January 17, 2021
The Year of St. Joseph 
Pope Francis has proclaimed a special “Year of St Joseph,” beginning on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 2020 and ex-tending to the same feast in 2021. The Apostolic Penitentiary has made a decree to grant a special indulgence this year. (https://www. vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-12/apostolic-penitentiary-plenary-indulgence-year-st-joseph.html)

Conditions for the plenary indulgence The plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the Pope’s intentions) to Christians who, with a spirit detached from any sin, participate in the Year of St. Joseph on these occasions and manners indicated by the Apostolic Penitentiary: - The plenary indulgence is granted to those who will meditate for at least 30 minutes on the Lord’s Prayer, or take part in a Spiritual Retreat of at least one day that includes a meditation on St. Joseph. “St. Joseph, an authentic man of faith, invites us”, the decree reads, “to rediscover our filial relationship with the Father, to renew fidelity to prayer, to listen and correspond with profound discernment to God’s will.” - The indulgence can also be obtained by those who, following St. Joseph’s example, will perform a spiritual or corporal work of mercy. St. Joseph “encourages us to rediscover the value of silence, prudence and loyalty in carrying out our duties,” the decree notes. - The recitation of the Holy Rosary in families and among engaged couples is another way of obtaining indulgences, in order that “all Christian families may be stimulated to recreate the same atmosphere of intimate communion, love and prayer that was in the Holy Family.” - Everyone who entrusts their daily activity to the protection of St. Joseph, and every faithful who invokes the intercession of St. Joseph so that those seeking work can find dignifying work can also obtain the plenary indulgence. On 1 May 1955, Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of St. Joseph “with the intent that the dignity of work be recognized by all, and that it inspires social life and laws, based on the fair distribution of rights and duties.” - The plenary indulgence is also granted to the faithful who will recite the Litany to St. Joseph (for the Latin tradition), or the Akathistos to St. Joseph (for the Byzantine tradition), or any other prayer to St. Joseph proper to the other liturgical traditions, for the persecuted Church ad intra and ad extra, and for the relief of all Christians suffering all forms of persecution. Because, the decree notes, “the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt shows us that God is there where man is in danger, where man suffers, where he runs away, where he experiences rejection and abandonment.”

Father Jamie

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The Pastor's Ramblings

MANY THANKS. I just want to express my deep thanks to all those who have expressed words of sympathy to me upon my fathers death. I am over the initial shock however your kind thoughts: either in person, in a card, in a prayer, in a mass intention, in a donation, email, text, or in phone call have been com-forting, to say the least. I am so blessed by your care and concern. I also want to take this time to express my thanks for all the Christmas Cards and gifts on behalf of all of us priests in the region. We appreciate your generosity. Lastly, I want to thank you for the birthday wishes. It is always nice to be remembered and thought of.

RIP. Rest In Peace long time SMSJ pa-rishioner Shirley McKenrick. She is the mother of 11 and grandmother to 27 and will be dearly missed. William “Bill” Downing passed away on Dec. 29, 2020 and the Mass took place on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. He was a parishioner of St. Cecilia with his wife Lorraine. May he rest in peace. Rest in peace Timothy Jeffreys, hus-band of Joanne, who was a long time teacher from St. Cecilia Schools. Mass of Christian burial was held on Jan. 6 at St. Cecilia.

CONGRATULATIONS! Trevor and Tanner Hennings celebrated the sacrament of marriage on Sat., Jan. 2.