This Week's Message
from Fr. Amesse
December 8, 2024

I received a message from a young woman.  She was in the youth group at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Brownsville, Texas.  She is now married with 2 children.  About a month ago she had a dream.  Her grandfather, in the dream, visited her 2 daughters.  He hugged them. 

The mother of the 2 asked me to offer a Mass for her grandfather.  I did.  I did not ask why?  Was she nervous?  Did she think grandpa was coming to bring them with him to be with the Lord?  The grandfather died a few years ago.  I am convinced the mom asked for a Mass to bring peace to her family.    

We are about to enter a Holy Year.  Archbishop Henning has approved for St. Joseph the Worker to be a special place of pilgrimage.  This means, whenever a person enters the Shrine to pray, God will grant an indulgence.  How can I make it clear to you what this means? I will share more next week about what an indulgence is. 

I have been bringing Holy Communion, every day, to the man who plays the organ and leads us in song at the 4pm, 10am and noon Masses, Sunday.  Jim was not in good shape.  I did not think he would make it.  Now, the cancer he has, is in remission.  Well, a week before Thanksgiving, Jim returned to his day job.  

I brought him Communion.  When I entered the office, Jim stood and gave me the biggest, wholesome smile.  As we enter the Shrine during Holy Year, with faith, and a love for Pope Francis, and the promise to stop sinning, Jesus will rise, and give us a huge and wholesome smile. 

This will bring to us, God’s peace.      

I remember you at Mass.

Holiday Snowscapes are back!

Again this Christmas season, from now through the Feast of the Epiphany, we are featuring a display of Holiday Snowscapes. These creations—hand crafted by our own Fr. Ron Meyer and motivated by the ‘Keep Christ in Christmas’ sentiment—will be arrayed in the Shrine’s downstairs Hall.

Entrance to the Snowscapes display is available through the Gift Shop/Bookstore on Monday through Saturday from 9 to 5. Sundays during morning Mass times. 

Catholic Conversations

2023 St. Joseph the Worker Christian Worker Award winner Dr. Rebecca Duda interviews Brother Richard at the St. Joseph the Worker Shrine Oblate Historical Museum. Br. Richard is the Shrine Historian and Museum Curator.

Our Lady of Guadalupe
Thursday, December 12

When Mary appeared to Juan Diego as Our Lady of Guadalupe, she had encouraging words for him. "Am I not here, I who am your mother?" In the image on Juan Diego's tilma (tunic), Mary identifies herself with the Aztec people. She has their hair and features, their symbolic maternity dress. She incorporated their important symbols of the sun, moon, and stars. Today's Mass includes two Gospel options. Both are familiar passages from the Gospel of Luke - the Annunciation and the Visitation. Both are equally relevant to today's feast because Mary's yes to Christ isn't only to care for him but to come to us. Our Lady of Guadalupe is pregnant. The image bears witness to Mary's yes to conceive the Savior of the World. But even in her pregnancy, she goes to care for Elizabeth. Now Mother to all the world, Mary comes to the aid of her children, reminding them of her presence among them.

Blessing of Nativity Figures
Sunday, December 15
 

December 15, we invite you to bring a figure from your home Nativity to be blessed during Mass on that third Sunday of Advent. That representative figure will convey the Christmas Blessing from the Shrine to your home when incorporated into your own Nativity display. The blessing will take place after the Prayer of the Faithful by simply standing while holding-up your figurine for the blessing.

First Fridays at the Shrine
Next First Friday, January 3

Immediately following the 8:00 am Mass, we will pray the Rosary with reflections written by the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen.

Immediately after the Noon Mass to 5:15 we will have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Please keep First Fridays fervent here at the Shrine by spending some time with our Lord. 

Legion of Mary
at the Shrine

Meetings are held in the downstairs Conference Hall each week after the Sunday 12:00 noon Mass.

The Legion of Mary is a Marian movement founded in Ireland in the 1920’s. It is currently the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis’ December
Prayer Intention

We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

As an adolescent and young man, you longed to reconcile your parents, but suffered from the pain of the irreparable separation of your parents and your wish for them never being realized. 

St. Eugene de Mazenod, lead us to Jesus through the trials of life.

St. Joseph
Spouse of the Mother of God
Pray for us!

Full Litany of St. Joseph

Praying with the Stained Glass Windows of
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine

Part I - The 100 Year+ Windows Series
Part II - The St. Joseph Windows

May 27, 2024 - End of 40 Hours of Devotion Eucharistic Procession

Self-Guided Tour
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine

Ring the Bells of the Shrine

Everyday of the year, the “Bells of St. Joseph” ring-out God’s praise for all to hear!

Our Carillon can play Special Hymns of your choice any day of the year. At your request, our chimes will ring in honor of loved ones for the entire community to hear and prayerfully remember.Your offering of $20.00 will be greatly appreciated and will assist us in maintaining the Shrine and its ministries. Thank You!

Bell-ringing selections may be reserved for specific days & times throughout the year(s) in the Shrine Gift Shop/Bookstore.

St. Eugene de Mazenod’s Prayer to the Sorrowful Mother

 O Lord, Almighty God, you endowed the Blessed Virgin Mary with the fullness of every gift and grace. By allowing her heart to be pierced with the deepest sorrow, you crowned her merit and placed her at the head of countless legions of martyrs who, for love of your Son Jesus Christ, have shed their blood. Through the painful martyrdom endured by this gentle Mother seeing her beloved Son dying as a Victim because of his love for us, grant us the grace to bear with fortitude the disappointments and setbacks in our life, and not to fear torment or death itself, when we are called to confess our faith in Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Confession

Mon - Friday
10:00 am - noon
4:30 pm - 5:15 pm

Saturday 
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

First Wednesday of the month

Eucharistic Adoration

The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration on -

Saturday after the noon Mass until the 4:00 pm Mass
First Fridays after the noon Mass until the 5:30 pm Mass