Ite Ad Ioseph Prayers and Devotions To Saint Joseph PDF

ITE AD IOSEPH
Prayers and Devotions to Saint Joseph
Anno Domini MMXVIII

Ite ad Ioseph
Prayers and Devotions to Saint Joseph
Compiled and Edited by

Carlo Alexis R. Malaluan
The prayers cited in this booklet are taken from various sources,
such as devotionals published by the Society of Saint Paul,
Oblates of Saint Joseph, and the Contemplatives of the Pierced
Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Some of these prayers are widely used
in the Church, and are part of the Church’s deeply-rooted
devotion to our beloved father and protector, Saint Joseph.
Opus tuum nos, O Sancti Iosephi!

St. Joseph,
Glory of the Family Life
Saint Joseph, father of Christ, is also your father
And your lord. Ask him to help you.
- St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way 559

Saint Joseph, Mainstay of Families
Attentive Joseph, in Mary and you, the Divine Word finds a favourable
environment in which to carry out the will of the Father, thus, you become
the family of the Child-God. In your gentle life together, you experience
love daily. The unity of your hearts transforms life’s lessons into growing
wisdom and grace. Open our hearts to the Word that loves within us, that
our actions may bear witness to our connection to the family of God.
Sustain us in our emotional commitments, where giving and forgiveness
shape our identities. Grant us your tenderness in the things we do each
day. Amen.
Saint Joseph, Protector of Homes
Saint Joseph, protect our home. Pour forth from heaven blessings on our
family. Remain in our midst. Help us to live in love and harmony, in peace
and joy. May the wholesome fear of God strengthen us that virtue may
adorn what we do and our way may lead to heaven.
To you this day I give the key to our dwelling place. Lock out all things
that could do us harm. Lock my home and my loved ones with me in the
hearts of Jesus and Mary. This I beg of you, that our days may be like your
days in the holy home at Nazareth. Amen.
Covenant of Love with Jesus, Mary and
Joseph
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I, a poor creature offer and consecrate to your most
loving and amiable hearts my whole life, all my labours, trials and
sufferings, that henceforth I may be enclosed in your love and belong to
you entirely with the intention to do and suffer everything for the love of
you, and to renounce everything that might displease or separate me from
you. I consecrate to you my heart, that I by its every pulsation I may offer
you, in sincere love, all the homage that a devout heart is capable of
rendering. I consecrate to you my tongue, to offer you all praise, all
gratitude, that is due to you, and to atone for all the ignominy with which
you have ever been offended. I consecrate to you my eyes that they may
ever remain pure, and that I may one day be permitted to gaze upon you in
heaven. I consecrate to you my feet, that every step may be for you, and
that through you I may advance in every virtue. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I
will belong to you in life and in death. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for One’s Family
Joseph, strengthen in our family every bond of love which unites us – the
marriage bond, the love of parent and children, the bonds of mutual love
between all. Joseph, protect our family from every danger from without
and from every threat to peace, unity and harmony within. Joseph, teach us
to be kind and loving towards one another, careful for one another, tolerant
of one another, forgiving towards one another. Joseph, may contentment
with our lot and joy in each other abound our house as we seek faithfully
to serve and greatly to love God. Joseph, be yourself a father towards the
family of ours, and pray Mary be a mother to us.
Let us pray:
Almighty Father, into the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the
protection of St. Joseph you gave your only Son: we pray you that we, too,
together with our families and all who are dear to us may enjoy their
patronage and protection, and learn the lessons their lives teach us through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for Families
Gracious Saint Joseph, protect my family and all other families from
danger, as you did protect the baby Jesus and His mother from the wrath
of king Herod. Pray for us, that we respect, love and care for each other in
our family as you were with Mary and Jesus. Help us to be understanding
and forgiving towards each other. Most of all St. Joseph, bring us closer to
Jesus. Amen.
St. Joseph, pray for our families.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for a Family

Healing
We ask your prayers, St. Joseph, an upright man, a spouse who planned to
divorce Mary in secret and who by God’s grace was able to see his role in
God’s plan. We ask you in our behalf, to pray to God that our marriage be
healed. We are enveloped in pain and despair as you must have been when
you learned of Mary’s pregnancy. Be for and with us, Joseph, in our hour
of doubt. Let us listen to and heed the voice of God as you did. Be our
intercessor to your Jesus, to give us the blessings to change, to listen, to
forgive and most of all to hope that our marriage will heal and our family
remain whole and holy. We give you honor, quiet St. Joseph, for you are
spouse like us, who while knowing pain, did not divorce. By God’s grace
you nourished the Holy Family and the Saviour of all families throughout
the ages. Amen.
Prayer of a Husband
Saint Joseph, I ask you to help me to be a good husband to my wife. Many

are the difficulties that daily surround me as I work to provide for my
family. Through your intercession, help me to listen to my wife’s concerns.
Because you experienced all the joys and the challenges of family life, I
know you can help me and teach me how to act toward those I love and
cherish. In my times of discouragement, direct me to turn to you for help
and protection. Join the power of your prayers to mine in asking God for
assistance in my desire to be a good husband. Amen.
Prayer of a Wife
Saint Joseph, I honor you as a faithful spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and loving guardian and foster father of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. I ask
your intercession in my daily life as a wife. You were devoted to your wife,
Mary of Nazareth, with whom you faced many difficulties and mysteries.
In your loving kindness, hear my request for your assistance in my
vocation. Help me to model my life on your spouse, the Blessed Virgin
Mary. Give me your spirit of love and devotion toward the members of my
family. I ask you, good Saint Joseph, to surround those I love with your
powerful protection. Amen.
Prayer of Parents to the St. Joseph
O Blessed Joseph, foster father of my Savior and chaste spouse of the

mother of God, this day I irrevocably adopt thee for my intercessor with
the Almighty as well as my model, my protector and my father in this
valley of exile. O St. Joseph, whom the Lord constituted guardian of His
Family, I beseech thee to extender thy tender solicitude over all my
interests. Kindle in my heart a vehement love for Jesus and enable me to
serve Him with all thy devotedness and fidelity. Aid my inability to
venerate Mary as my advocate, to honor her as my Queen and to love her
as my Mother. Be my never-failing guide in the way of virtue and piety,
and grant that, after having faithfully followed thee in the path of justice, I
may receive thy powerful protection at the hour of my death. Amen.
Prayer of a Single Parent
Saint Joseph, I come to your asking your help. I know that you understand
the fears that arise in my heart as I strive to provide for the needs of my
children, because you experienced many problems as you tried to provide
for Jesus and Mary. As I face the responsibilities and challenges of living as
a single parent, surround me in your fatherly concern. Draw me into my
life those people who will help and support me. Show me how to
encourage my children, and give me patience and understanding in
forming them into responsible adults. Saint Joseph, pray for me and
surround my children with your loving protection. Amen.
A Father’s Prayer for His Children
Saint Joseph, I come to you with my concerns for the welfare of my

children. I recall your anxiety, when, to your surprise and Mary’s, Jesus
was not among your relatives and friends on your return to Jerusalem. I
too worry about my children. Many dangers surround the youth of today.
Sometimes, in my loving concern for them, I may seem to them to be
difficult and even harsh. Help me to remove the barriers that may come
between my children and myself. I love my children and desire good and
wholesome things for them. Good Saint Joseph, watch over my children
and inspire me to know how to speak and act in love. Amen.
Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for me.
A Mother’s Prayer for Her Children
Saint Joseph, you understand the worries and concerns that come with
parenting children. Come to my aid and help me to care for my children’s
needs with love and reverence. As I grow through the years with my
children, help me to listen to their concerns, and obtain for me the gifts of
wisdom and good counsel. Gentle guardian of Mary and foster father of
the Son of God, assist me in my vocation as a mother. I ask you to protect
my children and surround them in your fatherly care. Amen.
Prayer for the Protection and Dignity of
Life
St. Joseph, you are the chaste and loving spouse of the Virgin Mary, the
foster father of Jesus, the protector and provider of the Holy Family and of
all families. We have complete confidence in your loving care for new life
and in your fidelity to the family. We commend our efforts to your prayers
and protection. Help us always defend the gift of human life that it may
grow to theabundance of eternal life promised and bestowed on us by your
Son, our brother, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thanksgiving Prayer for a Newborn Child

O Saint Joseph, you witnessed the miracle of birth, seeing the infant Jesus
born of your most holy spouse, the Virgin Mary. With wonder and awe,
you took into your arms the Saviour. With gratitude that only a parent can
know, you glorified God for the birth of his Son, entrusted to your fatherly
care.
Like you, St. Joseph, I too give praise and glory to God for the birth of my
child. This child’s life is such a miraculous testimony of God’s loving
presence. My heart is filled with grateful joy. Join me dear St. Joseph, in
offering thanks to God for the gift of my child.
What great trust and confidence God placed in you, St. Joseph, by
entrusting his only begotten Son into your fatherly care. This inspires me to
entrust the spiritual care and protection of my newborn child into your
competent and loving hands. Teach, guide, and support me to fulfil well
my vocation to be a worthy parent to this child.
Children’s Consecration to Saint Joseph
by their Parents
O Glorious St. Joseph, to you God committed the care of His only begotten
Son amid the many dangers of the world. We come to you and ask you to
take under your special protection the children God has given us. Through
the holy baptism they became children of God and members of His holy
Church. We consecrate them to you today, that through this consecration
they may become your foster children. Guard them, guide their steps in
life, form their hearts after the hearts of Jesus and Mary. St. Joseph, who felt
the tribulation and worry of a parent when the child Jesus was lost, protect
our dear children for time and eternity. May you be their father and
counsellor. Let them, like Jesus, grow in age as well as in wisdom and grace
before God and men. Preserve them from the corruption of his world, and
give us the grace one day to be united with them in Heaven forever. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for One’s Friends
Joseph, in caring for Christ, our Lord, you cared for all who are ‘in Christ’,
all who are His because by His gift they share in His life. Into your loving
care I confidently entrust my friends and all who are dear to me, all who
have asked my prayers, all for whom I ought to pray especially those
whom I have injured) and all who have no one to pray for them –
especially those who, lost to themselves, have not even themselves. Do for
them, Joseph, everything you did for the Son of God, who called you
‘Father’. To Him present them, Joseph, asking Him with a father’s
confidence to receive them for ever into the shelter of His most Sacred
Heart.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for One’s Care
Great St. Joseph, to your loving care were entrusted the Son of God made
man and His Holy Mother, the ever-virgin Mary hear and answer the
prayer I make to you. On behalf of those who have been entrusted to my
care and keeping by the same Providence as chose you. Win for me this
grace above all else that nothing I do or say shall ever obscure the face of
God for them, or cause them to love Him less. Give them that the same
Fatherly love and protection as you gave the Child and His mother –
protect them from harm, keep them from evil, counsel them in doubt, give
them the gladness that is the inheritance of God’s children. May your
prayers be of such avail for them that nothing may ever blight their
growth; bring them safe to maturity, and to full stature in Christ Jesus our
Lord. Amen.
Saint Joseph, Guardian of the Pure in

Heart
Gentle Joseph, God is captivated by the quality of your heart. Your entire
being is focused on doing his will. With Mary and Jesus, you answered the
Holy Spirit’s call to build a better world. With one heart, join us in praying:
Here we are, Lord, your will be done! Your kingdom come nearer to us!
Keep the hope of a new world alive in our hearts. Inspire us to speak
words of tenderness to awaken the love of our hearts. May we draw the
energy for our actions from the source of all Love so our faces may shine
with the freedom of the Children of God.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for Purity
Guardian of virgins, and holy father Joseph, 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 serve Jesus and Mary most chastely all the days of my
life. Amen.
(Indulgence of 100 days, once a day – Pius IX, 4 February, 1877)
Prayer for the Spirit of the Beatitudes
Joseph, just man of God, clear mirror of the beatitudes – poor in spirit,
meek, gentle and merciful, man of peace, no stranger to sorrow, pure of
heart and seeing God daily at your side, persecuted for Jesus’ name – aid
me by your examples and your prayers to shape my life after so perfect a
pattern.
A Sweetheart’s Prayer to Saint Joseph
O St. Joseph, Model of justice, and therefore of husbands, I beseech Thee to

direct me in my choice of a future spouse. Grant me especially wisdom and
deliberation in this choice. Make both my friendship and courtship
especially chaste, unselfish, prudent, thrifty, and cheerful. Be my
companion in single as well as in wedded life. Amen.
Holy Family Prayer
O Jesus, only begotten Son of the Eternal Father, well beloved Son of the
Blessed Virgin and foster Child of St. Joseph, we most fervently implore
Thee, through Mary Thine ever blessed Mother and St. Joseph Thy foster
father, take our children under Thy special charge and enclose them in the
love of Thy Sacred Heart. They are the children of Thy Father in Heaven,
created after His own image; they are Thy possession, for Thou hast
purchased them with Thy Precious Blood; they are temples of the Holy
Ghost, Who sanctified them in Baptism and implanted in their hearts the
virtues of faith, hope and charity.
O most loving Jesus, rule and guide them, that they may live according to
the holy Catholic Faith, that they may never waver in their confidence in
Thee and that they may ever remain faithful to Thy love.
O Mary, Blessed Mother of Jesus, grant to our children, a place in thy
maternal heart! Spread over them thy protecting mantle when danger
threatens their innocence; keep them firm when they are about to stray
from the path of virtue; and should they have the misfortune of falling into
m mortal sin, oh, then raise them up again, reconcile them with thy Divine
Son and restore them to Sanctifying Grace.
And thou, O holy foster father St. Joseph, do not abandon our children!
Protect them from the assaults of the wicked enemy and deliver them from
all dangers of soul and body.
O dear parents of the Holy Child Jesus! Intercede for us parents also, that
we may bring up our children in the love and fear of God and one day
attain with them the Beatific Vision. Amen.
OFFERING
O Jesus, Mary and Joseph, accept these three Our Fathers from me, a poor
sinner, and grant that my prayer may be pleasing to thee. Let my sighs
penetrate to thy hearts, that my petition may be favorably received.
I beseech thee by the faithful love which thou hadst for one another, and by
all the compassion thou ever showed to those in distress, show thy love
also to me in thy present need, and grant my earnest petition. (Name your
request)
Memorare to the Holy Family
Remember, O merciful Jesus, Immaculate Mary, and glorious

