, and all with whom I come in contact; with humility toward myself and simplicity before God...O Jesus, give me Joseph for a father as you have given me Mary as a mother. Fill me with devotion, confidence and filial love. Listen to my prayer. I know that you will. Already, I feel more devout, more full of hope and confidence in good St Joseph, your foster father and my spiritual father. AMEN"

One in Christ,

Fr. Alain