A Catholic Magazine on the Holy Angels Vol 8 • issue 4• 2017 £ 2,00 € 2,50 $ 5,00 ISSN 2081-5077 e Lamb e inestimable will conquer value of prayer Angels of people St Michael and St Faustina with indestructible faith God wanted me DEAR READERS CONTENTS God is love and He is close to us Page 3 St Joseph and teaches us how to speak a model for men the language of love. Page 4 Advent with St Faustina t Paul wrote, “The Lord is near” We can rely on the intercession of Page 6 The Lamb will and this expression has a delib- St Faustina, St John Paul II, St Padre conquer – book erate double meaning. First, the Pio, Blessed Father Michael Sopocko recommendation Lord is near in time and we should and many, many other saints. The S Page 10 Welcome St Michael expect him at any moment. There is Lord is near. always great excitement when a fa- When we are close to the Lord, He Page 11 Angelic mous person is expected to arrive, the is close to us when we are searching Pilgrimage 2018 crowds gather in anticipation when a for Him, He will answer our desires. star is due to appear. What great ex- He will fill our hearts with a divine and Page 12 The inestimable citement there is at the thought that merciful presence. value of prayer Jesus is about to come and we will I assure you of the constant prayer see Him. God is near in the Blessed of the priests of the Congregation of Page 14 God wanted me Sacrament and he comes to us each St Michael the Archangel for all our Page day during the Holy Mass. readers and their families. Kindly 16 Angels of people with Secondly, the Lord is near in the let others know about this magazine indestructible faith sense that He is already present in and also our new Q&A booklet that Page 18 The Rosary: this world, in the sacraments and answers many questions on the holy The Magnificat present in His spirit. He is present in angels and St Michael. meditation the Eucharist in the tabernacle and in We have a wealth of informa- each priest’s hands. A priest is a living tion including prayers, forthcom- Page 20 St Faustina sacrament, the hands of a priest are ing missions and pilgrimages, the and St Michael anointed by the Lord. Knighthood of St Michael, back is- the Archangel God being present in spirit, it sues of the magazine and much more means that we may sense His pres- on our English CSMA website. Page 23 Great masters ence. We hear His voice in our hearts, Ask your family and friends to view of the youth we speak to Him and although we it www.stmichaelthearchangel.info. Page cannot see the Risen Jesus we abide For the USA and Canada only 24 The cross, in His presence. www.stmichaelthearchangel.us as the symbol of He said, “I will be with you now and the Christian faith forever.” Jesus is indeed very near to God bless you. Page 26 Do we know our us today, tomorrow and every day. He constant companion? does not come alone but together with Fr Peter Prusakiewicz CSMA many saints who are close to the Lord. Marki, Poland Page 27 It is As it Is – book recommendation English translations: Agata Pawłowska, Isabel Brak, Joanna Jabłońska Page Graphics & Layout: Jacek Kawa 28 Missions and retreats TheAngels Website: www.stmichaelthearchangel.info Messengers from a loving God www.stmichaelthearchangel.us • www.kjb.24pl Page 29 Angelic items A Catholic Quarterly Magazine on Holy Angels Editorial Office:The Angels Magazine and CDs Publisher: The Congregation ul. Piłsudskiego 248/252, 05-261 Marki. Poland of Saint Michael the Archangel – Poland Email: [email protected] Page 30 Distributors The editors reserve the right to modify and edit submitted Editor-In-Chief: Father Peter Prusakiewicz (CSMA) articles with a view to brevity, clarity and style. / Bookshops Deputy Editor and Chief Co-ordinator: Noreen Bavister © 2017 CSMA – All rights reserved Editorial Staff:Agata Pawłowska, Karol Wojteczek, Imprimatur: General Superior of the Congregation of St Michael the Archangel Page 31 Prayers Magdalena Swierczewska, Magdalena Szczecina, Circulation: 4 000 Karolina Szydłowska ISSN 2081-5077 Printed in Poland Page 32 St Michael Chaplet 2 | The Angels | Vol 8 | issue 4 | 2017 SAInts St Joseph, a model for men From the earliest times in the Church, the faithful has honoured Joseph, foster father of Jesus. It was not until December 8th 1870 that Blessed Pius IX declared St Joseph as Father of the Universal Church. www.commons.wikimedia.org St Joseph with Jesus the Child by Juan Sánchez