In virtue of a concession of Pope Gregory XVI. we may gain an indulgence of 300 days on each of the first six Sundays, and a plenary indulgence on the seventh Sunday, for saying the prayers of the Seven Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph on any seven consecutive Sundays of the year.
On February 1, 1S47, Pope Pius IX., of holy memory, wishing to extend this devotion, added to the indulgences already granted a plenary indulgence on each Sunday, applicable to the souls in purgatory.
On March 2 2d of the same year his Holiness extended this indulgence to those who, owing to some good cause, being unable to recite the prayers of the Seven Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph, say seven Our Fathers, seven Hail Marys, and seven Glorias, fulfilling the usual conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence, namely, confession, communion, and prayers for our holy mother the Church.
The Sovereign Pontiff, Pius VII., Dec. 9, 1819, granted an indulgence of 100 days, once a day; an indulgence of 300 days, every Wednesday in the year, and on even' day of the two novenas preceding the feasts of St. Joseph, viz., the principal feast, March 19, and the feast of the patronage, the third Sunday after Easter. A plenary indulgence, on these two feasts, to all those who, moreover, being truly penitent, shall have gone to confession and communion. A plenary indulgence, once a month, to all those who shall have said them even' day for a month, on the day when, being truly penitent, they shall go to confession and communion.
DEVOUT EXERCISE IN HONOR OF THE SEVEN SORROWS AND SEVEN JOYS OF ST. JOSEPH.
1.PURE husband of most holy Mary, glorious St. Joseph, great was the travail and anguish of thy heart when, in sore perplexity, thou didst feel inclined to put away thy stainless spouse; but unspeakable was thy joy when the angel revealed to thee the high mystery of the Incarnation.
By this, thy sorrow and thy joy, we pray thee, comfort our souls now and in their dying agony with the sweet consolation of a well-spent life, and a death like unto thine own, in the embrace of Jesus and of Mary.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
2. Thrice happy patriarch, glorious St. Joseph, chosen to be the foster-father of the Word made man, keen was the pain thou didst feel when thou didst see the infant Jesus born in abject poverty; but thy pain was suddenly changed into
