St Joseph and Perpetual Adoration
by Matt O’Connell - Coordinator of the Diocesan Perpetual Adoration Chapel
17 September 2023
The last issue of Inform featured an article about the 200 men who gathered with our Bishop for breakfast in mid May. During the breakfast we heard the story of the Christchurch South Parish Men's group, which grew from five members to nearly 30. They told us about a book called "Consecration to St Joseph" by Fr Donald Calloway MIC and how, as a group, they had twice completed this 33-day consecration. At the end of the breakfast, Bishop Gielen challenged all those men present to form small groups and make the consecration. A friend suggested that a small group of us make the consecration together. We began on 20 July and will finish on 21 August - the feast of Our Lady of Knock.
I must say that this consecration has been transformative. The book contains some of the most profound writings about St Joseph I have ever read. I would urge every man in the Diocese to obtain a copy, form a small group, and begin. You might wonder what St Joseph has to do with Perpetual Adoration. One of the readings prescribed during the consecration is entitled "Perpetual Adoration." The writer talks about the family home in Nazareth as being the "first Christian Monastery," and that the vocation of St Joseph was one of Perpetual Adoration - being with Jesus for all those hidden years. In the reading, the writer talks about St Peter Julian Eymard. This saint is known as the Apostle of the Eucharist, having promoted Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and founding two Religious Congregations to promote Adoration. He wrote a book called ‘The Month of St Joseph’ which talked about St Joseph's life of prayer and adoration.
“When we see how close Joseph came to Jesus, how thoroughly he was transformed into him, we grasp his true greatness, his real sanctity. We find in him (St Joseph), the perfect adorer, entirely consecrated to Jesus, working always near Jesus, giving Jesus his virtues, his time, his very life; it is thus that he is our model and inspiration.”
We have been blessed to have a Perpetual Adoration Chapel in Christchurch for ten years. In the chapel, following in the footsteps of St Joseph, you too can come closer to Jesus and be transformed into him. In the chapel we also have a relic of St Peter Julian Eymard.
If you would like more information about the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, please contact me on chchadoration@gmail.com or (03) 366 9869.
If you would like to make the Consecration to St Joseph, there are several books available at the Diocesan Office. Please contact me to obtain one.
