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Special Indulgences in Honor of the Year of St. Joseph
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December 11, 2020DecreeThe gift of special indulgences is granted on the occasion of the Year of St. Joseph, announced by Pope Francis to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of St. Joseph as Patron of the universal Church.
Today marks the 150th anniversary of the Quemadmodum Deus Decree, with which Blessed Pius IX, moved by the grave and mournful circumstances in which a Church was beset by human hostility, declared St. Joseph Patron of the Catholic Church.
In order to perpetuate the entrustment of the whole Church to the powerful patronage of the Custos of Jesus, Pope Francis has established that, from today's date, the anniversary of the proclamation decree as well as a sacred day to the Blessed Immaculate Virgin and Bride of the most chaste Joseph, up to December 8, 2021, a special Year of Saint Joseph is celebrated, in which each faithful following his example can daily strengthen their life of faith in the full fulfillment of God's will.
All the faithful will thus have the opportunity to commit themselves, with prayers and good works, to obtain, with the help of Saint Joseph, head of the heavenly Family of Nazareth, comfort and relief from the serious human and social tribulations that today afflict the contemporary world.
Devotion to the Custos of the Redeemer has developed widely in the course of the history of the Church, which not only attributes to him one of the highest devotions after that of the Mother of God his Bride, but has also conferred on him multiple patronages.
The Magisterium of the Church continues to discover ancient and new magnitudes in this treasure which is St. Joseph, as the master of the house of Matthew's Gospel "who extracts new and ancient things from his treasure" (Mt 13,52).
The gift of indulgences that the Apostolic Penitentiary, through this Decree issued in accordance with the will of Pope Francis, kindly bestows during the Year of St. Joseph will greatly benefit the perfect achievement of the intended purpose.
The plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the intentions of the Holy Father) to the faithful who, with a soul detached from any sin, will participate in the Year of St. Joseph on occasions and with the modalities indicated by this Apostolic Penitentiary.
-a. St. Joseph, an authentic man of faith, invites us to rediscover the filial relationship with the Father, to renew fidelity to prayer, to listen and to correspond with profound discernment to the will of God. Plenary Indulgence is granted to those who will meditate for at least 30 minutes the prayer of the Our Father, or they will take part in a Spiritual Retreat of at least one day that includes a meditation on St. Joseph;
-b. The Gospel attributes to St. Joseph the nickname of "just man" (cf. Mt 1:19): he, guardian of the "intimate secret that lies at the bottom of the heart and soul" [1], depositary of the mystery of God, and therefore the ideal patron of the internal forum, urges us to rediscover the value of silence, prudence and loyalty in fulfilling one's duties. The virtue of justice practiced in an Joseph is full adherence to the divine law, which is the law of mercy, "because it is precisely the mercy of God that brings true justice to fulfillment" [2]. Therefore, those who, following the example of St. Joseph, will perform a corporal or spiritual work of mercy, will also be able to achieve the gift of plenary indulgence;
-c. The main aspect of Joseph's vocation was to be guardian of the Holy Family of Nazareth, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and legal father of Jesus. So that all Christian families are stimulated to recreate the same climate of intimate communion, love and prayer that was lived in the Holy Family, the plenary indulgence is granted for the recitation of the Holy Rosary in families and between engaged couples.
-d. The Servant of God Pius XII, on May 1, 1955, instituted the feast of St. Joseph the Craftsman, "with the intention that everyone recognizes the dignity of work, and that this inspires social life and laws, based on fair distribution of rights and duties "[3]. Therefore, anyone who daily entrusts their activity to the protection of Saint Joseph and any faithful who invoke the intercession of the Artisan of Nazareth with prayers, so that those looking for work can find a job and work as a everyone is more dignified.
-e. The flight of the Holy Family to Egypt "shows us that God is where man is in danger, where man suffers, where he escapes, where he experiences rejection and abandonment" [4]. The plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who will recite the Litanies to St. Joseph (for the Latin tradition), or the Akathistos to St. Joseph, proper to other liturgical traditions, in favor of the Church persecuted ad intra and ad extra and for the relief of all Christians who suffer every form of persecution.
Saint Teresa of Avila recognized Saint Joseph as the protector for all the circumstances of life: "To other Saints it seems that God has granted to help us in this or that need, while I have experienced that the glorious Saint Joseph extends his patronage on all "[5]. More recently, St. John Paul II reiterated that the figure of St. Joseph acquires "a renewed relevance for the Church of our time, in relation to the new Christian millennium" [6].
To reaffirm the universality of St. Joseph's patronage on the Church, in addition to the aforementioned occasions, the Apostolic Penitentiary grants a plenary indulgence to the faithful who will recite any legitimately approved prayer or act of piety in honor of St. Joseph, for example "To you, o Blessed Joseph ", especially on the recurrences of March 19 and May 1, on the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, on St. Joseph's Sunday (according to the Byzantine tradition), on the 19th of each month and every Wednesday, day dedicated to the memory of the Saint according to the Latin tradition.
In the current context of health emergency, the gift of the plenary indulgence is particularly extended to the elderly, the sick, the dying and all those who for legitimate reasons are unable to leave the house, who with a soul detached from any sin and with the intention of fulfilling, as soon as possible, the three usual conditions, in their own home or where the impediment holds them, they will recite an act of piety in honor of St. Joseph, comfort of the sick and Patron of a happy death, offering with trust in God the pains and hardships of your life.
In order that the attainment of divine grace through the power of the Keys may be pastorally facilitated, this Penitentiary earnestly prays that all priests endowed with the appropriate faculties, offer themselves with an available and generous spirit to the celebration of the sacrament of Penance and often administer Holy Communion to the sick. This Decree is valid for the Year of Saint Joseph, despite any contrary provision.
Given in Rome, from the headquarters of the Apostolic Penitentiary, on December 8, 2020.
Mauro Card. Piacenza
