I had a lovely young couple with me last night, like most couples I marry or prepare for marriage they were living with one another. I have started asking them nowadays how they are going to arrange things so that on their wedding day they are going to "burn" with desire for one another with the same passion as those who live chastely should. I leave them to discuss it between themselves.I also remind them that marriage is a relationship that is exclusive, that chastity is as much part of marriage as sexual intercourse and at times they will have to, for love of one another, take up the cross and remain chaste, maybe for years.
In the love of St Joseph for the Blessed Virgin, there is already the cross present, there is self denial, there is a manly self abnegation.
Interesting, his feast occurrs during Lent.
16 comments:
+JMJ+
Wonderfully put, Father!
(It reminds me of a friend who was appalled when she learned some time ago that Mary and St. Joseph had never had sex. She thought that abstinence was an awful thing for God to demand from a married couple.)
Father, about St Joseph's falling during Lent...can it ever fall during Easter? I thought it couldn't, but the American LH (Idk about the British translation) has alleluia in red parentheses after the antiphons for St Joseph's proper. This indicates to me it can fall occur during OT or Eastertide. Is this true? Thank you, Father.
That the feast fell in Lent led to the development of the feast in Paschaltide celebrated in the Old Rite on the third Wednesday after Easter, the Solemnity of St. Joseph. This feast was granted an octave by Pius IX on 8th December 1870 and St. Joseph proclaimed Patron of the Universal Church.
And a Happy St Joseph's Day to you too!
There is a final Fit for Mission coming out soon from Bishop P O'Donoghue of Lancaster. It is on marriage preparation. If it is half as good as the other two issues it will be well worth reading.
Well done Father.
I never wondered before why St. Joseph had his feast day then! I do hope they showed tenderness and affection to each other sometimes though.
I'm sad that so many are chosing to live together these days.
Carl,
If the 19th March feast falls during Holy Week it is transferred to the Monday after Low Sunday - hence the Alleluias in parentheses.
And how is it that you characterize these two as a "lovely young couple" when they are living in a state of mortal sin?
Jerry O
Jerry
They were indeed a lovely couple. Mortal Sin demands knowledge and consent of the will, (as well as grave matter).
Father,
Are you then saying that they are not in mortal sin? If so, are you also saying that cohabitation is not a mortal sin?
Jerry
Father,
Are you then saying that they are not in mortal sin? If so, are you also saying that cohabitation is not a mortal sin?
Jerry
Are you then saying that cohabitation is not a mortal sin?
Jerry
Jerry, You can read the Catechism as well as I can.
As a pastor do not presume couples who are living at the same are having a sexual relationship.
Fornication is certainly gravely sinful, but read what I suggested above, what the CCC about the conditions necessary for "Mortal sin". Ignorance reduces guilt and culpability.
Jerry, You can read the Catechism as well as I can.
As a pastor do not presume couples who are living at the same are having a sexual relationship.
Fornication is certainly gravely sinful, but read what I suggested above, what the CCC about the conditions necessary for "Mortal sin". Ignorance reduces guilt and culpability.
Rubricarius,
Thank you for the explanation.
Jerry,
They're lovely because unlike you, Father has some training (and common sense) about dealing with those real-world human beings that walk through the doors at his parish. Failing to make a bigger deal out of the cohabitation, a fuss that might send them away angry, hurt, and confused, is not tacit condonation. Instead, I believe Father just might have a bit of trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to lead this young man and woman towards interior conversion of the heart.
How can anyone cohabiting with their intended, walking up to a priest asking about marriage, be anything other than a tragedy, deserving of Father's most careful and cautious attempts at "rapprochement"?
Warren
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