Dominique Lemoine, guide of the crypt of St Joseph of Fourvière
Saint Joseph, in Lyon and in my life …
A special thank you to Dominique Lemoine!
Pierre Marie Bossan discovers Saint Joseph in the midst of the trials of his life: loss of his father, heavy family burdens, successive failures in his first professional projects and the brutal death of his brother Anthelme Joseph. At that point Saint Joseph manifested himself to him and his visits to the parish priest of Ars, who had a great devotion to Saint Joseph, certainly meant something, as well as the decisive meeting with father Didelot of Valencia, well versed on biblical symbolism. With him, he will found the Valencia School, a place of learning and exposure to the biblical culture, with the intent to better train the artists invested in its projects, especially those of Fourvière. This School of Art will be entrusted to Saint Joseph and inaugurated on March 19th, on the feast of this great saint.
Saint Michael overlooking the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere.
It is also, with Joseph, an inner journey that will teach him to withdraw, one could say to "hide", in an unwavering confidence in the Providence … Like Joseph! In every aspect, Joseph will provide, for the glory of Mary!
This is what he does in the lives of those who discover him, or rather to whom he reveals himself. This was my case. Spiritual daughter of Marthe Robin, Joseph was given to me by Mary, gradually, over the course a particularly difficult family hardship. I can say now that he has revealed himself to me, and that our "partnership" since then has only intensified. A woman chosen to make him known? What a strange idea! Especially since it was not a devotion received from the cradle.
My greatest joy, today, is to make him known, loved, and to come closer to his mystery, step by step, so to love him a bit more every day.
Where is Mary, Joseph is present … Let's not forget it, Joseph had taken Mary into his home! And it is the will of God: "Do not be afraid to take into your home, Mary, your wife".
It is also the case of many sanctuaries in France: Lourdes, Le Puy, Cotignac, Fourvière… It is also the case for each of us! Lyon, after Le Puy, was marked in the nineteenth century by a great devotion to this great saint, this is what Pierre Bossan wanted to pass onto us by creating an initiatory journey leading us from the lower church (the crypt) to the Upper Church: from Joseph, through Mary in Jesus to the Father.
Since 2009, we have a prayer group at the Basilica of Fourviere, we meet every Wednesday, on Joseph's day, at 19h, with all those who want to unite to pray and ask for his intercession for our time. A fraternity of prayer has also been created on the web.
Joseph is the saint of the third millennium, prophesied Marthe Robin… "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you (1)". Incitation that curiously echoes Mary's exhortation at Cana! So let's go to Joseph…
Dominique Lemoine
The Mas Saint Joseph, March 4, 2016
(1) Genèse 41-55