St. Joseph, that no one has ever had recourse to Thy
protection, or implore Thy assistance without obtaining relief.
Animated with a like confidence but weighed down by
my sins, I prostrate myself before Thee. O! Reject not
my petitions, but graciously hear and grant them. Amen.
A Prayer to St. Joseph, for a Holy Family
Good Saint Joseph, you were the head of the Holy Family in the little house
at Nazareth. You know the responsibilities, the joys and sorrows, the duties
and rights of that position. Please, in your loving kindness, remembering
the goods days at Nazareth, bless the head of our family. Help him in his
needs. Make him kind and pure and gentle, as you were. Make him
understanding and gracious, and obtain for him the kind of trust in God's
loving providence that guided and supported you in Egypt. Obtain for the
lady of our house, too, the same graciousness and kindliness, the same
devotedness to duty and patient humility that Mary had. Help, please, the
children Of this house to form themselves after the model for all children,
the Holy Child of your house in Nazareth. And when we all finally come to
the last moment of our earthly life, just before the beginning of our life with
You and your Holy Family in heaven, stand by us, dear Joseph, and obtain
for us the greatest of all graces, that of dying, as you did, a happy and holy
death, in the company of Mary and Jesus.
Act of Confidence
Heart of Jesus, I adore Thee,

Heart of Mary, I implore thee,
Heart of Joseph, meek and just,
In these three Hearts I place my trust
To you,
O Blessed Joseph
O, what a glorious saint is the Glorious St. Joseph!
He is not only a Patriarch, but the Prince of all Patriarchs!
- St. Francis de Sales

Veneration of Saint Joseph
O Glorious St. Joseph, I sincerely venerate you as the chaste spouse of the
Mother of God, as the head of the Holy Family, as the Foster Father of Jesus
Christ, as the faithful preserver of the treasures of the Blessed Trinity. In
you, I venerate the choice of God the Father, who desired to share with you
his power over his eternal only begotten Son. In you I venerate the choice
of God the Son, who wished to be dependent on you and to owe his
subsistence to the labor of your hands. In you I venerate the choice of the
God the Holy Spirit, who wished to entrust to you his faithful spouse, and
to give you to her as her guardian and companion through life. In you I
venerate the choice of the Vicar of Christ, who declared you as Patron,
Protector and Defender of the Church, founded by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Act of Consecration to Saint Joseph
O Dearest St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to thy honor and give myself to
thee, that thou mayest always be my father, my protector and my guide in
the way of salvation. Obtain for me a great purity of heart and a fervent
love of the interior life. After thine example, may I do all my actions for the
greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the
Immaculate Heart of Mary! And do thou, O blessed St. Joseph, pray for me
that I may share in the peace and joy of thy holy death. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph to be One’s Patron
O Blessed Joseph, foster father of my Savior and chaste spouse of the

mother of God, this day I irrevocably adopt thee for my intercessor with
the Almighty as well as my model, my protector and my father in this
valley of exile. O St. Joseph, whom the Lord constituted guardian of His
Family, I beseech thee to extender thy tender solicitude over all my
interests. Kindle in my heart a vehement love for Jesus and enable me to
serve Him with all thy devotedness and fidelity. Aid my inability to
venerate Mary as my advocate, to honor her as my Queen and to love her
as my Mother. Be my never-failing guide in the way of virtue and piety,
and grant that, after having faithfully followed thee in the path of justice, I
may receive thy powerful protection at the hour of my death. Amen.
Morning Prayer to St. Joseph
How great the grace that was yours, Joseph, that everyday every thing you
did was done for Jesus and Mary; how great your glory now in even a cup
of water given in Jesus’ name will not go unrewarded. By your powerful
intercession win for me the grace that everything I do this day may be done
for God alone; and that I may serve Christ in serving others and serve him,
as did you, in union with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Amen.
Evening Prayer to Saint Joseph
At each day’s ending, Joseph, you could take your rest knowing whom you
had served, and how faithfully however badly things had gone, or
however well. My days’ endings so often bring regret – for things said or
left unsaid, for things done or left undone, for opportunities not seized. In
your goodness, pray to Jesus for me that he would accept even the marred
pattern of my days, make good the lack in each, and give me a day by day
his grace to do better.
Blessed are you, Joseph
Blessed are you St. Joseph, witness of the glory of God here on earth!
Blessed and glorified be God who chose you!
Blessed and glorified be the Son who obeyed you!
Blessed and glorified be the Holy Spirit who sanctified you!
Most Blessed be Mary who loved you!
Praise to Saint Joseph
All the hosts of heaven praise you, Joseph, for in your arms you carried the
Son of God. Alone of all you were found worthy to be the husband of the
Virgin Mother, and to carry in your arms the Son of God. He who rules all
things obeyed you, and he who teaches the creation was taught by you,
who alone of all were found worthy to be the husband of the Virgin
Mother. The Church on earth sings your praise, for in your lowly house she
had her beginning, for you alone of all were found worthy to be the
husband of the Church’s Mother, and to carry in your arms the Christ
whose body she is. Amen.
The Annunciation of St. Joseph
V. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.

R. “Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary, your wife, into
your home”.
V. “For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”.

R. “And she shall bring forth a son”.
V. “And you shall call his name Jesus”.

R. “Because He is the one who is to save his people from their sins”.
V. Pray for us, O virgin father of Jesus

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
V. Let us pray.
R. Pour forth we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we,
to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the
message of an angel, may His passion and cross be brought to the glory of
His resurrection through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Glory be to the Father…

Commemoration of St. Joseph
Behold a faithful and wise servant, whom the Lord hath set over His
household.
V. Glory and riches shall be in his house.

R. And his justice shall endureth for ever and ever.
Let us pray:
O God, who by Thine unspeakable Providence didst vouchsafe to choose

Blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother: mercifully grant
that as we venerate him for our Protector on earth, we may be found
worthy to be aided by his intercession in heaven. Thou who livest and
reignest. Amen.
(This commemoration was once recited at the end of Vespers from the Third
Sunday after Epiphany to the Fourth Sunday of Lent; and from the Third Sunday
to the Last Sunday after Pentecost inclusively, except on Doubles and within
Octaves.)
O Joseph, Virgin-Father of Jesus
O Joseph, virgin-father of Jesus, most pure Spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray
every day for us to the same Jesus, the Son of God, that we, being defended
by the power of His grace and striving dutifully in life, may be crowned by
Him at the Hour of death. Amen.
Supported by the Patronage of Joseph
Supported by the patronage of the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother, we

pray Thee, O Lord, for Thy mercy; that Thou wouldst make our hearts
despise all things earthly and love Thee, the true God, with perfect charity:
Thou Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
(This prayer is the Secret for the votive Mass for St. Joseph from the '62 Roman
Missal.)
He, whom the faithful joyously do honor
He, whom the faithful joyously do honor,

singing his praises with devout affection,
won on his feast day, in eternal glory
life everlasting.
Blest beyond others, and exceeding blissful,
for when the moment of his death was nearing,
Jesus and Mary at his side were standing,
soothing his spirit.
Death he doth conquer, laying down his burden
calmly he slumbers, rest he gains eternal;
lo, round his forehead, bright with rays of splendor
shineth a garland.
Then, as he reigneth, earnestly beseech we
that he may utter fervent intercessions,
praying that pardon and the peace of heaven
may be our portion.
Glory we give Thee, hymns of praise and blessing,
One in Three Persons, who above art reigning,
God, who hast honored with Thy crown forever
this Thy true servant.
Joseph, the Praise and Glory of the

Heavens
Joseph, the praise and glory of the heavens,

sure pledge of life, and safety of the wide world,
as in our joy we sing to thee, in kindness
listen to our praises.
Thou by the world's Creator wert appointed
spouse of the Virgin; thee He willed to honor
naming thee Father of the Word and guardian
of our salvation.
Thou thy Redeemer, lying in a stable,
whom long ago foretold the choir of Prophets,
sawest rejoicing and thy God adoredst
humble in childhood.
God, King of kings, and Governor of the ages,
He at whose word the powers of hell do tremble,
He whom the adoring heavens ever worship
called thee protector.
Praise to the Triune Godhead ever-lasting,
Who with such honor mightily hath blest thee;
o may He grant us thy blest petition
joys everlasting.
Joseph, To Thee by Hosts on High
Joseph! To thee by hosts on high

And choirs of Christians, laud be paid!
Saintly of life, -by purest tie
Joined unto her, the glorious Maid.
When thou didst doubt thy wife’s repute,

And mark her great motherhood,
The angel taught thee that her fruit
Came from the Holy Ghost of God.
To clasp the Son, the Lord, was thine,

To share his flight to Egypt’s shore,
With tears, to seek in Salem’s shrine
Him lost, -with joy, to find once more.
Death brings to other Saints their rest;

Through toil they win the victor’s place;
Thou happier, like the Angel’s blest,
Alive, hast seen God face to face.
Invocations to Saint Joseph
Hail Joseph, image of God the Father.

Hail Joseph, father of God the Son.
Hail Joseph, temple of the Holy Ghost.
Hail Joseph, beloved of the Holy Trinity.
Hail Joseph, most faithful helper in the great plan of Redemption.
Hail Joseph, most worthy spouse of the Virgin Mother.
Hail Joseph, father of all the faithful.
Hail Joseph, guardian of holy virgins.
Hail Joseph, greatest lover of poverty.
Hail Joseph, example of meekness and patience.
Hail Joseph, mirror of humility and obedience.
Blessed art thou among all men.
And blessed are thine eyes, which have seen what thou hast seen.
And blessed are thine ears, which have hears what thou hast heard.
And blessed are thy hands, which have touched the Word Incarnate.
And blessed are thine arms, which have carried the One Who carried all
things.
And blessed is thy breast, on which the Son of God most sweetly reposed.
And blessed is thy heart, kindled with most ardent love.
And blessed be the Eternal Father, Who chose thee.
And blessed be the Son, Who loved thee.
And blessed be the Holy Ghost, Who sanctified thee.
And blessed be Mary, thy spouse, who loved thee as a spouse and a
brother.
And blessed be the Angel who guarded thee.
And blessed be forever all who bless thee and who love thee.
Litany of Saint Joseph
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary , pray for us .
Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Illustrious son of David,
Light of the patriarchs,
Spouse of the Mother of God,
Chaste guardian of the Virgin,
Foster-father of the Son of God,
Watchful defender of Christ,
Head of the Holy Family,
Joseph most just,
Joseph most chaste,
Joseph most prudent,
Joseph most valiant,
Joseph most obedient,
Joseph most faithful,
Mirror of patience,
Lover of poverty,
Model of workmen ,
Glory of domestic life,
Guardian of virgins,
Pillar of families,
Solace of the afflicted,
Hope of the sick,
Patron of the dying,
Terror of demons,
Protector of Holy Church,
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Lord.
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Have mercy on us.
V. He made him the lord of His household,

R. And prince over all His possessions.
Let Us Pray.
O God, Who in Thine ineffable providence didst choose Blessed Joseph to
be the spouse of Thy most Holy Mother, grant that as we venerate him as
our protector on earth, we may deserve to have him as our intercessor in
Heaven, Thou Who livest and reignest forever and ever.
R. Amen.
Praises to Saint Joseph
(These praises may be prayed in thanksgiving for favors received.)
O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed by thy soul, which was adorned with
all the virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the
beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thine intellect, which was full of
the most sublime knowledge of God and was enlightened with revelations.
O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thy will, which all inflamed with
love for Jesus and Mary and always perfectly conformable to the Divine
Will.
O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thine eyes, to which it was granted
to look continually upon Jesus and Mary.
O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thine ears, which merited to hear
the sweet words of Jesus and Mary.
O dear St. Joseph, ever blessed be thy tongue, which continually praised
God and with profound humility and reverence conversed with Jesus and
Mary.
O chaste St. Joseph, ever blessed be thy most pure and loving heart, with
which thou didst ardently love Jesus and Mary.
O holy Joseph, ever blessed be thy thoughts, words and actions, each and
all of which ever tended to the service of Jesus and Mary.
O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be all the moments of thy life, which
thou didst spend in the service of Jesus and Mary.
O my Protector St. Joseph, ever blessed be that moment of thy life in which
thou didst most sweetly die in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
O glorious St. Joseph, ever blessed be that moment in which thou didst
enter into the eternal joys of Heaven.
O happy St. Joseph, ever blessed in eternity be every moment in which,

until now, in union with all the Saints of Heaven, thou hast enjoyed the
incomprehensible bliss of union with God, with Jesus and Mary.
O my dear Protector! Be ever blessed by me and by all creatures, for all

eternity, with all the blessings which the Most Holy Trinity bestowed upon
thee and with all the benedictions given thee by Jesus and Mary and by the
whole Church.
O thrice holy Joseph, blessed in soul and body, in life and death, on earth
and in Heaven. Obtain also for me, a poor sinner but nevertheless thy true
and faithful client, a share in thy blessings, the grace to imitate thee
ardently, and to love and faithfully serve Jesus, Mary, and thyself, and
especially the happiness to die in thy holy arms. Amen.
.
Thank You, Saint Joseph
I want to say a Thank You for each time I said Please grant.
I want to make my gratitude and fling it in the breeze.
I want to prove more mindful on the favors you bestowed.
I want to speak of what you did, the kindness that you showed.
I want to spread devotion to your intercession too.
I want the wide, wide world to know the power that is You.
I want to pray more fervently than I have done before to glorify you more,
by little word and act to glorify you more.
I want to find my love for you in others hearts infused that they may know
petitions made to you are not refused.
I want my little striving life a nobler thing to be that thus I may prove I am
grateful for all you’ve done to me. Amen.
Saint Joseph,
Model of Workers
There was no worker’s spirit so perfectly and
deeply penetrated as the putative father of Jesus!
- Venerable Pope Pius XII

