Discalced Carmelite House of Studies, Ibadan, organised a public lecture on Devotion to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ.
The public lecture which took place at Chapel of Divine Union, St. John of the Cross Carmelite, Ologuneru, Ibadan on Wednesday, was themed: “Devotion to St. Joseph the Church as Envisioned by St. Teresa of Avila.”
Pope Francis had earlier declared December 8th, 2020 to December 8th, 2021 as a “Year of Saint Joseph.”
According to the Holy Father Pope Francis, quoting his predecessor, St. Paul VI, “St. Joseph, concretely expressed his fatherhood by making an offering of himself in love, a love placed at the service of the Messiah who was growing to maturity in his home.
“And because of his role at the crossroads between the Old and New Testament, St Joseph has always been venerated as a father by the Christian people. In him, Jesus saw the tender love of God, the one that helps us accept our weakness, because it is through and despite our fears, our frailties, and our weakness that most divine designs are realized.”
“Joseph is also a father in obedience to God: with his ‘fiat’ he protects Mary and Jesus and teaches his Son to do the will of the Father. Called by God to serve the mission of Jesus, he cooperated in the great mystery of Redemption.”
The guest speaker, Rev. Fr. Cyril Udom, OCD, who spoke on the topic: “Devotion to St. Joseph the Church as Envisioned by ST. Teresa of Avila,” explained that our request made in the church through St. Joseph should be a symbol of our confidence and trust in his power to intercede and obtain all our needs for us.
Rev. Fr. Udom stated that St. Theresa gave much importance to the status of St. Joseph as the physical and spiritual symbol of his presence in the hamlet communities and of course the church. St. Theresa has done this; she expects nothing less from us.
St. Theresa is often described as one who gave the age long devotion in the Church, especially in the Carmelite tradition.
Udom explained that “When St. Teresa recommended herself to St. Joseph, it was because she had trust and confidence in him.
“We can therefore learn from St. Teresa and celebrate his feast and days in a special way, the holy year of St. Joseph with all our hearts.
“Highly approved devotional prayers to St. Joseph, helped St. Teresa to obtain the divine blessings she was in need of.
“Devotion to St. Joseph is the most efficacious remedy we need in our society today. First, it leads us to Jesus, our mediator with God and Mary, our patroness and protectress. Second, through it, we enjoy the privilege of having St. Joseph as our advocate and intercessor,” he emphasized.
In a separate interview with CEOAFRICA, the guest speaker advised Christians all over the world to build on the treasures of the church and the opportunity the Holy Father Pope Francis has given to Christians this year, to celebrate the holy year of St. Joseph.
He said, “Christians especially Catholics should create time to pray, to make devotion to St. Joseph, and to emulate the virtues of St. Joseph, so that they may be pleasing to God.”
He, therefore, urged Christians to live a holy and righteous life, assuring that St. Joseph, who is known as our patron will certainly help us to get to heaven.
Also, Friar Francis Odigwe, OCD, the Prior of the Carmelite Community, Ibadan, disclosed that “The topic is apt”, especially in this year of St. Joseph, noting that it is a call to duty that needs us to propagate devotion to St. Joseph, and the need to let people know the riches, the powerful intercession of St. Joseph.
He said “St. Joseph prays for us. He is the provident father of the church and the protector of the church. We need to speak to him, just like Mary, because he is like a forgotten person, relegating his background in the course of the history of the church. This is an opportunity for us to bring him to the forum; place him where he belongs. Make people know that we have a father in him.”
Rev. Abraham Ugese, OCD said in a chat with CEOAFRICA, that he was impressed by the lecture.
He stated that “According to the lecture, right from the beginning of the Carmelite order, St. Joseph has been at the heart of our lives, and we see him as a provider and protector of our Carmelite order. A devotion to St. Joseph has been there in the Carmelite tradition and that was so much promoted by our holy mother St. Teresa of Avila.
“I am so happy and impressed; I know that at least we have been able to continue with this tradition. You can see, many people are here and we are going to continue to promote the devotion to St. Joseph.
“St. Joseph, the foster father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the husband of our mother, the blessed Virgin Mary has been the patron of the church. In 1870, Pope Pious the knight declared Joseph as the Patron of the protector of the universal church and by so doing, I know that after this declaration, the church has been reawakened to stand up to her feet in order to promote the devotion to St. Joseph.
“We cannot keep quiet about this holy man, the man who was trusted so much by God to entrust His son to. We cannot just be silent about our devotion to him. What I want the Christians to do is to promote the devotion to St. Joseph who is the Patron and protector of the Universal church and by so doing he will provide our individual needs at different points; he has never failed.
“St. Teresa will say, “Go to St. Joseph,” and each time even within our foundations, she was always making prayers to St. Joseph. St. Joseph will never disappoint. He is a father that is caring, he is a father that is always listening and yearning to the prayers of the children. He is ready to intercede for us before God. I invite all Christians to promote the devotion to St. Joseph.”
Mrs. Martha Onorieode, said “the lecture was an eye opener to some things we don’t know about St. Joseph who is the spouse of our blessed mother, Virgin Mary, who we know as the mother of the church. To me, this lecture is an eye opener that we cannot just have a devotion to our Mary devotion without having a devotion to our father St. Joseph.”
She advised Christians to see devotion to St. Joseph also as a priority.
Henry Okolo, a seminarian of the Catholic Diocese of Awgu currently studying at Dominican Institute Ibadan, in his interview, described the lecture as interesting, simple, straight on point.
He also advised Christians all over the world to go back to the scriptures to what it says about St. Joseph.
He mentioned that St. Joseph is a just man. He has learnt over the years by listening to God and praying to give God what is due and not just God, but also giving to men their dues.
Miss Clare Dohudge, in her words, said the lecture was “interesting and enjoyable”.
“It gave me more knowledge about St. Joseph,” she said.
At the tail of it, the Friar Odiigwe commended the organisers of the public lecture.
He acknowledged that the lecture was “apt”, “enlightening” and “thought-provoking.”
He added the community was proud of them.
The Prior encouraged Christians, most especially Catholic members to see the need to also do devotion to St. Joseph as it is done to St. Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He further explained that devotion to St. Joseph will as well make prayers answered through the intercession.
The public lecture, which acknowledged the essential roles St. Joseph played in the work of salvation, was graced by people from different walks of life.
