The Pious Union of the Death of St. Joseph, to pray for the Dying,
was founded by Blessed Louis Guanella in 1913 with the approval and
the strong support of Pope Pius X, for this two-fold purpose:
1)
Of promoting and spreading the cult of St. Joseph, Patron of a happy
death;
2) Of binding together as many Priests and faithful
as possible in a universal Crusade of Prayer and good works for the
benefit of the dying to help them have a Holy and happy death.
The
Primary Centre of this Pious Union is in Rome at the Church of St.
Joseph, erected as a perpetual memorial to the double Jubilee,
priestly and Episcopal of St. Pius X, and is administered by the
Priests, Servants of Charity, founded by Blessed Louis Guanella. The
Pious Union has millions of members all over the world.
The
Prayer for the Dying, to be recited devoutly more than once a day, is
as follows:
O St. Joseph, foster-father of Jesus Christ and true Spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray for us and for those in their agony this day (or this night).
(partial indulgence everytime).
Conditions:
1) To give your name to our Primary Centre in Rome or in a branch canonically aggregated to it.
2) To recite the above prayer.
3) To make, if possible, an offering at the time of enrollment, bearing in mind that doing such a work of charity may earn one a partial indulgence.
Spiritual advantages.
The Faithful, duly enrolled, may acquire:
a) A Plenary Indulgence:
1) On the day of enrollment (or within the following seven days, under the usual conditions, that is by going to confession, receiving Holy communion, and reciting the Our father and Hail Mary, once, according to the intentions of the Holy father).
2) On the feasts of the Death of St. Joseph (19th March), of St. Joseph the Worker (1st May), of the Holy Family, of St. Pius X (21st August) and of Blessed Louis Guanella (24th October), always under the usual conditions mentioned above (Decree of Sacred Apostolic Peniten, 20th September 1968).
b) Partial Indulgence:
1) Every time the prayer of the Pious Union is recited a partial Indulgence is acquired:
2) For every work of piety and of charity done by the members for the intention of the Pious Union for the benefit of the Dying.
Moreover, the enrolled enjoy:
a) the fruits of the Holy Masses celebrated every day in the Church of the Death of St. Joseph.
b) The spiritual goods of the Orders and Religious Congregations which are adherents of the Holy Crusade, with a treasure of Holy Masses, Communions, prayers, penance's, works of charity and apostolate performed by the same in every part of the world
Note: The members enjoy these benefits even after
their death, for they are all enrolled in the Union of Suffrages for
the members who are deceased.
Recommendations.
The Associates are exhorted:
a) To pray diligently for the Dying, to remember them when receiving Holy Communion, and to offer the merits of their good works for them. This will obtain for them abundant indulgences and graces.
b) To cultivate an ardent and filial devotion to St. Joseph, in a special way on the Wednesdays of the year which are consecrated to Him, above all the first Wednesdays of each month, His feasts and the month of March.
c) To support and promote His works of cult and of charity, sending some offering for His Shrine in Rome, not yet completed, for the Association of the Perpetual Mass for the Dying, and for the assistance of the poor.
d) To subscribe to and read, our
monthly bulletin, The Holy Crusade, which is a most efficacious and
easy means of honouring St. Joseph, as well as beneficial apostolate
in favour of the Dying. It is rich in articles on St. Joseph, in
information and accounts of numerous graces granted through Him.
(In
regard to a subscription, as well as to Masses, etc., please contact
the Primary Centre in Rome).
e) To become a promoter of St. Joseph: Whoever wants to do
something pleasing to St. Joseph, by gathering subscriptions to the
Pious Union, the Holy Crusade, and to the works which spring up in
His holy name. Promoters may request promotional material and cards
for enrollment from the Primary Centre.
Exhortation of St.
Pius X.
In a brief of 12th February 1914, erecting
the Primary Centre, Pius X said, "We desire to make known how
much we appreciate this most praiseworthy Institution, and so wish
that Our Name be the first to be inscribed among the members of the
same, exhorting all Our dear Brothers in the Priesthood not to
forget the dying each day in the Divine Sacrifice. We, likewise,
exhort all the faithful, and especially Religious of both sexes, to
accustom themselves to raise up special prayers to God and to St.
Joseph in favour of the dying; for it is a holy and salutary thought
to pray for the dead, who have reached the haven of salvation, not
less worthy of recommendation is eagerness in imploring the help of
Heaven for those unfortunate souls who find themselves in the final
tests on which depends their eternity."
Think Carefully!- At
every beat of your heart a soul passes to eternity! More than fifty
million a year die, and how many die unexpectedly, by violent death,
apoplexy, war, earthquakes and disasters; and how many die badly!
Work to save these souls and you will secure a happy death for
yourself! When you yourself are dying, millions of brothers will be
praying for you. An army of Priests and Bishops, with the Holy
Father at their head, who joined the Work of the Perennial Mass will
celebrate in turn a Holy Mass for the dying. You also, thanks to the
Pious Union, will be able to die like St. Joseph, the death of the
just.
Primary Centre :-
Church of S. Giuseppe al
Trionfale,
Via Bernardino Telesio 4-B
00195 ROMA,
Italy.
[Please note: The Holy Crusade is an Italian language magazine. I am sorry but I do not speak or read Italian. All I can say about it is that it is a nice looking glossy magazine with colourful pictures and plenty of interesting looking articles in it.]
24th January 1998.
I have now found another Web site for the Pious
Union {click to go there direct}
This gives details of the
Pious Union in the United States which has its own bimonthly "NOW
AND AT THE HOUR" publication..
The address is:
THE PIOUS UNION OF ST. JOSEPH
Patron of the Suffering and Dying, Inc.
971 East Michigan Avenue,
Grass Lake, Michigan 49240-9210
517-522-8017 voice
517-522-8387 fax
E-mail PiousUnion@aol.com
URL::
http://members.aol.com/guanella/stjoseph.html