Joseph, Model of Workers
Good Saint Joseph, when God wanted a family for His Son, He looked
among the labourers, and chose you along with Mary demonstrating His
esteem for human work. You put your heart into your work, and share
your workshop with Jesus. Your work, like that of other humans, found
new meaning in the presence of God. Sustain us in the hope of finding
work when we are confronted with desolation of unemployment. Counsel
business leaders to create an equitable division of labour that is respectful
of individuals, and promotes our growth and happiness. Help us to
perform our work joyfully, conscientiously, fairly and honestly. Prepare
our hearts to recognize your Son in our colleagues at work. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph, Patron of Workers
Blessed St. Joseph, patron of all working people, obtain for me the grace to
labor in a spirit of penance for the atonement of my many sins. Help me to
be conscientious in my work so that I may give as full a measure as I have
received.
May I labor in a spirit of thankfulness and joy, ever mindful of all the gifts I
have received from God that enable me to perform these tasks. Permit me
to work in peace, patience, and moderation, keeping in mind the account I
must one day give of time lost, talents unused, good omitted, and vanity of
success, so fatal to the work of God. Glorious St. Joseph, may my labors be
all for Jesus, all through Mary, and all after your holy example in life and in
death. Amen.
(This beautiful prayer, composed by Saint Pope John XXIII (1958-63), places all
workers under the patronage of St. Joseph the Worker, and asks for his intercession
so that we may regard our work as a means of growing in holiness.)
Prayer to Saint Joseph the Workman
Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who devote their lives to labor, obtain for
me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in order thereby to atone for
my many sins; to work conscientiously, setting devotion to duty in
preference to my own whims; to work with thankfulness and joy, deeming
it an honor to employ and to develop by my labor the gifts I have received
from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without
ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties; to work above all with a
pure intention and with detachment from self, having always before my
eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must then render of time
ill spent, of talents wasted, of good omitted, and of vain complacency in
success, which is so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through
Mary, all in imitation of you, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my motto in
life and in death, Amen.
(Also known as "Prayer to Saint Joseph for the Spirit of Work". Pope Saint Pius X
composed this prayer to St. Joseph, patron of working people, that expresses
concisely the Christian attitude toward labor. It summarizes also for us the lessons
of the Holy Family's work at Nazareth.)
Workman’s prayer to Saint Joseph
Joseph, by the works of your hands and the sweat of your brow, you
supported Jesus and Mary, and had the Son of God as your fellow worker.
Teach me to work as you did, with patience and perseverance, for God and
for those whom God has given me to support. Teach me to see in my fellow
workers the Christ who desires to be in them, that I may always be
charitable and forbearing towards all. Grant me to look upon work with
the eyes of faith, so that I shall recognize in it my share in God’s own
creative activity and in Christ’s work of our redemption and so take pride
in it. When it is pleasant and productive, remind me to give thanks to God
for it. And when it is burdensome, teach me to offer it to God, in reparation
for my sins and the sins of the world. Amen
Farmer’s Prayer to Saint Joseph
O Glorious St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, you did provide for the Holy
Family. We commit to your protection all our crops and farm industries.
Deign, we beseech you to intercede in our behalf with Almighty God, who
rules the seasons, so that our fields being safe from pests and favoured by
the weather may yield abundant crops that will allow us to supply the
wants of life. Thus freed from earthly worries may we after your example
apply all our thoughts to eternal life. We beseech you to instill a love of the
land into the hearts of our youth for their own salvation and that of
Christian Unity so that we may all share hereafter in the same blissful life
you enjoy in heaven. Amen.
Prayer for the Spirit of Work
God our Father, Creator and Ruler of the universe, in every age you call us
to use and develop our gifts for the good of others. With St. Joseph as our
guide, help us to do the work you have asked and come to the rewards you
have promised. Please grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen
Prayer for a person who has a Laborious

Occupation
O Blessed Joseph, who passed thy life in the painful labors of a humble
profession, I take thee as my model and my protector. Obtain for me that I
may bear patiently the pains and fatigues of my state, so that like thee
sanctifying my labors, I May merit a crown in Heaven. Amen.
Prayer for the Sanctification of Labour
O God, the creator of all things, you framed the law of labour for the
human race. Graciously grant, by the example and patronage of St. Joseph,
that we may do the work You provide us and earn the reward You
promise. Sustain us with Your grace to live up to our duties in charity and
Justice. Amen.
Prayer for Employment
Dear Saint Joseph, you were yourself once faced with the responsibility of
providing the necessities of life for Jesus and Mary. Look down with
fatherly compassion upon me in my anxiety with my present inability to
support my family. Please help me find gainful employment very soon, so
that this great burden of concern will be lifted from my heart and that I am
soon able to provide for those whom God has entrusted to my care. Help
me guard against discouragement, so that I may emerge from this trial
spiritually enriched and with even greater blessing from God. Amen.
Prayer for the Unemployed
O St. Joseph, we pray to you for those who are out of work, for those who
want to earn their living or support their families.
You who are the patron of workers grant that unemployment may vanish
from our ranks; that all those who are ready to work may put their strength
and abilities in serving their fellowmen and earn a just salary.
You are the patron of families; do not let those who have children to
support and raise lack the necessary means. Have pity on our brothers and
sisters held down in unemployment and poverty because of sickness or
social disorders. Help our political leaders and captains of industry find
new and just solutions. May each and every one have the joy of
contributing, according to his abilities, to the common prosperity by an
honorable livelihood. Grant that we may all share together in the abundant
goods God has given us and that we may help underprivileged countries.
Amen.
Prayer for the First Day of May
O God, the Creator of all things, Who didst frame the law of labor for the
human race, graciously grant that, by the example and patronage of St.
Joseph, we may do the work Thou dost assign us and earn the reward
Thou dost promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son who lives and
reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without
end. Amen.
(Collect for the Feast Day of St. Joseph the Workman)

Run to Saint Joseph
So when we are in trouble, let us listen to the word of
the Lord … Let us go to St. Joseph, if we wish to be consoled.
- St. Alphonsus Ligouri

Saint Joseph, Pray for Us
O Joseph, virgin-father of Jesus, most pure Spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray
every day for us to the same Jesus, the Son of God, that we, being defended
by the power of His grace and striving dutifully in life, may be crowned by
Him at the hour of our death. Amen.
Saint Joseph, Take Care of Us
God our Father, You chose Saint Joseph as the husband of Mary, the
mother of your Son, may He who cared for Your Son on earth continue to
care for us from Your home in heaven. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Saint Joseph, our Solace in Suffering
Compassionate Joseph, one with us in our human condition, together with

Mary and Jesus you experienced exile, hunger and violence. Refusing
vengeance, you chose mercy. Your forgiveness breaks the circle of violence.
Through your goodness, God’s hope for humanity is preserved. Joy is
yours, for the Kingdom of God is your inheritance.
Open our compassionate hands in times of war, famine and exile. Keep us
from developing a victim’s mentality and make our pain a source of
growth. Sustain us in fulfilling our responsibility of cultivating inner peace,
joy and serenity. In your wisdom, counsel us to close all doors to bitterness,
so that, watched over by God, we may dance for joy. Amen.
Saint Joseph, Be with Us
Blessed Joseph, husband of Mary, be with us this day. You protected and
cherished the Virgin; loving the Child Jesus as your Son, you rescued Him
from the danger of death. Defend the Church, the household of God,
purchased by the Blood of Christ. Guardian of the Holy Family, be with us
in our trials. May your prayers obtain for us the strength to flee from error
and wrestle with the powers of corruption so that in life we may grow in
holiness and in death rejoice in the crown of victory. Amen.
Saint Joseph, Teach me
Saint Joseph, you have been the God blessed tree, not only to give fruits but
to gibe shadows, protecting shadow for Mary, your Spouse; shadow for
Jesus, who called you father, and to whom you bestowed all your being.
Your life, woven of work and silence, teach me to be useful in all situations;
teach me, above all, to wait in darkness, strong in faith. Seven sorrows and
seven joys resume your existence. The joys of Jesus and Mary, the
summary of your limitless donation. May your example be always with
me, to blossom where the Father’s will have planted me: to learn to wait, to
give myself totally so the sadness and joy of all others be my sadness and
joy. Amen.
Private Prayer to Saint Joseph
Remember, O most gentle Joseph, your work is never done. You always
help those who seek your guidance. Be my guardian and protector. Hear
my prayer, and grant me the graces I now ask of you (mention your
intentions). Amen.
Saint Joseph, protect me.
The Powerful Prayer to Saint Joseph
O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the

Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, do
assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your
Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that
having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my
thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I
never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not
approach while He reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss
His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my
dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen.
(The prayer was found in the 50th year of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the 1500's it
was sent by the Pope to Emperor Charles when he was going into battle. It is said
that whoever shall read this prayer or take it with them, shall never die a sudden
death or be drowned, nor shall poison take effect on them; neither shall they fall
into the hands of the enemy, or shall be burned in any fire or shall be overpowered
in battle.Say for nine consecutive mornings for anything you may desire. It is
never known to fail.)
Daily Prayer of Petition to Saint Joseph
Beloved Saint Joseph, adopt me as thy child.

Take care of my salvation and watch over me day and night, preserve from
the occasion of sin, and obtain for me purity of soul and body!
Through thy intercession with Jesus, grant me a spirit of sacrifice, of
humility, of self-denial, a great love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and
a tender love for Mary, my Mother.
Saint Joseph, be with me living, be with me dying, and obtain for me a
favorable judgment from Jesus, my merciful Savior.
Prayer to Saint Joseph in Time of Distress
We come to you, O blessed Joseph, in our sore distress. Having sought the
aid of your most blessed spouse, we now confidently implore thy
assistance also. We humbly beg that, mindful of the dutiful affection that
bound you to the immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and of the fatherly
love with which you cherish the Child Jesus, you will lovingly watch over
the heritage that Jesus Christ purchased with His blood, and by your
powerful intercession help us in our urgent need.
Most powerful guardian of the Holy Family, protect the chosen race of
Jesus Christ; drive far from us, most loving father, every pest of error and
corrupting sin. From your place in heaven, most powerful protector,
graciously come to our aid in this conflict with the power of darkness, and
as of old you delivered the Child Jesus from supreme peril of life, so now
defend the holy Church of God from the snares of her enemies and from all
adversity.
Have each of us always in your keeping, that, following your example, and
borne up by your strength, we may be able to live holily, die happily, and
so enter the everlasting bliss of heaven. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for a Difficult

Problem
O Glorious St. Joseph, you who have power to render possible even things
that are considered impossible, come to our aid in our present trouble and
distress. Take this important and difficult affair under your particular
protection that it may end happily. (mention your request)
O dear St. Joseph, all our confidence is in you. Let it not be said that we
would invoke you in vain; and since you are so powerful with Jesus and
Mary, show that your goodness equals your power. Amen.
St. Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.
Prayer of Trust to Saint Joseph in

moments of Anguish and Hardship
Blessed Saint Joseph, your intercession can make possible the impossible
things come to help me in these moments of anguish and hardship. Take
under your protection the difficult and grave situations I commend to you,
so they have a happy solution according to God’s will. My beloved father, I
trust you entirely and abandon myself as a small child sleeping in his dad’s
arms. That could not be said I appealed to you in vain. And as you,
through the Lord, can accomplish everything in front of Jesus and Mary,
show me your kindness is as greater as your power. Amen.
Appeal to Saint Joseph
O Blessed Saint Joseph, tenderhearted Father, faithful guardian of Jesus,

chaste spouse of the Mother of God, I pray and beseech thee to offer to God
the Father, His Divine Son, bathed in Blood on the Cross for sinners, and
through the thrice Holy Name of Jesus, obtain for us from the Eternal
Father, the favor we implore. Amen.
O Joseph, foster Father of Jesus, most pure spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray
for us daily to the Son of God, so that, armed with the might of His grace
and loyally fighting the good fight here on earth, we may be crowned by
Him at the hour of our death. Amen.
Prayer to Obtain a Special Favor through

Saint Joseph
O Blessed Saint Joseph, tender hearted father, faithful guardian of Jesus,

chaste spouse of the Mother of God, we pray and beseech thee to offer to
God the Father His Divine Son, bathed in blood on the Cross for sinners,
and through the thrice-holy Name of Jese, obtain for us from the Eternal
Father the favor we implore. (Name your request.)
Appease the Divine anger so justly inflamed by our crimes, beg of Jesus
mercy for thy children. Amid the splendors of eternity, forget not the
sorrows of those who suffer, those who pray, those who weep; stay the
Almighty arm which smites us, that by thy prayers and those of thy most
holy spouse, the Heart of Jesus may be moved to pity and to pardon.
Amen.
Prayer of Confidence in St. Joseph
With childlike confidence I present myself before thee, O holy Joseph,

faithful foster father of Jesus! I beg thy compassionate intercession and
support in this, my present necessity. [Name your petition.]
I firmly believe that thou art most powerful near the throne of God, Who
chose thee for the foster father of His well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ. O
blessed Saint, who saved that Treasure of Heaven, with His virginal
Mother, from the fury of His enemies, who with untiring industry supplied
His earthly wants and with paternal care accompanied and protected Him
in all the journeys of His childhood, take me also, for the love of Jesus, as
thy child. Assist me in my present difficulty with thy prayers before God.
The infinite goodness of our Savior, Who loved and honored thee as His
father upon earth, cannot refuse thee any request now in Heaven.
How many pious souls have sought help, from thee in their needs and
have experienced, to their joy, how good, how ready thou art to assist.
How quickly thou dost turn to those who call upon thee with confidence!
How powerful thou art in bringing help and restoring joy to anxious and
dejected hearts! Therefore, do I fly to thee, O most worthy father of Jesus,
most chaste spouse of Mary! Good St. Joseph, I pray thee by the burning
love thou hadst for Jesus and Mary upon earth, console me in my distress
and present my petition, through Jesus and Mary, before the Throne of
God! One word from thee will move Him to assist my afflicted soul. Then
most joyfully shall I praise Him and thee, and more earnest shall be my
thanksgiving! Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for the Success of a

Temporal Affair
O Great St. Joseph, whose influence over the Hearts of Jesus and Mary is
all powerful and who hast never been invoked in vain, I ask, with the most
firm and lively confidence, the speedy granting of my request. (State your
petition.)
Dear St. Joseph, obtain for me the object of my prayer if it be for the glory
of God and my own salvation; but if it is not, then obtain for the grace
lovingly to resign myself to the Will of my
Heavenly Father, who in the afflictions He permits, as well as the temporal

favors He grants me, has in view only my happiness
here and my eternal salvation. Amen.
Now pray the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be, three times, in thanksgiving
to God for the graces and prerogatives bestowed on St. Joseph.
Bless me, St. Joseph
Bless me, O dearly beloved Father, St. Joseph; bless my body and my soul;
bless my resolutions, my words and deeds, all my actions and omissions,
my every step; bless all that I possess, all my interior and exterior goods,
that all may redound to the greater honor of God. Bless me for time and
eternity, and preserve me from every sin. Obtain for me the grace to make
atonement for all my sins by love and contrition here on earth, so that after
my last breath I may, without delay, prostrate at thy feet return thee thanks
in Heaven for all the love and goodness thou, O dearest Father, hast shown
me here below. Amen.
Now pray the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be to the Father, three times, in
thanksgiving to God for the graces and prerogatives bestowed on St. Joseph.
Prayer for the Spiritual and Temporal