Cotán, 17th cent. nd yet, there is no written he could only afford two turtle doves to pray to St Joseph and named a record in the Gospels from St for sacrifice instead of a lamb. number of her foundations after him. Joseph. Instead he stands alone However, Joseph is revealed in He is also one of the patrons of the Aas the silent saint, a just man who his humanity as the “foster father” of Carmelite Order. was obedient to God’s instructions Jesus, drawing attention to the truth Nowadays St Joseph is recognised revealed to him by angels in dreams. about fatherhood which is much more as the most important saint after our He was a compassionate car- than a biological connection. Again, Holy Mother Mary. He is included in ing man accepting Mary’s pregnant his guidance is apparent both from every Eucharistic Prayer during the condition, concerned for her suffer- the spiritual and moral formation of Sacrifice of the Mass. ing and acquiescent to the angel’s the growing Jesus. He taught him to The faithful have a tradition of message of Mary’s Annunciation. pray, how to work and how to be a praying to St Joseph as the patron Although St Joseph is not the bio- man, carrying out his duties in quiet of workers. We can have no better logical father of Jesus, whose Father gentleness. It is this style that exem- example of a worker than St Joseph. is God alone, he lived his fatherhood plifies his whole existence by his ac- He provided everything necessary for fully and completely. He was a man of ceptance of God’s action in his spouse, the family with his diligence, stability total faith in God and at the behest of but always conscious of the mystery and serenity which were the virtues an angel he left everything he owned. of Mary’s Annunciation. in his life and work. It is little wonder Without knowing the outcome, he He was a real father to Jesus and with all of these attributes that work- fled to a strange country. He was act- communicated a parent’s strength ers turn to him in their need during ing to preserve the safety of Mary and and compassion, one who will suffer their working lives. the baby Jesus, only returning when and risk all for their family. St Joseph the faithful, gentle and in a dream an angel told him it was His intercession was often sought honourable foster father of Jesus and safe to return. by many of the saints. After several the chaste spouse of Our Blessed Although descended from a royal mystical experiences where St Teresa Mother Mary is still active in aid- lineage, Joseph was not a wealthy man of Avila (Teresa of Jesus) received ing souls on earth when they pray being a humble carpenter. This was help from St Joseph, she maintained for his help. apparent when Jesus was presented a real devotion to him for the rest of for circumcision at the temple when her life. She encouraged her sisters Bridget Ring, Scotland The Angels | Vol 8 | issue 4 | 2017 | 3 LITURGIcal Year Advent with St Faustina The holy season of Advent, which this year is the shortest it can be, serves not only as a time to look back to the first coming of Christ in the stable of Bethlehem, but also inspires us to look forward to his Second Coming at the end of time; when as we say in the Creed “He will come to judge the living and the dead.” he liturgical season makes this recently painted image of the Divine reminds us that this is a unique privi- division for us. The first part, Mercy could be displayed alongside lege in which our Lady participates in until December 17th, has as its that of the famous icon of Our Lady anticipation of her Son’s Passion. Christ Tfocus the Second Coming of the Lord. of Mercy, where he was to preach to the Son of the Immaculate Virgin, and Then there is a change as we return the assembled faithful gathered for the in her presence, would give of Himself to travelling to Bethlehem for the closing jubilee celebrations. Fittingly upon the cross and allow His pierced celebrations of the Lord’s nativity at the image of the Mother of Mercy heart to be opened wide for all. Christmas. would be united alongside the image At Bethlehem Mary becomes the Within Advent, on December of her Son of the Divine Mercy. Mother of Mercy by bringing to birth 8th we also have the great feast of It is good for us to consider in de- the Lord of Mercy. At the cross she the Immaculate Conception of Our tail both the theological and human witnesses His heart being pierced and Blessed Lady.