Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel in Tai O, a fishing town in Epiphany Parish of Hong Kong Diocese, has launched an exhibition named “Meet St. Joseph” to mark the Year of St. Joseph.
The exhibition features enlarged prints of renowned paintings of St. Joseph from around the world along with numerous statues of the saint.
A short video introducing four dreams of St. Joseph and a series of short videos with a meditative reading of the apostolic letter Patris Corde in Cantonese are among the highlights of the exhibition, according to the Sunday Examiner.
Claretian Father Alberto Rossa, assistant parish priest of Epiphany Parish, blessed the exhibition on June 19.
A three-meter statue of a sleeping St. Joseph on the stage of the hall is a special attraction of the exhibition.
Pope Francis popularized the devotion to the sleeping St. Joseph when he spoke of his personal devotion to the saint during his visit to the Philippines in 2015.
His obedience to God, his humility in spite of being a descendant of King David and his wholehearted devotion and love for his family are all worth reflecting on and imitating
The pope had a statue of a sleeping St. Joseph on his desk in Argentina and when he was elected pope he brought it with him to the Vatican.
He told the story of his devotion during his meeting with families in Manila, saying that he places slips of paper under the statue of the sleeping saint when he has a special problem.
The report said pilgrims who visit the exhibition can write their intentions and place them under the bed of the sleeping St. Joseph statue and pray for his powerful intercession.
Another Claretian, Father Jojo Ancheril, organizer of the exhibition, said he expected to bring more people to know about the person of St. Joseph during this year dedicated to him.
“His sacrificed in life while taking care of the child Jesus and Mother Mary. His obedience to God, his humility in spite of being a descendant of King David and his wholehearted devotion and love for his family are all worth reflecting on and imitating,” Father Ancheril said.
There was a Catholic community in Tai O in the 1920s. A small structure was built in 1923 but it was not designated a church and was destroyed by a typhoon. After it was rebuilt in 1937, it was designated a church and named Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel, belonging to Fatima Parish of Cheung Chau, according to church records.
The present chapel was part of Wing Cho Catholic Primary School. The school closed in 2003 due to lack of students, but in 2012 it was reopened to the public as a Mass center of Epiphany Parish.
In his apostolic letter Patris Corde (With a Father’s Heart) on Dec. 8, 2020, Pope Francis announced 2021 as the Year of St. Joseph from Dec. 8, 2020, to Dec. 8, 2021, and proclaimed the year as the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as patron of the universal Church.
Credit: Source link