Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Feast of St Joseph of Cupertino, September 18th


This is the Basilica of St. Joseph of Cupertino in Osimo, Italy, where St. Joseph's body is laid.
Close to the ceiling of the basilica is a painting of the saint levitating.

These pictures were borrowed from here, where you can also find a complete Life of St. Joseph.

St. Joseph, a saint of many miracles, is especially known for levitating while meditating on Our Lord or Our Lady. But, he was also noteworthy in his time for the fact that he was a notoriously poor student who only passed his examinations into the priesthood due to God's intercession. St. Joseph of Cupertino is, therefore, the patron saint of:

aviators,

astronauts,

pilots,

air crews,

paratroopers,

students,

anyone taking a test


Prayers to St. Joseph for Taking an Examination

O Great St. Joseph of Cupertino who while on earth did obtain from God the grace to be asked at your examination only the questions you knew, obtain for me a like favour in the examinations for which I am now preparing. In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked.
Through Christ our Lord.
St. Joseph of Cupertino, Pray for us.


Amen.

(Then, you must remember, when you succeed in the exams, to publicly thank St. Joseph of Cupertino ~ in the newspaper, for instance, or on the internet -- or you could wear a placard and walk down main street...  ;0)

Prayer to St. Joseph of Cupertino for Aviators

Dear ecstatic Conventual Saint who patiently bore calumnies, your secret was Christ the crucified Savior who said: "When I will be lifted up I will draw all peoples to myself." You were always spiritually lifted up. Give aviators courage and protection, and may they always keep in mind your greatly uplifting example.

Amen.



*This reminds me, incidentally, of a poem that is a favorite of mine, though I'm far from being an aviator. That last line just stays with me, every time I read it, and it somehow seems to link with St. Joseph, our flying saint, who did "touch the face of God".


High Flight

by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence.
Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew.
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand,

And touched the face of God.


* Post reprinted from 9/18/08

5 comments:

Maria (also Bia) said...

I love that poem, too.

"The high untrespassed sanctity of space..." just beautiful words.

BTW, how is your book illustration going?

Blessings.

Lady.Rosary said...

Thank you for sharing this poem, it's the first time I read it and it's wonderful. Gotta start praying to St. Joseph. His church is stunning as well.

Anonymous said...

Passed an aviation exam today thanks to St. Joseph of Cupertino and the grace of God. Its the only explanation! Thank you! :)

Lisa said...

"Anonymous" ~ Congratulations! I am so honored that you have chosen to publicly thank St. Joseph of Cupertino on my blog! Blessed be God in His angels and in his saints! St. Joseph of Cupertino, pray for us.

Anonymous said...

My husband passed an extremely difficult exam due to my prayers for the intercession of St. Joseph of Cupertino. I will continue to invoke his intercession and encourage others to do so. Amen!