Welfare
O Glorious Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to we raise our

hearts and hands, to implore your powerful intercession, to obtain from the
gentle heart of Jesus all the help and graces necessary for our spiritual and
temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death.
O Guardian of the Word incarnate, we feel animated with confidence that

your prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of
God. Amen.
Prayer for Travellers
O Blessed Saint Joseph, who did accompany Jesus and Mary in all their
journeys, and who has therefore merited to be called the Patron of
Travellers, accompany us in this journey that we are about to undertake. Be
our guide and our protector; watch over us; preserve us from all accidents
and dangers to the soul and body; support us in our fatigue, and aid us to
sanctify it by offering it to God. Make us ever mindful that we are
strangers, sojourners here below; that heaven is our true home; and help us
to persevere on the straight road that leads there. We beseech thee
especially to protect and aid us in the last great voyage from time to
eternity, so that, under thy guidance we may reach the realm of happiness
and glory, there to repose eternally with thee in the company of Jesus and
Mary. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for Protection
Great St. Joseph, you guided our Lord, Jesus Christ, in his boyhood and
young manhood, and he called you his father. Be a father to me since Jesus
has made me his brother/sister. You worked for him; you taught him to
work. Teach me, too. You kept him safe in the flight into Egypt; keep me
safe in my journey through life. Let me never turn aside from the right road
of the love of our Lord, and of faith and hope in him. May I, as you did,
have Jesus and Mary at my death bed; and as you are, may I be united with
them for ever in heaven. Amen.
To Saint Joseph, Terror of Demons
St. Joseph, Terror of Demons, pave the way for Mary and she paves the
way for her son, Jesus Christ into the world, our families and our hearts.
Protect us from the Jezebel spirit and all demons operating in the world
that emasculate men.
Intercede on our behalf. You protected Mary, your most chaste spouse and
in doing so, did what Adam did not do in the Garden of Eden. Therefore,
St. Joseph, Terror of Demons, bestow upon all fathers the grace of authentic
manhood, faith and purity of heart so that they too can defend and protect
the family.
Prepare the way for Jesus in our homes so that demons will flee from us. St.
Joseph, help us cast out all demons that are preventing our hearts to love
and adore your Son, our Lord, Jesus. Intercede for us that we may be able
to perfectly receive, retain and share the merciful love of our Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Saint Joseph, Terror of Demons, Pray for us.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for Conversion
O Glorious Patriach St. Joseph, who merited to be called "just' by the Holy
Ghost, I urgently recommend to the soul of [Name], which Jesus redeemed
at the price of His Precious Blood.
Thou knowest how deplorable is the state and how unhappy the life of
those who have banished this loving Savior from their hearts, and how
greatly they are exposed to the danger of losing Him eternally. Permit not,
I beseech thee, that a soul so dear to me should continue any longer in its
evil ways; preserve it from the danger that threatens it; touch the heart of
the prodigal child and conduct him back to the bosom of the fondest of
fathers. Abandon him not, I implore thee, till thou hast opened to him the
gates of the Heavenly city, where he will praise and bless thee throughout
eternity for the happiness which he will owe to thy powerful intercession.
Amen.
Prayer to know Oneself
Courageous Joseph, advised by an angel, you confront your fears of the

unknown. Your light shines brightly, penetrating the dark corners of your
being. Your fears dispersed, you rediscover your true face, and actively
participate in the divine project reuniting mother and Child, and the
people with their God. Together with Mary and Jesus, you dwell in the
love of God. Help us to rediscover the united core of our identities, beyond
all internal fears. Counsel us so we may build a better world to welcome
your coming kingdom. Shed your light on the inner lives that, freed from
the grip of our fears, our decisions may be founded in love. May the face of
God shine on us. Amen.
Prayer for One in Need of Counsel
Joseph, in your life on earth you well knew the agonies of doubt and of
uncertainty, and yourself experienced deeply the need all have of
guidance. Look with compassion upon (name) who stands in great need of
wise counsel. Pray for (name) to the Spirit if wisdom, of counsel, and of
understanding, to aid (name) with light and truth. May your own example
inspire (name) to submit wholly and wholeheartedly to the will of God and
to the leading of the Holy Spirit. May your prayers win for (name) the
strength to follow that leading; and may (name) experience the joy to be
found in being one with our Lord in saying, “Father, your will be done”.
Amen.
Joseph, Hope of the Sick
Benevolent Joseph, Son of God placed his life in your hands. With Mary,
you cared for him who is the force of life. May your compassion enfold our
fragility, bringing us the comfort of the Divine Presence. Join us in prayer,
saying: Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God, say a word for our healing.
Make us sensitive to the illness of those close to us. Support our efforts and
grant us courage in the fight against all evil. Help us to find meaning in
God’s great project for humanity beyond the sicknesses and sufferings that
blind our sight. The love of God be with us, as our hope lies with Him.
Amen.
Powerful Novena to Saint Joseph
O glorious St. Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to thee do we raise

our hearts and hands to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining
from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our
spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and
the special favor we now implore (state your petition). O Guardian of the
Word Incarnate, we have confidence that thy prayers on our behalf will be
graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.
(Then say the following seven times in honor of the seven sorrows and joys of St.
Joseph.)
V. O Glorious St. Joseph! Through thy love for Jesus Christ and for the
glory of His Name,
R. Hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.
V. Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
R. Assist us!
My Triple Novena Prayer
O Eternal Father! for the love of the Eternal Son, and for the love of the
Eternal Holy Spirit, grant my request.
O Eternal Son! for the love of the Eternal Father, and for the love of the
Eternal Holy Ghost, grant my request.
O Eternal Holy Ghost! for the love of the Eternal Father, and for the love of
the Eternal Son, grant my request.
O my Crucified Jesus, for the love of the ever adorable Trinity, and for the
love of Mary and Joseph, grant my request.
O Mary, my Mother, for the love of the ever adorable Trinity, and for the
love of Jesus and Joseph, obtain my request.
O Holy St. Joseph, for the love of the ever adorable Trinity, and for the love
of Jesus and Mary, obtain my request.
(Most extraordinary graces have been received through the use of this prayer,
which in one cry of confidence, directly and immediately calls upon Father, Son,
Holy Ghost! and Jesus, Mary, Joseph!)
Petitions for St. Joseph’s Blessing
Bless me, O dearly beloved Father, St. Joseph; bless my body and my soul;
bless my resolutions, my words and deeds, all my actions and omissions,
my every step; bless all that I possess, all my interior and exterior goods,
that all may redound to the greater honor of God. Bless me for time and
eternity, and preserve me from every sin. Obtain for me the grace to make
atonement for all my sins by love and contrition here on earth, so that after
my last breath I may, without delay, prostrate at thy feet return thee thanks
in Heaven for all the love and goodness thou, O dearest Father, hast shown
me here below. Amen.
Now pray the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be to the Father, three times, in
thanksgiving to God for the graces and prerogatives
bestowed on St. Joseph.
Memorare to Saint Joseph
Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it
known that any who implored your help and sought your intercession
were left unassisted. Full of confidence in your power, I fly unto you, and
beg your protection. Despise not, O foster-father of the Redeemer, my
humble supplication but in your bounty hear and answer me. Amen.
St. Joseph,
Protector of the Holy Church
We solemnly declare the Blessed Patriarch Joseph,
Patron of the Universal Church!
- Blessed Pope Pius IX

Prayer to Saint Joseph, Patron of the
Church
Great Saint Joseph, placed by God over the Holy Family at Nazareth, be a
Father to the whole people of God throughout the world who call you their
patron and protector. Shield the Holy Church of God from all harm as it
goes its pilgrim way. Pray to God that it be kept in purity of faith, humility
of heart and docility to the Holy Spirit’s leading, as you yourself were in
your earthly pilgrimage. Teach it by your example how to serve Christ in
all people. Foster in it the spirit of charity – such love as filled it in its
origins in the Holy Family fostered by you at Nazareth.
Saint Joseph, Protector of the Church
Brave Joseph, collaborator in God’s project for humanity, your tenderness

enfolds the newborn Church. Just as Mary and Jesus recognize in you the
protection of the Father, so too does the community of faith place itself
under your protection. Strengthen us with the spirit that filled the
Nazarene home and guide our footsteps on the road to the kingdom.
Accompany us in carrying out our mission. Help us to be lights in the
world so that the family of God may spring forth from humanity
transfigured in Christ. Grant us the strength to imitate God’s preference for
the poor and weak. Guide is in our pastoral activities that our actions may
be modelled on the Good News. Amen.
Prayer for the Universal Church
O Glorious St. Joseph, chosen by God to be the foster father of Jesus, the
chaste spouse of Mary ever Virgin and the head of the Holy Family, and
then appointed by the Vicar of Christ to be the Heavenly patron and
defender of the Church founded by Jesus, most confidently do I implore at
this moment thy powerful aid for all the Church Militant on earth. Do thou
shield with thy truly paternal love especially the Supreme Pontiff and all
the bishops and priests who are in union with the Holy See of Peter. Be the
defender of all who labor for souls amidst the trials and tribulations of this
life, and cause all the peoples of the earth to submit themselves in a docile
spirit to that Church which is the ark of salvation for all men.
Be pleased also, dear St. Joseph, to accept this dedication of myself which I
now make unto thee. I dedicate myself wholly to thee, that thou mayest
ever be my father, my patron and my guide in the way of salvation. Obtain
for me great purity of heart and a fervent devotion to the interior life. Grant
that, following thine example, I may direct all my actions to the greater
glory of God, in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate
Heart of Mary and in union with thee. Finally, pray for me that i may be a
partaker in the peace and joy which were thine at the hour of thy holy
death. Amen.
Prayer for the Church
Most powerful Patriarch, St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, which
has always invoked you in anxiety and trouble, from the exalted seat of
your glory, cast a loving glance upon the whole Catholic world. Let your
fatherly heart be touched at the sight of the Mystical Spouse and the Vicar
of Christ, overwhelmed with sorrow and persecuted by powerful enemies.
Oh, by the bitter anguish you experienced upon earth, dry the tears of the
venerable Pontiff; defend him, comfort him, intercede for him with the
Giver of peace and charity, that, all adversity being removed and all error
dissipated, the entire Church may serve God in perfect liberty. Amen.
Prayer to keep the Church Faithful
Almighty God, that entrusted the first mysteries of the salvation of men to
the faithful custody of St. Joseph, make that his mediation the Church keep
them faithfully and bring them to plenitude in its mission of salvation.
Allow us to serve you with a pure heart as that of St. Joseph who gave
himself totally to the service of your Son born from the Virgin Mary. Amen,
Prayer for the Supreme Pontiff
Most Powerful Patriarch St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, which
has always invoked thee in anxiety and trouble, from the exalted seat of
thy glory cast a loving glance upon the whole Catholic world. let thy
fatherly heart be touched at the sight of the Mystical Spouse and the Vicar
of Christ overwhelmed with sorrow and persecuted by powerful enemies.
Oh, by the bitter anguish thou didst experience upon earth, dry the tears of
the venerable Pontiff, defend him, comfort him, intercede for him with the
Giver of peace and charity, that, all adversity being removed and all error
dissipated, the entire Church may serve God in perfect liberty. Amen.
Prayer for Priests
O Illustrious Patriarch St. Joseph, who carried the Infant Jesus in thy
blessed arms and who, during the space of thirty years, lived in the most
intimate familiarity with Him, take under thy powerful protection those
whom He has clothed with His authority and honored with with the
dignity of His priesthood, whom He has charged to continue His mission,
to preach His Gospel, and to dispense everywhere His graces and
blessings. Sustain them in their fatigues and labors; console them in their
pains; fortify them in their combats; but above all, keep far from them all
the evils of sin.
Obtain for them the humility of St. John the Baptist, the faith of St. Peter,
the zeal and charity of St. Paul, the purity of St. John and the spirit of
prayer and recollection of which thou, my dear Saint, art the model, so
that, after having been on earth, the faithful dispensers of the Mysteries of
thy foster Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, they may in Heaven receive the
recompense promised to pastors according to the Heart of God. Amen.
Prayer to know One’s Vocation
O Great Saint Joseph, you were completely obedient to the guidance of the
Holy Spirit. Obtain for me the grace to know the state of life that God in
His providence has chosen for me. Since my happiness on earth, and
perhaps even my final happiness in heaven, depends on this choice, let me
not be deceived in making it. Obtain for me the light to know God’s will, to
carry it out faithfully, and to choose the vocation which will lead me to a
happy eternity. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph before the Mass
Happy and blessed art thou, O Joseph, to whom it was given not only to
see and to hear that God whom many kings desired to see, and saw not, to
hear, and heard not; but also to hold Him in thine arms, to embrace Him, to
clothe Him, and to guard and defend Him. Pray for us, O blessed Joseph,
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
O God, who hast given unto us a royal priesthood, vouchsafe, we beseech

Thee, that as Blessed Joseph was found worthy to touch with his hands,
and bear within his arms, Thine Only-begotten Son, born of the Virgin
Mary, so may we be made fit, by cleanness of heart and purity of work, to
serve at Thy holy altars; that we may worthily receive the Most Sacred
Body and Blood of Thy Son, now in this present world, and deserve to
attain an everlasting reward in the world to come. Through the same Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph before receiving the

Holy Communion
In your arms, Joseph, you carried the bread of life come down from heaven
for the life of the world. At Betlehem, in Egypt, in Nazareth you provided
for him a home the best you could. Come to my aid and help me to prepare
my heart as best I can, so as to receive with faith, and to house with charity,
the Christ who comes to me in this great Sacrament. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph after receiving the
Holy Communion
Joseph, day by day you looked upon a human child and in your heart you
acknowledge him to be the Son of the most High God. Him have I received
in this sacrament of hidden things. Teach me with what faith should look
upon, and with what love and thanks receive the Godhead herein hidden.
Amen.
Prayer for a Strong Faith
Happy, Blissful Joseph, heir of the faith of all the Patriarchs, obtain for me
this beautiful and precious virtue; increase in me a lively faith, the
foundation of all sanctity, that faith without which no one can be pleasing
to God. Obtain for me that faith which triumphs over all temptations of the
world and conquers human respect; which can be shaken by nothing, and
is directed solely towards God. Cause me after your example to live by
faith, to subject my heart and understanding to God, that once I may
behold in heaven what I now firmly believe on earth. Amen.
Prayer to know our Lord, St. Joseph’s
little Child
You who daily grew in the knowledge and love of Jesus our Lord in the
intimacy of family life at Nazareth, Joseph, teach me by your example to
know, love and serve Jesus my Lord ever more clearly, deeply and
wholeheartedly, each day of my life. Watch over his growth in me and
mine in him with the same love and care with which you nurtured his
growth in Nazareth. He is the light you cherished, the life you nourished;
pray for me that I may never follow any other light but him, nor ever wish
to live by any other life but his.
Prayer to have an Authentic Devotion to

our Lady
Husband of Mary, partner in her joys and sorrows, sharer in the thoughts
she pondered in her heart, by your intercession win for me the grace of a
tender and truly devoted love of Mary, my mother; so that she may find in
me the image of her Son and love me for it.
Prayer to Saint Joseph after reciting the
Holy Rosary
To you, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our tribulation, and having

implored the help of your most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke your
patronage also. Through that charity which bound you to the Immaculate
Virgin Mother of God and through the paternal love with which you
embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you graciously to regard the
inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by his Blood, and with your
power and strength to aid us in our necessities.
O most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children
of Jesus Christ; O most loving father, ward off from us every contagion of
error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be kind to us
and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness.
As once you rescued the Child Jesus from deadly peril, so now protect
God's Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity;
shield, too, each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported
by your example and your aid, we may be able to live piously, to die in
holiness, and to obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.
(This prayer to Saint Joseph—spouse of the Virgin Mary, foster father of Jesus, and
patron saint of the universal Church—was composed by Pope Leo XIII in his 1889
encyclical, Quamquam Pluries. He asked that it be added to the end of the Rosary,
especially during the month of October, which is dedicated to the Rosary. The
prayer is enriched with a partial indulgence (Handbook of Indulgences, conc. 19),
and may be said after the customary Salve Regina and concluding prayer. It may
also be used to conclude other Marian devotions.)
Dying St. Joseph
in the arms of Mary and Jesus
Don’t you know that my father is St. Joseph?
Joseph is my father and the patron of a good death.
- St. Bernadette Soubirous

