faithful than he? A Saint of Scripture, the foster-father of our Lord, he was an object of the universal and absolute faith of the Christian world from the first, yet the devotion to him is comparatively of late date. When once it began men seemed surprised that it had not been thought of before; and now they hold him next to the Blessed Virgin in their religious affection and veneration" (Anglican Difficulties).

A devout Client of St. Joseph writes:

"The Church has not been satisfied with erecting temples and altars to the reputed father of Jesus; with founding confraternities or congregations; with annually celebrating his memory; with drawing up a proper Mass and Office, with hymns full of encomiums so sublime that they alone seem to form the fairest idea of a sanctity superior to that of all the blest. . . This being so, we may affirm that from the rising to the setting of the sun, where the names of Jesus and Mary are heard, resounds too the most sweet name of St. Joseph, who was chosen by God to be the guardian and protector of the Only Begotten of the Father; accomplishing in him that honourable promise of the Scripture, 'He that is the keeper of his Lord shall be glorified.' Pharaoh, the

monarch of Egypt, evincing his gratitude to the first Joseph gave him the superintendence of his palace, and his whole kingdom. The Church seems to have acted similarly with St. Joseph. . . I have no words, O St. Joseph, to express honour equal to thy merits, thy dignity, and thy ministry. I will call thee the glory of the Angels, and will endeavour to lead all by my example, to extol thy felicity, thy dignity, and thy virtues. I will call thee the anchor of hope that is sustaining the bark of the Church. I will applaud thee with the honour of a faithful minister of our salvation, advocate of guilty sinners, refuge of the afflicted, and comforter of the dying. I will give thee in two words the praises which thy authority merits. I will call thee the father of Jesus and the spouse of Mary. Most happy shall I be when I have the glory of hearing that, from ocean to ocean men chant thy glorious name, St. Joseph. My desire is, O foster-father of Jesus and spouse of Mary, that Angels and Christians, united in one harmonious choir of music, may applaud thy dignity, and signal merits; that thou mayest be more glorious than that Joseph who dreamt that he was worshipped by the sun, the moon, and eleven stars "Patrignani Valleyo, p. 305).

We might cite many other passages, espe cially from Pastorals written in our own times, by holy and learned bishops throughout Christendom, but we will end this section by a few words spoken some years ago by Pius IX. of saintly memory..

"I have seen," said the Holy Father, "a little picture which represents St. Joseph with the Divine Infant, who points towards him saying Ite ad Joseph-Go to Joseph. To you I say the same-Go to Joseph. Have recourse with special confidence to St. Joseph, for his protection is most powerful, now above all that he is the Patron of the Universal Church."

PIOUS REFLECTION.

My soul! Reflect on the all-wise Providence of God over each of His creatures, as well as over His holy Church. Age after age, as new and formidable enemies assailed the Church, God raised up new bulwarks in her defence. At one time God gives to His Church a great Saint to conquer an heresiarch; at another time He inspires a new Devotion to extinguish a schism. God knows "the times and the seasons," and hence His Divine Providence suits the Devotions to the wants cf His Church. God has reserved De

votion to St. Joseph for the 19th century. In this age St. Joseph, in a special manner, is "Patron of the Universal Church. "

God's watchful Providence is no less remarkable over individuals. Countless times God's all holy Providence has saved us, even unknown to ourselves, from death, and, worse still, from mortal sin. God gains our heart and wins our love by new Saints and new Devotions. Infinite thanks to God, each of us has St. Joseph, in a special manner, the Patron of a happy death.

RESOLUTION.

Knowing and believing God's infinite goodness to me, unworthy though I be, I resolve frequently, at least every day of my life, to thank God's tender, merciful, and patient Providence over me. How often, even when I knew it not, God's Providence saved me from the dangers of a sudden death, from the occasions of mortal sin, and from countless perils of body and soul.

Knowing, as I do, that everything upon which the Church sets her seal is holy and salutary; I resolve, if I be not prepared to practise, at least to treat with respect and reverence, all Devotions and Practices of

piety, approved of by the Church of God. Lastly, I resolve, every day of my life at least, if not oftener, to invoke St. Joseph to obtain for me the grace of a happy death.

PRAYERS.

My good and merciful God! I thank Thee for having created me and redeemed me. I wish that every breath I draw may be an act of infinite praise and thanksgiving, for Thy bountiful and tender Providence over me; for having so often saved me from hell, preserved me from the occasions of mortal sin, and watched over me by Thy Saints and Angels. O good God! may I think only of Thee, may I live for Thee, may I die for Thee. O merciful God! through the riches of Thy divine mercy, through the name and merits of Jesus, and through the intercession of Mary and Joseph, grant me the grace of a holy life and happy death.

A PRAYER OF ST. BERNARDINE OF SIENA TO ST. JOSEPH.

"Remember us, O Blessed Joseph, and by the power of thy prayers with thy reputed Son, intercede for us, and obtain also favour