Cenacle of the Cincture of St. Joseph
The Cenacle of the Cincture of St. Joseph is a confraternity of the Domus composed of many members of the faithful, called the Cincturians of St. Joseph, who devote themselves to the patronage of St. Joseph for the preservation, exaltation and reparation of the evangelical counsel of chastity (and all its accompanying virtues) in themselves and for hardened heart sinners, especially priests, religious, and young people.
This personal consecration to St. Joseph is demonstrated by the daily and perpetual wearing of the "Cingulum" (cincture) of St. Joseph of the Domus and the recitation of its prayers. Any member of Christ’s faithful, regardless of their state in life, can belong to this Cenacle.The Cord of St. Joseph is a sacramental of the Church approved by Pope Pius IX and granted especial indulgences for those girded with and who wearing it daily. The Domus Cingulum is a modified Cord of St. Joseph with specific characteristics that unite the person wearing it to the spiritual graces of the Domus, as an affiliate member.
All Domus members wear the Cincture--Mendicants have it as part of their semi habit--because the Domus has entrusted the pillar (and vow) of chastity to the Patronage of St. Joseph.
If you just want a Cord of St. Joseph but do not feel called to belong to this cenacle as an affiliate member of the Domus, you can still give us a call. All Domus members are committed to spread this devotion and the Mendicants hand-make these cords for those who desire them.
Here are further details about this cenacle, the cincture and the cord:
CENACLE CORD CINCTURE • elegibility of the members
• obligations of the members
• benefits of the members
• cessation of membership• characteristics
• spiritual graces
• prayers
• modified characteristics
• additional graces
ELIGIBITILY OF THE MEMBERS
In order to be a Cingulianus any member of Christ’s faithful must fulfill the following criteria:
1. Be old enough to know how to recite the daily prayers
2. Commit to live and exalt the virtue of chastity and the wearing of the cincture
3. Commit to live in a continual state of grace
4. Love dearly the Eucharistic Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Mother Church
5. Formal renunciation of all practices of the occult and the specific sacramental confession of those sins
OBLIGATIONS OF THE MEMBERS
Every Cingulianus has the following obligations and responsibilities:
1. Wear daily and perpetually the Cincture of St. Joseph
2. Pray daily the cincture prayers (seven Glorias in honor of the seven sorrows and joys of St. Joseph, the prayer for purity of St. Joseph and the concluding Oratio Cinguli Domus) for themselves and in reparation for all those committing sins of impurity, especially hardened heart sinners.
3. Pray the Catena Mariana Expiatoria Diaria of the Domus
4. Live and exalt the virtues of chastity, purity, and modesty
5. Get together with all other Domus members at least in one of the celebrations of the feasts of the cincture per year
6. Live in a continual state of grace
7. Fully conform and submit one’s conscience to the teachings of the Holy Father and the Holy Mother Church
BENEFITS OF THE MEMBERS
All Cingulianii members enjoy the following spiritual benefits:
1. All the graces and special indulgences attached to the Cord of St. Joseph given by Pope Pius IX
2. All the new spiritual graces attached to the Domus Cincture of St. Joseph
3. All the spiritual graces of being affiliate members of the Domus
CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Cingulianii can cease their membership:
1. Voluntarily, by writing a letter to the Superior of the Domus stating the reasons for desired cessation and having an interview with an authorized member of the Domus
2. Involuntarily, by the Superior or an authorized member of the Domus due to a constant infringing of the obligations, after an explanatory interview
3. Immediately and involuntarily, by the Superior or an authorized member of the Domus due to a grave matter committed against the obligations, the Domus, or the Church
THE CORD OF ST. JOSEPHThe Cord of St. Joseph has the following basic principles and forms:
1. It’s made of cotton or thread, usually white representing purity
2. It has seven knots in honor of the seven sorrows and joys of St. Joseph
3. It has a medal of St. Joseph
4. It’s worn around one’s waist
5. It is a sacramental that obtains many spiritual graces and the pardon of venial sins
6. It is blessed by a priest with a special ritual prayer
7. It binds the bearer to daily pray seven glorias in honor of the seven sorrows and joys of St. Joseph and the Prayer for Purity of St. Joseph1. St. Joseph's special protection
2. Purity of soul
3. The grace of chastity
4. Final perseverance
5. Particular assistance at the hour of death
6. Health in mind and body
7. Plenary indulgences on the following days:- at entrance into the Association,
- the Feast of the Espousals of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph (Jan. 23rd),
- the Feast of St. Joseph (Mar. 19th and any day of the subsequent week),
- the Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph (3rd Sunday after Easter),
- and upon death for members who are truly penitent, have confessed their sins and received Holy viaticum; or not being able to do, having invoked by mouth or in the heart, the Name of JesusPrayers of the Cord of St. Joseph
The Seven Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph
1. The Doubt of Saint Joseph and the Message of the Angel. Glory be… (after each sorrow and joy)
2. The Poverty of Jesus' Birth and the Birth itself.
3. The Circumcision and the Holy Name of Jesus.
4. The Prophecy of Simeon that Many Would Be Lost and his Prophecy that Many Would Rise.
5. The Flight into Egypt and the Overthrow of the Idols.
6. The Return from Egypt and the Life with Mary and Jesus in Nazareth.
7. The Loss of the Child Jesus and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple.
Prayer to St. Joseph for Purity
O St. Joseph, Father and Protector of Virgins,
to whose faithful custody Christ Jesus, Innocence itself,
and Mary, Virgin of Virgins, were committed;
I pray and beseech thee by these dear pledges, Jesus and Mary,
that being preserved from all uncleanness,
I may with spotless mind,
pure heart and chaste body
ever more chastely serve Jesus and Mary
all the days of my life. Amen.THE CINCTURE OF ST. JOSEPH OF THE DOMUS
The Cingulum’s distinctive characteristics are:
1. It’s black in color, demonstrating the death to the lusts of the world
2. The seven knots always go in the part of the cincture that surrounds the waist
3. The medal of Saint Joseph hangs on the left and has in the back the Domus shield
4. It’s worn on the outside for Mendicants (in its thick version), as part of their habit, and on the inside for Oblates (in its medium version) and Cingulianii (in its thin version).
5. It is a spiritual weapon against all evil spirits of impurity and lust
6. It obliges to pray an extra prayer (Oratio Cinguli Domus) not found in the previous Cord approved by Pius IXSPIRITUAL GRACES OF THE CINCTURE
Spiritually, the Domus Cingulum retains the graces and special indulgences attached to the Cord of St. Joseph given by Pope Pius IX with some additional graces:
1. Preservation of an undivided chastity according to the state of life
2. Preservation of virginity, purity, and modesty
3. Restoration of chastity, purity, modesty, and spiritual virginity,
4. Protection and deliverance from all evil spirits that act against holy chastity
5. Reparation and expiation for sins of impurity and abortion
6. Conversion of licentious hardened heart sinners, especially priests, religious, young people and the dying