Saint Joseph, Patron Saint of the Dying
Faithful Joseph, with the fulfilment of the Lord’s promise, you peacefully
lave this world in Jesus’ and Mary’s hands. Your faith transforms death
into the sowing of life; thus, God considers you to be a just man. Your heart
overflows in the presence of the Lord. With your hands outstretched to
God, your night is filled with prayers. Surrounded by the living, you
embark upon the great march to the Promise land. Open our eyes that we
may glimpse the road to life that lies beyond death. May nothing, denial,
anger or depression separate us from the Love of God. Strengthen our faith
in God who always finds ways of preserving us in his friendship. Be beside
us to hold our hands when we take our first steps toward the Eternal
Kingdom. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for a Graceful Life

and a Happy Death
Oh, Saint Joseph, foster-father of Jesus, most pure spouse of the Virgin
Mary, pray for us daily to the same Jesus, the Son of God, that we, being
defended by the power of His grace and striving faithfully in life, may be
crowned by Him at the hour of death. Amen.
Blessed St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to your honor and give myself to
you, that you may always be my father, my protector and my guide in the
way of salvation. Obtain for me great purity of heart and a fervent love of
the interior life. After your example, may I perform my actions for the
greater Glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the
Immaculate Heart of Mary. Pray for me, Saint Joseph, that I may
experience the peace and joy of your holy death. Amen.
Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the immaculate Virgin, obtain for me a

pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine Will.
Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may merit to die
as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Joseph for a Holy Death

O Glorious St. Joseph, behold I choose thee today for my special patron in
life and at the hour of my death. Preserve and increase in me the spirit of
prayer and fervor in the service of God. Remove far from me every kind of
sin; obtain for me that my death may not come upon me unawares, but that
I may have time to confess my sins sacramentally and to bewail them with
a most perfect understanding and a most sincere and perfect contrition, in
order that I may breathe forth my soul into the hands of Jesus and Mary.
Amen
Entrustment of the Last Hours to St.

Joseph
O Blessed Saint Joseph, who yielded up thy last breath in the arms of Jesus
and Mary, obtain for me this grace, O holy Joseph, that I may breathe forth
my soul in praise, saying in spirit, if I am unable to do so in words: "Jesus,
Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul." Amen.
Prayer for the Heavenly Crown
O ST. JOSEPH, virgin father of Jesus and most pure spouse of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, pray every day for us to the same Jesus, the Son of God, that
being defended by the power of His grace and striving dutifully in life, we
may be crowned by Him at the hour of death. Amen.
A Short Prayer for the Dying

O St. Joseph, foster father of the Child Jesus and true spouse of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, pray for us and for the dying of this day (or this night).
Amen.
Prayer for the Agonizing

O St. Joseph, protector of those in agony, take pity on those who at this
very moment when I pray to thee are engaged in their last combat.
O blessed Joseph, take pity on my soul too when the hour of the final battle
shall arrive for me. Then, O my holy patron, do not abandon me, but grant
me thine assistance; show that thou art my good father, and obtain that my
Divine Savior may receive me with mercy into that abode where the elect
enjoy a life that shall never end. Amen.
Aspirations: Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in
peace with thee.
Aspirations for the Dying

O God, be gracious to me;
O God, have mercy on me;
O God, forgive me my sins!
O God the Father, have mercy on me;
O Jesus, be gracious to me;
O Holy Spirit, strengthen me!
O God the Father, do not reject me;

O Jesus, do not abandon me;
O God the Holy Spirit, do not forsake me!
O my God, into Thy hands I commend my spirit;
O Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!
O Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on me!
O Jesus, I believe in Thee; O Jesus I hope in Thee;
O Jesus, I love Thee!
O Jesus, I place all my trust in Thy bitter Passion!
O Jesus, in Thy Sacred Wounds I hide myself!
O Jesus, I enclose myself in Thy Sacred Heart!
Holy Mary, Mother of God, assist me!

Holy Mary, protect me from the evil spirit!
Holy Mary, turn thine eyes of mercy upon me!
O Mary, Mother of mercy, obtain grace for me from thy dear Son!
Come to my aid, O Mary, in this my anguish and need!
O Mary, enclose me in thy virginal Heart!
O Mary, commend me to thy Son, present me to thy Son, reconcile me with
thy Son!
St. Joseph, obtain for me grace and mercy!

St. Joseph, assist me in my struggle against the enemy of my salvation!
St. Joseph, to thee do I entrust my soul: do thou save it for me!
St. Joseph, remember me, and obtain mercy for me!
O holy Guardian Angel, do not abandon me, but

combat for me and preserve me from the evil one!
My dear Patron Saints, pray for me!
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, into Thy hands I commend my spirit!
St. Joseph, Advocate the Dying and the Sinner, Pray for us who have
recourse to thee.
Litany to Saint Joseph for the Dying
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven,

have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
have mercy on us.
St. Joseph, foster father of Christ,

we beseech thee, hear us.
St. Joseph, patron of the dying,
Obtain for him forgiveness of his sins,
Obtain for him great patience,
Obtain for him a perfect resignation,
Obtain for him a living and unshaken faith,
Obtain for him a firm confidence,
Obtain for him ardent charity,
Avert from him the attacks of the enemy,
Protect him from the temptations that assail him,
Preserve him from despondency and despair,
Obtain for him the grace of Jesus Christ,
Assist him and do not abandon him,
Come to his aid in his weakness,
Assist him in his abandonment,
Obtain for him a happy death,
Obtain for him a merciful judgment,
Conduct his soul to the vision of Jesus,
there to obtain mercy for him. Amen.
Prayer for the Holy Souls in the Purgatory

Eternal Father, by the love Thou bearest toward St. Joseph, who was
chosen by Thee from among all men to exercise Thy divine fatherhood over
the Thy Son made Man, have mercy on us and upon all poor souls who are
in their agony.
Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory Be . . .

Eternal Son of God, by the love Thou bearest toward St. Joseph, who was
Thy most faithful guardian upon earth, have mercy on us and upon all
poor souls who are in their agony.
Eternal Spirit of God, by the love Thou bearest toward St. Joseph, who
guarded with such tender care most holy Mary, Thy beloved spouse, have
mercy on us and upon all poor souls who are in their agony.

Saint Joseph,
A Saint for the Saints
His life contained the generosity
of martyrs and of all the other saints.
- St. Francis de Sales

Prayer of St. Alphonsus Ligouri
O Holy Patriarch, I rejoice with thee at the exalted dignity by which thou
wast deemed worthy to act as father to Jesus, to give Him orders and to be
obeyed by Him whom Heaven and earth obey.
O great Saint, as thou wast served by God, I too wish to be taken into thy
service. I choose thee, after Mary, to be my chief advocate and protector. i
promise to honor thee every day by some special act of devotion and by
placing myself under thy daily protection. By that sweet company which
Jesus and Mary gave thee in thy lifetime, I beseech thee to protect me all
through life, so that I may never separate myself from my God by losing
His grace.
My dear St Joseph. pray to Jesus for me. Certainly He can never refuse thee
anything, as He obeyed all Thine orders while on earth. Tell Him to detach
me from all creatures and from myself, to inflame me with His holy love,
and then do with me what he pleases. And by that assistance which Jesus
and Mary gave thee at death , I beg of thee to protect me in a special way at
the hour of my death, so that dying, assisted by thee, in the company of
Jesus and Mary, I may go to thank the in paradise, and in thy company
praise my God for all eternity. Amen.
Glory be (three times)

Prayer of St. Bernardino of Sienna
Be mindful of us, O blessed Saint Joseph and intercede on our behalf with
thy reputed Son; and secure for us the favour of thy Most Holy Virgin
Spouse, the Mother of Him who lives and reigns with the Father and the
Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.
Prayer of St. Clement Mary Hofbauer
St. Joseph, my loving father, I place myself forever under your protection;
look on me as your child, and keep me from all sin. I take refuge in your
arms, so that you may lead me in the path of virtue, and assist me at the
hour of my death. Amen.
Consecration to Saint Joseph by Ven.

Henri Marie Boudon
I cast myself at your feet, O Glorious St. Joseph, and sincerely venerate you
as the chaste spouse of the Mother of God, as the head of the holiest family
that ever existed, as the foster father of Jesus Christ, as the faithful
preserver of the treasures of the Blessed Trinity. In you I venerate the
choice of God the Father, who desired to share with you His power over
His eternal, only-begotten Son, who wished to be dependent on you and to
owe His subsistence to the labor of your hands. I you I venerate the choice
of God the Holy Spirit, who wished to entrust to you His faithful spouse
and to give you to her as her guardian and companion through life.
I congratulate you on the privilege of being permitted to carry Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, in your arms; to press Him to your bosom; to embrace Him
lovingly and to bedew Him with your tears, during the sweet caresses with
which He so often favored you. Who can comprehend the overwhelming
treasures of light, wisdom and grace which you acquired during the times
you lived in the company of Jesus and Mary?
Penetrated with reverence and love at the sight of your greatness and
sanctity, I offer and consecrate to you my heart. After Jesus and Mary, you
shall be its lord and master. Henceforth I shall consider you as my father
and protector, and you regard me as your child. Let me experience the
effects of the high esteem in which you are held by God and your tender
love towards me who have commended myself to your keeping.
Obtain for me a sincere and lasting conversion, with all the graces I need to
fulfil the adorable will of God. Obtain for me your spirit of interior
recollection, your fidelity to grace, your intimate union with God, your
profound humility, your patience in trials, your perfect devotedness to the
ways of Divine Providence and especially your fervent love for the most
Sacred Person of Jesus Christ and for Mary, His Immaculate Mother; the
virtues which constitute your special, incomprehensible sanctity.
Take under your protection, O great Saint, the pious souls who, after your
example. Endeavour to imitate Jesus and Mary by leading a hidden,
secluded life.
Finally, O glorious Saint, through the singular grace of your blissful death
in the arms of Jesus and Mary, obtain for me a similar death with perfect
resignation to the will of God, and the assistance of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
Prayer of Confidence in Saint Joseph by
Ven. Martin von Cochem
O dear Saint Joseph, faithful foster father of Jesus Christ, I devoutedly

come before your sacred image and implore your aid and intercession in
my present necessity. I know and firmly believe that to you all things are
possible with god, and that the sweet Infant Jesus, who on earth was
subject to you. His reputed father, can now in heaven refuse you no
request. Your faithful servant, the seraphic St. Teresa, experienced this, and
declared that never did she present to you a petition that you did not grant;
at the same time she invites all to have recourse to you, assuring them that
they will not depart from you unconsoled.
Encouraged by this promise, I fly to you, O holy Joseph, foster father of

Jesus Christ and chaste spouse of the Mary, beseeching you by the tender
love you bore to both, to bestow on me your love and mercy. Comfort me
in my present trial and affliction, and obtain for me through Jesus and
Mary, that God the Father may grant my petition. Send up to the Heart of
your beloved Jesus but a single sigh, lovingly present to Him my request;
then I shall certainly obtain it, and be consoled in my distress.
(Pray 3 Our Fathers and Hail Marys to obtain the graces and favors).
Prayer for Protection by Ven. Martin von
Cochem
Hail, Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you! You are the faithful
protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that
I have special confidence in you, and, after Jesus and Mary, place all my
hope of salvation in you, for you are all-powerful with God and will never
abandon your faithful servants. Therefore I humbly invoke you and
commend myself, with a ll who are dear to me and my entire possession to
your secure protection and powerful intercession. I beseech you, by the
love of Jesus and Mary, do not abandon me during life, and assist me at the
hour of my death. Amen.
Prayer of Pope Saint John Paul II
Most beloved father, Saint Joseph, dispel the evil of falsehood and sin in
me, graciously assist me from heaven in my struggle with the powers of
darkness and just as once you saved the Child Jesus from mortal danger, so
now defend me from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity. Teach
me to be the father that I ought to be in words and in deeds. Amen.
Prayer of Pope Saint John XXIII
St. Joseph, be always our protector. That your internal spirit of peace,
silence, honest work and prayer in the service of the Church give us life
and happiness in union with your blessed Spouse, our Sweet and
Immaculate Mother in the strong and mild love to Jesus, Glorious and
Immortal King of the centuries and the people. Amen.
Prayer for fathers by Pope Saint John

XXIII
St. Joseph, guardian of Jesus and chaste husband of Mary, you passed your
life in loving fulfilment of duty. You supported the holy family of Nazareth
with the work of your hands. Kindly protect those who trustingly come to
you. You know their aspirations, their hardships, their hopes. They look to
you because they know you will understand and protect them. You knew
trial, labor and weariness. But amid the worries of material life, your soul
was fill of deep peace and sang out in true joy through the intimacy with
God’s Son entrusted to you and with Mary, his tender mother. Assure
those you protect that they do not labor alone. Teach them to find Jesus
near them and to watch over Him faithfully as you have done. Amen.
Prayer of Pope Leo XIII
To thee do we cry in our tribulations, O Blessed Saint Joseph, as we

confidently invoke your patronage, after that of your most holy spouse, the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
By the sacred bond of devotion which linked you to the Immaculate Virgin,
Mother Of God, and for the fatherly love you lavished on the child, Jesus,
we beg you to cast a glance on those heavenly gifts which the Divine
Redeemer has obtained for all mankind through his Precious Blood and
through your power and mercy, help us in our needs.
O holy protector of the holy family, protect us children of the Lord Jesus
Christ; keep far from us the errors and evils which corrupt the world; assist
us from Heaven in our struggles against the powers of darkness. And as
you once protected the Divine Child from the cruel edict of Herod, now
defend the Church and Keep it safe from all dangers and threats; spread
over all of us your holy patronage so that by following your example and
aided by your spiritual guidance, we may all aspire to a virtuous life, look
to a holy death and secure for ourselves the blessings of eternal happiness
in Heaven. Amen.
Pious Devotions
to Saint Joseph
I took for my advocate and comforter the Glorious
St. Joseph and commend myself fervently to Him.
St. Teresa of Avila

