杏MAP导航

By Robin Gomes

The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on Saturday introduced 7 new invocations to the litany in honour of St. Joseph. The initiative comes during the Year of St. Joseph which 杏MAP导航 Francis declared from 8 December 2020, to 8 December 2021.

In a letter to the presidents of bishops鈥� conferences around the world, the Secretary of the Congregation, Archbishop Arthur Roche and Undersecretary, Father Corrado Maggioni, SMM, explained the reason behind the move. 鈥淥n the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church, the Holy Father, 杏MAP导航 Francis, published the Apostolic Letter Patris corde, with the aim 鈥榯o increase our love for this great saint, to encourage us to implore his intercession and to imitate his virtues and his zeal鈥�,鈥� they wrote. 鈥淚n this light, it appeared opportune to update the Litany in honour of Saint Joseph, approved by the Apostolic See in 1909, by integrating seven new invocations drawn from the interventions of the 杏MAP导航s who have reflected on aspects of the figure of the Patron of the Universal Church.鈥�

The Congregation presented the new invocations to 杏MAP导航 Francis, who approved their integration into the Litany of Saint Joseph. 

The new invocations, originally in Latin, are as follows: Custos Redemptoris, Serve Christi, Minister salutis, Fulcimen in difficultatibus, Patrone exsulum, Patrone afflictorum, Patrone pauperum. These could be translated as: Guardian of the Redeemer, Servant of Christ, Minister of salvation, Support in difficulties, Patron of exiles, Patron of the afflicted and Patron of the poor.

With these additions, the invocations in the Litany to St. Joseph now rise to 31. 

The Congregation said, 鈥淚t will be the responsibility of the Episcopal Conferences to see to the translation and publication of the Litany in the languages which are within their competency; these translations do not require the confirmation of the Apostolic See.鈥� The Congregation has also allowed the bishops conferences to add other invocations with which St. Joseph is honoured in their countries. 鈥淪uch additions,鈥� it said, 鈥渟hould be made in the proper place and preserve the literary genre of the Litany.鈥