December 2, 2022

Prayer service with pilgrim icon of St. Joseph to be held at St. Cecilia’s Dec. 15

REGIONAL
Staff report

WILBRAHAM – The Knights of Columbus St. Cecilia Council 10195 will be hosting a special prayer service with the pilgrim icon of St. Joseph, Thursday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. at the parish on Main Street in Wilbraham. The devotion to St. Joseph flows from the 2021 year of St. Joseph, declared by Pope Francis. Intentions will be offered for preserving, cultivating and passing on the Catholic faith to future generations.

“The St. Cecilia Knights Council 10195 elected to host the Icon at our parish so that we could promote the values of St. Joseph – quiet strength, integrity and fidelity – in our parish and our community.  We also wanted to pray for our families during these trying times,” said Fred Ferraro, a member of Council 10195.

Elizabeth Bergeron painted the icon and based on a drawing by Alexandre Sobolev, of St. Joseph holding the child Jesus from St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal, Canada.

 “In my mind, St. Joseph accomplished a critical mission given to him by God – protect his wife and child, lead and guide them, and stay faithful to his family and the Lord.  And isn’t this what every father and husband should be doing today,” Ferraro said. 

“Quietly, often without thanks or fanfare, plugging away day after day to do his duty as a man. I think we need to remember St. Joseph, as we do Mary, as a role model and someone who can intercede for us to our Lord,” he said.

Every few years, the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council selects an icon of a saint to inspire the Knights and their communities. Each jurisdiction receives one or a few icons which travel from council to council. The program started in 1979 with the traveling pilgrim icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Since then, close to175,000 prayer services have been held with 22 million participants.

The prayer service will include the recitation of the rosary. Light refreshments will be served following the service. For more information, contact Fred Ferraro 596-4312.