Seven Sorrows and Joys of Saint Joseph
Among the many exercises of piety practiced in honor of St. Joseph, there is one
generally known, namely, that of meditating on his Seven Sorrows and Seven Joys.
This devotion owes its origin to a celebrated event, never omitted by any historian
of the Saint.
It is as follows: Two Fathers of the Franciscan order were sailing along the coast of
Flanders, when a terrible tempest arose, which sank the vessel, with its three
hundred passengers. The two Fathers had sufficient presence of mind to seize hold
of a plank, upon which they were tossed to and fro upon the waves, for three days
and nights. In their danger and affliction, their whole recourse was to St. Joseph,
begging his assistance in their sad condition. The Saint, thus invoked, appeared in
the habit of a young man of beautiful features, encouraged them to confide in his
assistance, and, as their pilot, conducted them into a safe harbor. They, desirous to
know who their benefactor was asked his name, that they might gratefully
acknowledge so great a blessing and favor. He told them he was St. Joseph, and
advised them daily to recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times, in memory
of his seven dolors or grief's, and of his seven joys, and then disappeared.
(Recite one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be after each number)
First: St. Joseph, Chaste Spouse of the Holy Mother of God, by the sorrow
with which thy heart was pierced at the thought of a cruel separation from
Mary, and by the deep Joy that thou didst feel when the angel revealed to
thee the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation, obtain for us from Jesus and
Mary, the grace of surmounting all anxiety. Win for us from the Adorable
Heart of Jesus the unspeakable peace of which He is the Eternal Source.
Second: St. Joseph, Foster-Father of Jesus, by the bitter Sorrow which thy
heart experienced in seeing the Child Jesus lying in a manger, and by the
Joy which thou didst feel in seeing the Wise men recognize and adore Him
as their God, obtain by thy prayers that our heart, purified by thy
protection, may become a living crib, where the Savior of the world may
receive and bless our homage.
Third: St. Joseph, by the Sorrow with which thy heart was pierced at the
sight of the Blood which flowed from the Infant Jesus in the Circumcision,
and by the Joy that inundated thy soul at thy privilege of imposing the
sacred and mysterious Name of Jesus, obtain for us that the merits of this
Precious Blood may be applied to our souls, and that the Divine Name of
Jesus may be engraved forever in our hearts.
Fourth: St. Joseph, by the sorrow when the Lord declared that the soul of
Mary would be pierced with a sword of sorrow, and by thy joy when holy
Simeon added that the Divine Infant was to be the resurrection of many,
obtain for us the grace to have compassion on the sorrows of Mary, and
share in the salvation which Jesus brought to the earth.
Fifth: St. Joseph, by thy sorrow when told to fly into Egypt, and by thy joy
in seeing the idols overthrown at the arrival of the living God, grant that no
idol of earthly affection may any longer occupy our hearts, but being like
thee entirely devoted to the service of Jesus and Mary, we may live and
happily die for them alone.
Sixth: St. Joseph, by the sorrow of thy heart caused by the fear of the tyrant
Archelaus and by the joy in sharing the company of Jesus and Mary at
Nazareth, obtain for us, that disengaged from all fear, we may enjoy the
peace of a good conscience and may live in security, in union with Jesus
and Mary, experiencing the effect of thy salutary assistance at the hour of
our death.
Seventh: St. Joseph, by the bitter sorrow with which the loss of the Child
Jesus crushed thy heart, and by the holy joy which inundated thy soul in
recovering thy Treasure on entering the Temple, we supplicate thee not to
permit us to lose our Saviour Jesus by sin. Yet, should this misfortune
befall us, grant that we may share thy eagerness in seeking Him, and
obtain for us the grace to find Him again, ready to show us His great
mercy, especially at the hour of death; so that we may pass from this life to
enjoy His presence in heaven, there to sing with thee His divine mercies
forever.
Let Us Pray:
O God, Who in Thine ineffable Providence has vouchsafed to choose

Blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother; grant, we
beseech Thee, that we may deserve to have him for our intercessor in
heaven whom on earth we venerate as our holy protector: Who lives and
reigns forever and ever. Amen.
The Seven Sundays of Saint Joseph
The Seven Sundays in honor of St. Joseph are observed in the following manner:
Holy Communion is received in his honor on seven consecutive Sundays, and on
each Sunday the prayers in honor of the Seven Sorrows and the Seven Joys of St.
Joseph are recited.
An excellent means of obtaining special favors through the intercession of St.

Joseph is to honor his seven sorrows and seven joys by the devotion of the Seven
Sundays. This devotion may be practiced at any time of the year, but fervent
clients of St. Joseph like to venerate him especially on the seven Sundays preceding
his Feast Day (March19th,May 1st, Solemnity of Saint Joseph which is, the third
Wednesday after Easter) . Then they more confidently hope to obtain some
particular favor; often the favors they receive are greater than they had expected.
St. Teresa of Avila tells us that St. Joseph frequently obtained for her much greater
favors than those for which she had petitioned.
It is related that a ship containing a number of passengers was wrecked off the
coast of Holland. Two Franciscan monks, who had clung to a plank for two days,
were save by a man of venerable appearance who miraculously brought them to
shore. Upon their asking him who he was he replied, 'I am Joseph, and I desire you
to honour my seven sorrows and seven joys.." This was the origin of the devotion
to the sorrows and joys of St. Joseph.
Those who are seeking a special request may also have seven Masses said in honor
of St. Joseph, or assist at seven Masses, give alms or fast seven times, make seven
visits to a chapel or to an image of the Saint. A novena may made by daily saying
the prayers of the Seven Sorrows and Seven Joys of St. Joseph; or this devotion may
be performed for thirty days and ended with the reception of the Sacraments. One
can also make a novena by saying the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be seven
times on each of seven consecutive Sundays, in honor of the Seven Sorrows and
Joys of St. Joseph. It is very pleasing to St. Joseph and a great act of charity to aid,
in his honor, those souls in Purgatory who during life practiced special devotion to
him. In our various necessities, we might promise St. Joseph that if he comes to our
aid we will have one or more Masses said for the Poor Souls, or offer Holy
Communion for them.
1. The doubt of St. Joseph. (Matt. ......The message of the Angel.

1:19) (Matt. 1:20).
2. The poverty of Jesus' birth. (Luke ......The birth of the Saviour. (Luke
2:7) 2:10-11).
3. The Circumcision. (Luke 2:21) .....The Holy Name of Jesus. (Matt.

1:25).
4. The prophecy of Simeon. (Luke .....The effects of the Redemption.

2:34) (Luke 2:38).
5. The flight into Egypt. (Matt. 2:14) .....The overthrow of the idols of
Egypt. (Is. 19:1).
6. The return from Egypt. (Matt. .....Life with Jesus and Mary at
2:22) Nazareth. (Luke 2:39).
7. The loss of the Child Jesus. (Luke ....The finding of the Child Jesus in
2:45) the Temple. (Luke 2:46).
PRAYERS IN HONOR OF THE SEVEN SORROWS AND JOYS OF ST.
JOSEPH
Composed by Ven. Januarius Sarnelli, C.SS.R. (d. 1744)
First Sunday
Sorrow: The doubt of St. Joseph. (Matt. 1:19)

But Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wishing to expose her to
reproach, was minded to put her away privately.
Joy: The message of the Angel. (Matt. 1:20).

But while he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of
David, to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is begotten in her is of
the Holy Spirit.
O chaste Spouse of Mary most holy, glorious St. Joseph, great was the
trouble and anguish of your heart when you wert minded to put away
privately your inviolate Spouse, yet your joy was unspeakable when the
surpassing mystery of the Incarnation was made known to you by the
Angel!
By this sorrow and this joy, we beseech you to comfort our souls, both now
and in the sorrows of our final hour, with the joy of a good life and a holy
death after the pattern of your own, in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
Our Father . . . Hail Mary . . . Glory be . . .

Second Sunday
Sorrow: The poverty of Jesus' birth. (Luke 2:7)

And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in
the inn.
Joy: The birth of the Savior. (Luke 2:10-11).
And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good
news of great joy which shall be to all people; for today in the town of
David, a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord."
O most blessed Patriarch, glorious St. Joseph, who was chosen to be the
foster father of the Word made flesh, your sorrow at seeing the Child Jesus
born in such poverty was suddenly changed into heavenly exultation when
you did hear the angelic hymn and beheld the glories of that resplendent
night.
By this sorrow and this joy, we implore you to obtain for us the grace to
pass over from life's pathway to hear the angelic songs of praise, and to
rejoice in the shining splendor of celestial glory.
Third Sunday
Sorrow: The Circumcision. (Luke 2:21).

And when eight days were fulfilled for his circumcision, his name was
called Jesus, the name given to him by the angel before he was conceived in
the womb.
Joy: The Holy Name of Jesus. (Matt. 1:25).

And he did not know her until she brought forth her first born son. And he
called his name Jesus.
O glorious St. Joseph you faithfully obeyed the law of God, and your heart
was pierced at the sight of the Precious Blood that was shed by the Infant
Savior during His Circumcision, but the Name of Jesus gave you new life
and filled you with quiet joy.
By this sorrow and this joy, obtain for us the grace to be freed from all sin
during life, and to die rejoicing, with the holy Name of Jesus in our hearts
and on our lips.
Fourth Sunday
Sorrow: The prophecy of Simeon. (Luke 2:34).

And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, "Behold this child
is destined for the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that
shall be contradicted. And your own soul a sword shall pierce.
Joy: The effects of the Redemption. (Luke 2:38).

And coming up at that very hour, she began to give praise to the Lord, and
spoke of him to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
O most faithful Saint who shared the mysteries of our Redemption,

glorious St. Joseph, the prophecy of Simeon regarding the sufferings of
Jesus and Mary caused you to shudder with mortal dread, but at the same
time filled you with a blessed joy for the salvation and glorious
resurrection which, he foretold, would be attained by countless souls.
By this sorrow and this joy, obtain for us that we may be among the
number of those who, through the merits of Jesus and the intercession of
Mary the Virgin Mother, are predestined to a glorious resurrection.
Fifth Sunday
Sorrow: The flight into Egypt. (Matt. 2:14).

So he arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and withdrew into
Egypt.
Joy: The overthrow of the idols of Egypt. (Is. 19:1).

The burden of Egypt. Behold the Lord will ascend upon a swift cloud and
will enter into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt will be moved at his presence,
and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst thereof.
O most watchful Guardian of the Incarnate Son of God, glorious St. Joseph,
what toil was your in supporting and waiting upon the Son of the most
high God, especially in the flight into Egypt! Yet at the same time, how you
did rejoice to have always near you God Himself, and to see the idols of the
Egyptians fall prostrate to the ground before Him.
By this sorrow and this joy, obtain for us the grace of keeping ourselves in
safety from the infernal tyrant, especially by flight from dangerous
occasions; may every idol of earthly affection fall from our hearts; may we
be wholly employed in serving Jesus and Mary, and for them alone may
we live and happily die.

Sixth Sunday
Sorrow: The return from Egypt. (Matt. 2:22).

But hearing that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father
Herod, he was afraid to go there; and being warned in a dream, he
withdrew into the region of Galilee.
Joy: Life with Jesus and Mary at Nazareth. (Luke 2:39).

And when they had fulfilled all things prescribed in the Law of the Lord,
they returned into Galilee, into their own town of Nazareth.
O glorious St. Joseph, an angel on earth, you did marvel to see the King of
Heaven obedient to your commands, but your consolation in bringing
Jesus out of the land of Egypt was troubled by your fear of Archelaus;
nevertheless, being assured by the Angel, you dwelt in gladness at
Nazareth with Jesus and Mary.
By this sorrow and this joy, obtain for us that our hearts may be delivered
from harmful fears, so that we may rejoice in peace of conscience and may
live in safety with Jesus and Mary and may, like you, die in their company.
Seventh Sunday
Sorrow: The loss of the Child Jesus. (Luke 2:45).

And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem in search of him
Joy: The finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. (Luke 2:46).
And it came to pass after three days, that they found him in the Temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them
questions.
O glorious St. Joseph, pattern of all holiness, when you did lose, through
no fault of your own, the Child Jesus, you sought Him sorrowing for the
space of three days, until with great joy you did find Him again in the
Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors.
By this sorrow and this joy, we supplicate you, with our hearts upon our
lips, to keep us from ever having the misfortune to lose Jesus through
mortal sin; but if this supreme misfortune should befall us, grant that we
may seek Him with unceasing sorrow until we find Him again, ready to
show us His great mercy, especially at the hour of death; so that we may
pass over to enjoy His presence in Heaven; and there, in company with
you, may we sing the praises of His Divine mercy forever.
Antiphon
And Jesus Himself was beginning about the age of thirty years, being the
Son of Joseph.
V. Pray for us, O holy Joseph.

Let Us Pray:
O God, Who in Your ineffable Providence did vouchsafe to choose Blessed
Joseph to be the spouse of Your most holy Mother, grant, we beseech You,
that he whom we venerate as our protector on earth may be our intercessor
in Heaven. Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
The Practice of the First Nine Wednesdays
A Devotion Promulgated by the Pious Union of St. Joseph. Every Wednesday is

dedicated in a special way to St. Joseph. Make the Nine First Wednesdays (in a
manner similar to the Nine First Fridays of the Sacred Heart) in honor of St.
Joseph for a happy death, for yourself and your dear ones. As charity is one of the
best ways to be worthy of the grace of a happy death, offer your First Wednesday
Mass and Communion and devotions in honor of St. Joseph in a special way for the
salvation of the dying, most especially for an undying sinner who is to lose his soul
without the grace of final repentance.
Our Lord permits St. Joseph to take from His Divine treasury with full hands in
order to give souls the treasures of Divine grace and mercy, like Joseph, the son of
Jacob, who took corn from the granaries of the King of Egypt to feed his brethren
and all who had recourse to him. From the heights of Heaven, the King of Glory
speaks to us the same words as Pharao spoke to the starving people of Egypt: "Go
to Joseph."
THE GO TO JOSEPH PRAYER
In the miseries of this vale of tears, to whom shall we have recourse, O

blessed Joseph, if not to thee, to whom thy beloved spouse Mary entrusted
all her rich treasures, that thou might keep them to our advantage? "go to
my spouse, Joseph," Mary seems to say to us, "and he will comfort you, he
will deliver you from the misfortunes which now oppress you and will
make you happy and contented" Have pity on us, therefore, O St. Joseph;
have pity on us through that love which thou didst cherish toward a
spouse so worthy and amiable.

We are fully conscious that we have offended the justice of God by our sins
and deserve His most severe chastisements. Not what shall be our place of
refuge? "go to Joseph," Jesus seems to say to us; "Go to Joseph, in whom I
was well pleased and whom I had for My foster father. To him, as to a
father, I have communicated all power, that he may use it for your good
according to his own desire." Pity us, therefore, O blessed Joseph, pity us,
for the great love thou didst bear toward a Son so admirable and so dear.
Unhappily the sins we have committed call down upon the heaviest
scourges: this we must confess. In what ark shall we take refuge in order to
be saved? Where shall we find the blessed rainbow that shall give us
comfort and hope in the midst of our afflictions? "Go to Joseph," the Eternal
father seems to say to us: "Go to him who took My place on earth with
regard to My Son made man. I entrusted to his keeping My Son, who is the
unfailing source of grace; therefore, every grace is in his hands." Pity us,
then, dear St. Joseph, pity us by thy great love for Almighty God, Who has
been so generous to thee.

The Scripture Service in Honor of St.
Joseph
The following scripture service is designed to be suitable for either group use or for
private meditation.
Opening Hymn
Joseph, high we praise you, Father of the people

Who praise never sought, Christ has died to save,
You whom Christ called ‘father’ Patron and protector
So by Mary taught; Whom the Church God gave.
Chosen by the Father, Joseph, who serenely
Loved so by the Son, Paths of poverty trod,
Husband whom the Spirit Pure of heart, most faithful
Gave the Spotless One. To the will of God;
Sanctified by labour Teach us, Holy Father,
Done for God alone, So to follow you
Royal son of David That to Christ united
Yours a higher throne; Ever we may be.
First Reading from the Book of Genesis (41:37-44; 53-55)
Joseph’s advice pleased the Pharaoh and all his advisers, and Pharaoh said
to them, ‘We surely will not find another such as this man, full of the spirit
of God as he is’. And then he said to Joseph, ‘Since it is God who has
shown you all that you have made known to us, I will surely find no one to
equal you in wisdom. You shall take charge of my household, and the
whole people will obey any command you utter. Only in regard to the
throne itself shall I be above you’. Again Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘See, I
have set you to govern the whole land of Egypt’; and he took a ring from
his own finger and put it on Joseph’s. He dressed him in fine linen, and
placed a gold chain around his neck. He made him ride in a chariot second
only to his own. A herald proclaimed him, so that all should bow down in
reverence before him and be aware that he was governor of the whole land
of Egypt. Pharaoh also said to Joseph: ‘I am Pharaoh; without your
permission no one in the whole land of Egypt will move hand or foot.’
In due course, after there had been seven years of plenty in Egypt, there
began seven years of famine which Joseph had foretold. There was famine
all over the world. But there was bread to be had in Egypt. And when, in
their need, the people cried to Pharaoh for food, he told them: ‘Go to
Joseph; and do whatever he tells you’.
Psalm 34
Come, you people of God, listen to me:

I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord.
Is there anyone who loves life,
and desires a long life in order to enjoy the good things it offers?
Well then, restrain your tongue from evil speech
and your lips from deceitful talk.
Keep away from evil and do what is good;
seek after peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord look kindly on the just
and Lord is close to the saddened heart,
and saves those whose spirit is broken.
Many are the trials of the good person,
but the Lord delivers that person from them all;
the Lord saves the lives of the servants,
and no one who flies to God will be condemned.
Silent Reflection
Just as it was Mary’s faith that Elizabeth praised rather than her motherhood, and
as it is, our Lord said, doing His Father’s will that makes us his ‘brother and sister
and mother’ so it is with St. Joseph. To be Mary’s husband, to be called Father by
our Lord, were great honours; but Joseph’s real greatness lies in his holiness – in
the fact that ‘He was just a man’.
 Do I want to be holy?
 Pray to be holy?
 Try to be holy?
Second Reading from the First Letter of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians
(1: 26-31)
Remember when you were first called, brothers and sisters. There were not
many of you who were wise in the way of the world, or powerful, or of
high birth. But God has chosen what the world regards to as foolish in
order to confound the ‘wise’; God has chosen what the world regards as
weak in order to confound the strong; God has chosen what the world
regards as ignoble and contemptible, has chosen nobodies in order to bring
to nought what the world esteems. There was to be no occasion for any
person to boast in Christ’s Jesus, whom God has made our wisdom, our
righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption; so that, as it is
written, ‘If anyone boasts, let that person make a boast in the Lord’.
Response
All the hosts of heaven praise you, Joseph

For in your arms you carried the Son of God
Alone of all people
You were worthy to be
The husband of the Virgin Mother,
And to carry in your arms the Son of God
He who rules all things obeyed you
And He who teaches the whole creation
Was taught by you,
Who alone of all people
Were found worthy to be
The husband of the Virgin Mother.
The Church on the earth sings your praise,
For in you alone of all people
Were found worthy to be
The husband of the Church’s Mother
And to carry in your arms
The Christ whose body she is.
The Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew (1:18-25)
This is the story of Christ’s birth. His mother, Mary, was betrothed to
Joseph but they had not yet come together when she was found to be
pregnant, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now Joseph, her husband, was a
God-fearing man. He did not want to denounce her, and thought of
divorcing her without any publicity. But as he turned all this over in his
mind, an angel of the Lord appeared to him as he slept, and said to him,
‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the
child she has conceived is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son,
and you will give him the name “Jesus”; for he will save his people from
their sins’. Now all this took place to fulfil the word of the Lord spoken by
his prophets: Behold, the virgin shall be with the child and shall bear a son
and they shall call his name ‘Emmanuel’ – which means ‘God is with us’.
Joseph, therefore, rose up from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord
has told him. He took his wife to him. He has no knowledge of her, and in
due course, she gave birth to her first born, a son, and called his name
‘Jesus’.
Silent Reflection
 How do I react to doubt?

 Prudently?
 Am I without anxiety in God, even when perplexed?
 Am I content to wait for God?
 Are my judgements hasty, or well-considered?
 Can I be silent?
 Do I look for the hand of God in all the events of my life?
 In the lives of those who are dear to me?
The Two Josephs: From the sermons of Saint Bernard
Who Saint Joseph was, the sort of man lie was, you may readily
understand from the fact that he had the honour to be called and to be
believed to be the father of one who was God.
Understand it, too, from the very name of ‘Joseph’, which means ‘increase’.
Again, call to mind the Patriarch of old – that Joseph who was sold into
Egypt (Genesis 37); and be assured that our Joseph resembles that other not
only in name but also in holiness, in innocence, and in grace.
The Joseph of old, sold as slave into Egypt because of his brother’s
jealousy, foreshadows the betrayal of Christ; our Joseph, fleeing from the
jealousy of Herod, carried Christ into Egypt. The Joseph of old, his master’s
faithful servant, would not yield to his master’s wife (Genesis 39); our
Joseph, himself a virgin, faithfully guarded his lady, the Virgin Mother of
his Lord.
In mysterious dreams, the Joseph of old was given the gift of

understanding (Genesis 40); to our Joseph it was given clearly to know and
willingly to cooperate in heavenly mysteries. The Joseph of the old stored
up food not for himself, but for the whole people (Genesis 42); our Joseph
received the living bread come down from heaven and guarded it, both for
himself and for the whole world.
Who could doubt that Joseph was a good and trustworthy man, seeing that
to him was wedded the Mother of our Saviour? He is, I say, that ‘good and
faithful servant’ whom the Lord commissioned to be the comforter of his
own Mother, the guardian of his own humanity and, alone in the world,
the most faithful co-operator in God’s great design.
Silent Reflection
 Am I a faithful servant of my Lord, serving God in those God has given me

to look after?
 Do I, by example of a life well lived, carry Christ into every part of my own
world?
 How well do I co-operate with God’s will for me?
 What is my real attitude to Jesus and Mary?
 Do I carefully guard all the gifts of grace God has given me?
General Intercession
May the intercession of St. Joseph, Lord, whom the Church calls its Patron,
everywhere protect and increase Christ’s Church on Earth.
May all of us Lord, see in Saint Joseph the virtues appropriate to our state
of life, that imitating him in his obedience to your will, we may deserve to
enjoy his patronage and protection.
Through the merits and prayers of St. Joseph may family life, Lord, be kept
safe and be fostered.
May the intercession of St. Joseph, Lord, who guided the infant Church in
the home of Nazareth, assist our Holy Father the Pope in his governing of
your holy people.
May the prayers of St. Joseph, Lord, who experienced exile and poverty,
give strength to the defenceless, and fresh heart to the discouraged.
May the dying, Lord, have peace and courage to the intercession of St.
Joseph, and, as he did experience the nearness of Jesus and Mary to them in
their need.
Final Hymn
Hail, Saint Joseph, pure and gentle Hail Saint Joseph, kind and loving,
Guardian of the Saviour Child, Stretch to us a helping hand;
Treading with the Virgin Mother Guide us through life’s toil and sorrow
Egypt’s desert, rough and wild; ‘til we reach the promised land;
Hail Saint Joseph, spouse of Mary, Hail Saint Joseph, spouse of Mary
Blessed above all saints on high; Blessed above all saints on high,
When the death shades round us gather, When the death shades round us gather
Teach, oh teach how to die. Teach us, oh teach us how to die.
The Nine Days to Saint Joseph
Prayer before the Novena
Great Saint Joseph, prostrate at thy feet with feelings of unlimited

confidence we beg thee to bless the Novena that I began in thy honor. I will
meditate upon thy virtues; grant that I may learn fully to appreciate them.
The knowledge of them will be the source of great confusion for me
because of the poverty and destitution of my soul.
Great dispenser of the heavenly treasures, assist me in my poverty, help me
to display thy virtues in my own soul. "Thou art never invoked in vain,"
says the seraphic Theresa of Jesus; be thou to me what thou hast been to
that Spouse of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; graciously hearken to me as thou
didst hearken to her. Amen.
(Mention your Petitions.)
FIRST DAY: SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF THE LIFE OF FAITH
The words of the great Apostle: "The just man liveth by faith," may be
applied particularly to Saint Joseph who was the most just of men and
whose life was ever guided by faith. Joseph submitted his intelligence to
the holy truths of religion. He applied his heart from his tender infancy to
the observance of the divine precepts.
In the trials and sorrows of life, Joseph was sustained by faith. He shaped
his whole conduct by the desire to please God and he attained the great
aim of man upon earth, which is to adore God, to serve Him, and hence to
deserve the everlasting Truth.
Let us glorify this great Servant of God who possessed faith so universal,
so simple, so enlightened, so firm, so constant, and, above all, so fruitful in
good works.
Let us examine ourselves with regard to this great virtue and see how we
resemble him.
Is my faith firm, unshaken? Is my conduct animated by faith! Is the
predominant thought that directs my acts to please God, and to obtain
merit for everlasting life? Have I tried to derive consolation and strength
from the thought of faith in time of trial?
Prayer
Great Saint, model of the just living by faith, revive that virtue in our
souls. May it be principle, the motive, the aim of all my actions; consolation
and my strength in the trials of this life, the source of abundant merit for
everlasting life. Amen
SECOND DAY: SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF HOPE
Joseph, abandoning himself entirely to the care of Divine Providence,

glorified God by his life. Among all the virtues, hope is the most pleasing
to God, because it is based upon His infinite goodness. In the sufferings of
this life it is the source of the greatest consolation and encouragement.
Joseph hoped in the Lord. He hoped for His grace in the accomplishment
of His adorable will; for His help in time of trial; for His light in the
difficulties of life. By hope he detached his heart from the perishable goods
and the deceitful affections of this world. In the hour of trial he sustained
his courage by hope, and fortified his heart with a peace that nothing could
alter.
Let us imitate Saint Joseph. Let us elevate our hopes towards the only
veritable and imperishable treasures. Let us trust in the wisdom and
solicitude of Divine Providence. Let us rely upon the grace of the Lord;
upon His goodness, and upon His power. Let us renew our confidence in
the hour of trial. Let us avoid discouragement, which outrages the wisdom
and goodness of God.
Prayer
Joseph, do thou cause the gift of Christian hope to descend into my heart.
May it enlighten me, console me, defend me. May it detach me from the
earth so as to elevate my thoughts and my affections towards Heaven.
May it henceforward inspire my whole conduct and give me the right to
die like thee, saying: "Lord, I have hoped in Thee; I shall not be
confounded."
THIRD DAY: SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF CHARITY
Joseph, loved God from his earliest youth and loved Him during his whole
life. Joseph loved God with his whole heart, with his whole soul, with his
whole strength. Joseph loved God with a love of preference, giving Him his
first affections, and cutting off his heart from all that could hinder or alter
his love for his Lord and Sovereign Master. Joseph loved God with a love
of union, keeping himself; constantly united to God by prayer, meditation,
the thought of His holy presence, and the most perfect conformity to the
will of God.
Joseph loved God with a love of immolation which prompted him to
perfect devotedness, enabling him to perform with joy the greatest and
most numerous sacrifices. Joseph loved God with a love of perseverance
that experienced neither decrease nor alteration. He always loved God with
all his power to love, and constantly endeavored to love Him more and
more.
Prayer
Blessed Saint, enkindle in my cold heart a spark of thy charity. May God
be always the first and only object of my affections. Keep my soul always,
in sanctifying peace, and, if I should be so unhappy as to lose it, give me
the strength to recover it immediately by a sincere repentance.
Grant me such a love of my God as will always keep me united to Him,
and will be the principle and motive of all my actions. Grant me a
generous love that will make me overcome all obstacles, and accept the
greatest sacrifices rather than separate myself from the charity of my God.
Amen.
FOURTH DAY SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF PURITY
"How beautiful is the chaste generation!" (Wisdom iv) "The whole weight
of gold is as nothing in comparison with a pure soul." (Eccles. xxv)
SAINT Joseph was preeminent in purity because he feared God and
faithfully observed His holy law; because he safeguarded his virtue by fear
of the Sovereign Good and by prudence; because he sheltered it under the
virginity of Mary, and felt the influence of Jesus, the divine Son of all
sanctity.
How pure must he have been who was to become the worthy spouse of the
Immaculate Virgin! How holy must he have been whose relations with the
thrice holy God were so intimate.
Prayer
Joseph, help me to understand the excellence of purity and how dear it is

to the heart of God. Teach me to preserve carefully this delicate virtue and
the shadow of the fear of God; to safeguard it by prayer, by vigilance, by
shunning the world, by careful watch over my heart and my senses. Grant
that I may hence forward close my heart to all disorderly affections; that I
may deserve to enjoy like thee upon earth the friends and intimacy of
Jesus, and that it may be given to me one day to sing in Heaven the
canticle reserved for Virgins.
FIFTH DAY: SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF HUMILITY
Joseph, excelled in humility because he realized that glory is due to God

alone, and that, of himself, man is but misery and nothingness. By reason
of his humility Joseph was accorded the most glorious privileges and
entrusted with the most sublime mission. To accomplish His designs, God
employs only the humble who do not claim for themselves the glory.
As Foster Father of Jesus and Spouse of the Queen Heaven and earth,
Joseph was more highly honored than any king in this world. What
pretexts, furnished by zeal for the glory of God, might have prompted him
to speak, to put himself forward, to attribute to himself the greatness of the
precursor of the Messiah, and the glories of the apostles! He rather conceals
the astonishing prodigies which have been revealed to him, and the
sublimity of the functions he exercises. Under an impenetrable veil he
hides all that can draw upon him the esteem of men.
Prayer
O JOSEPH, what a lesson for me ever so eager to appear, so anxious to

display before the eyes of men the graces that I owe entirely to the
liberality of God. Obtain that I may attribute to God the glory of all things;
that I may love the humble and hidden life; that I may not desire any other
position than the one given by Providence; and that I may always be a
docile instrument in the hands of God.
SIXTH DAY: SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF PATIENCE
Consider how Joseph suffered in his life time. He tasted, indeed, ineffable
consolations, but he also endured much suffering. In contrast with the
glories of his fallen family, his was a life of labor and self denial. What did
he not have to suffer, especially after the Incarnation of the Son of God? It
is verily Joseph who experienced that wherever Jesus enters, He comes
with His Cross and His Crown of Thorns.
He suffers in perfect conformity with the Divine Will. Joseph renews his
courage in the hope of eternal joys and treasures, in the examples of
patience which are given him by Jesus and Mary. Thus, whatever may be
his trials they cannot trouble the peace of his soul.
Prayer
Joseph, model of patience, teach me this virtue; which is so necessary in

the midst of the sufferings and trials of this sorrowful life.
Grant that your example and that of Mary, as well as the hope of celestial
joys, may ever renew my courage. Amen.
SEVENTH DAY: SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF PRUDENCE
Let us honor in Saint Joseph the faithful and prudent servant to whom
Almighty God entrusted the care of His family. Prudence inspired Saint
Joseph to adopt as the foundation and rule of his conduct, the great
principles of faith; God, the end of man in this world; God, the reward of
man in eternity.
Remembering that life is short and uncertain, that upon a moment may
depend our eternity, Saint Joseph wisely employs his time. He is careful to
make a holy use of his senses and his other faculties in order to give to his
Lord and Master a faithful account of the talents entrusted to him; he
watches over the world around him, yielding to the world in the measure
willed by God, but not giving himself up to it. He makes within himself a
retreat accessible to God alone and impenetrable to creatures.
Prayer
FAITHFUL and prudent servant, watch over my weakness and my

inexperience; obtain for me that prudence which reminds me of my end,
which directs my paths, and which protects me from every danger. Amen.
EIGHTH DAY: SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF OBEDIENCE
Joseph, regarded obedience as rendering man particularly pleasing to God.

What esteem Joseph had particularly for obedience, when he heard Mary
answering the Angel: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto
me according to thy word!" When he saw Jesus submit to his orders,
anticipate his wishes, execute them faithfully and promptly! When he
considered that the Incarnate Word would be obedient until death, even
the death of the Cross.
Prayer
Joseph, so faithful to display in thy conduct the obedience of Jesus and

Mary, obtain for me this important virtue. Obtain for me a perfect docility
of heart to accomplish the will of God, and that of those who replace Him.
Inspire me by your example, to obey with promptness and generosity;
obtain for me above all, the grace to obey without murmuring, without
reasoning upon the orders given me, in spite of every pretext, and with
an entire immolation of my own will.
NINTH DAY: SAINT JOSEPH, MODEL OF DETACHMENT
Saint Joseph loved poverty because it detaches man from all passing and
perishable goods, delivers the soul from dangerous obstacles, and from a
thousand evils and cares, and permits him to keep his eyes raised toward
Heaven, instead of stooping, like a slave, toward the earth.
Saint Joseph loved poverty, because he saw it practised in the highest
degree by Jesus Christ. Did he not regard it as a hidden and priceless
treasure, when he contemplated Jesus in His abnegation, when he saw Him
stretch out His divine hands to ask for the most necessary needs of life?
Saint Joseph suffered the privations of life with patience, without murmur
of complaint, using his poverty to detach himself more and more from
worldly goods, and to seek the goods of Heaven.
Prayer
Joseph, make me understand the excellence of poverty. Grant that I may

enter into the interior dispositions which animated thee in regard to that
virtue. Disclose to me the snares of riches, the dangers which are attached
to them, the solicitude which they engender. Make me understand how
much God favors us, when he refuses us riches, since he furnishes us a
precious occasion to detach us from ourselves and from creatures, and to
increase our merit for Heaven. Amen.
(At the end of each Prayes for the Day, recite the Litany of Saint Joseph.)
The Holy Cloak Novena
St Joseph's Holy Cloak Novena is a particular and special way to merit the
patronage of this great Saint while also rendering honor to him. It is to be recited
on 30 consecutive days in memory of the 30 years St. Joseph spent in the company
of Jesus Christ, Son of God. If for some reason one cannot recite the prayer on a
particular day, one may make up for it by reciting it on the 30th day as many times
as the recitation was missed. The extraordinary graces obtained by the prayer are
innumerable. In fact, St. Theresa said, “If you really want to believe in it, prove it
to yourself by reciting the Novena—and you will be finally convinced.” To be even
more assisted in receiving your petition, it would be wise to promise an offering for
St. Joseph’s Cult. It would also be well to offer a thoughtful prayer for the Souls in
Purgatory. With the same solicitude that we help dry the tears of the suffering
souls, so can we hope that St Joseph will help dry our tears in our necessities. In
this way, St Joseph's Holy Cloak will spread itself over us and will serve as a shield
against all those dangers which beset us so that we may all one day, with the grace
of God, reach the doors of eternal salvation. May St Joseph smile on us and bless us
all.
In the name of the Father; and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
(Recite three Glory Be's to the Father in thanksgiving for having exalted St Joseph
to a position of such exceptional dignity.)
Offering I
O Glorious Patriarch St Joseph, I humbly prostrate myself before you. I beg

the Lord Jesus, your immaculate Spouse, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all
the angels and saints in the Heavenly Court, to join me in this devotion. I
offer you this precious cloak, while pledging my sincerest faith and
devotion. I promise to do all in my power to honour you throughout my
lifetime to prove my love for you.
Help me, St Joseph. Assist me now and throughout my lifetime, but

especially at the moment of my death, as you were assisted by Jesus and
Mary, that I may join you one day in Heaven and there honour you for all
eternity. Amen
O Glorious Patriarch St Joseph, prostrate, before you and your divine Son,
Jesus, I offer you, with heartfelt devotion, this precious treasury of prayers,
being ever mindful of the numerous virtues which adorned your sacred
person. In you, O Glorious Patriarch, was fulfilled the dream of your
precursor the first Joseph, who indeed seemed to have been sent by God to
prepare the way for your presence on this Earth. In fact, not only were you
surrounded by the shining splendour of the rays of the divine Sun, Jesus,
but you were splendidly reflected in the brilliant light of the mystic moon,
the Blessed Virgin Mary. O Glorious Patriarch, if the example of the
ancient Jacob, who personally went to congratulate his favorite son, who
was exalted on the throne of Egypt, served to bring all his progeny there,
should not the example of Jesus and Mary, who honoured you with their
greatest respect and trust, serve to bring me, your devoted servant, to
present you with this precious cloak in your honour. Grant, O Great St
Joseph, that Almighty God may turn a benevolent glance toward me. As
the ancient Joseph did not reject his guilty and cruel brothers, but rather
accepted them with love and protected and saved them from hunger and
death - I beseech you, O Glorious Patriarch, through your intercession,
Grant that the Lord may never abandon me in this exiled valley of sorrows.
Grant that he may always number me as one of your devoted servants who
live serenely under the patronage of your Holy Cloak. Grant that I may
live always within the protection of this patronage, every day of my life
and particularly at that moment when I draw my dying breath.
PRAYERS ( I )
Hail O Glorious St Joseph, you who are entrusted with the priceless
treasures of Heaven and Earth and foster-father of Him who nourishes all
creatures of the universe. You are, after Mary, the Saint most worthy of
our love and devotion. You alone, above all the Saints, were chosen for
that supreme honour of rearing, guiding, nourishing and even embracing
the Messiah, whom so many Kings have Prophets would have so desired to
behold.
St Joseph, save my soul and obtain for me from the Divine Mercy of God
that petition for which I humbly pray. And for the holy souls in Purgatory,
grant a great comfort from their pain.
(Recite 3 Glory be's to the Father)
PRAYERS ( II )
O Powerful St Joseph, you were proclaimed the Patron of the Universal

Church, therefore, I invoke you, above all the other Saints, as the greatest
protector of the afflicted, and I offer countless blessings to your most
generous heart, always ready to help in any need.
To you, O Glorious St Joseph, come the widows, the orphans , the

abandoned, the afflicted, the oppressed. There is no sorrow , heartache or
anguish which you have not consoled. Deign, I beseech you, to use on my
behalf those gifts which God has given you, until I too shall be granted the
answer to my petition. And you, Holy Souls in Purgatory, pray to St
Joseph for me.
PRAYERS ( III )
Countless are those who have prayed to you before me and have received
comfort and peace, graces and favours. My heart, so sad and sorrowful,
cannot find rest in the midst of this trial which besets me. O Glorious St
Joseph, you know all my needs even before I set them forth in prayer. You
know how important this petition is for me. I prostrate myself before you
as I sigh under the heavy weight of the problem which confronts me.
There is no human heart in which I can confide my sorrow; and even if I

should find a compassionate creature who would be willing to assist me,
still he would be unable to help me. Only you can help me in my sorrow,
St Joseph, and I beg you to hear my plea.
Has not St Theresa left it written in her dialogues - that the world may
always know - "Whatever you ask of St Joseph, you shall receive."
O St Joseph, comforter of the afflicted, have pity on my sorrow and pity on

those poor souls who place so much hope in their prayers to you.
PRAYERS ( IV )
O Sublime Patriarch St Joseph, because of you perfect obedience to God,

you may intercede for me.
For your holy life full of grace and merit, hear my prayer.
For your most sweet name, help me.
For your most holy tears, comfort me.
For your seven sorrows, intercede for me.
For your seven joys, console me.
From all harm of body and soul, deliver me.
From all dangers and disaster, save me.
Assist me with your powerful intercession and seek for me, through your
power and mercy, all that is necessary for my salvation and particularly the
favour of which I now stand in such great need.
PRAYERS ( V )
O Glorious St Joseph, countless are the graces and favours which you have
obtained fro afflicted souls. Illness of every nature, those who are
oppressed, persecuted, betrayed, bereft of all human comfort, even those in
need of their life bread - all who implore your powerful intercession are
comforted in their affliction.
Do no permit, O dearest St Joseph, that I alone be the only one of all who
have appealed to you, to be denied this petition which I so earnestly beg of
you. Show your kindness and generosity even to me, that I may cry out in
thanksgiving, "Eternal glory to our Holy Patriarch St Joseph, my great
protector on Earth and the defender of the Holy Souls in Purgatory."
PRAYERS ( VI )
Eternal Father, who are in Heaven, through the merits of Jesus and Mary, I
beg you to grant my petition. In the name of Jesus and Mary I prostrate
myself before your divine presence and I beseech you to accept my hopeful
plea to persevere in my prayers that I may be numbered among the
throngs of those who live under the patronage of St Joseph.
Extend your blessing on this precious treasury of prayers which I today

offer to him as a pledge of my devotion.
SUPPLICATIONS IN HONOR OF ST. JOSEPH’S HIDDEN LIFE WITH

MARY AND JESUS
St Joseph, pray that Jesus may come into my soul and sanctify me.
St Joseph, pray that Jesus may come into my heart and inspire it with
charity.
St Joseph, pray that Jesus may come into my mind and enlighten it.
St Joseph, pray that Jesus may guide my will and strengthen it.
St Joseph, pray that Jesus may direct my thoughts and purify them.
St Joseph, pray that Jesus may guide my desires and direct them.
St Joseph, pray that Jesus may look upon my deeds and extend his
blessings.
St Joseph, pray that Jesus may inflame me with love for him.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus the imitation of your virtues.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus true humility of spirit.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus meekness of heart.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus peace of soul.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus a holy fear of the Lord.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus a desire for perfection.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus a gentleness of heart.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus a holy acceptance of suffering.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus the wisdom of faith.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus his blessing of perseverance in my

good deeds.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus the strength to carry my crosses.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus a disdain for the material goods of this
world.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus the grace to always walk on the
narrow path towards Heaven.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus the grace to avoid all occasion of sin.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus a holy desire for eternal bliss.
St Joseph, request for me from Jesus the grace of final perseverance.
St Joseph, do not abandon me.

St Joseph, pray that my heart may never cease to love you and that my lips
may ever praise you.
St Joseph, for the love you bore for Jesus, grant that I may learn to love
him.
St Joseph, graciously accept me as your devoted servant.
St Joseph, I give myself to you; accept my pleas and hear my prayers.
St Joseph, do not abandon me at the hour of my death.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my Soul.
INVOCATIONS TO ST JOSEPH
Remember O most chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, my good

protector St Joseph, that never was it known that anyone who came to your
protection, and sought your intercession was left unaided. Confidently I
prostrate myself before you and fervently beg for your powerful
intervention. O foster - Father of our dear Redeemer, despise not my
petition, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen
II
Glorious St Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and virginal father
of Jesus, look upon me and watch over me; lead me on the path of
sanctifying grace; take heed of the urgent needs which I now beg you to
envelop within the folds of your fatherly cloak. Dismiss those obstacles and
difficulties standing in the way of my prayer and grant that the happy
answer to my petition may serve for the greater glory of God and my
eternal salvation. As a pledge of my undying gratitude, I promise to spread
the word of your glory while offering thanks to the Lord for having so
blessed your power and might in Heaven and Earth
LITANY TO SAINT JOSEPH
Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, have mercy on us
Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, hear us
Christ, graciously hear us
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us
Holy Mary, Pray for us
St Joseph, Pray for us
Blessed offspring of David, Pray for us
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us
Chaste custodian of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us
Guardian of the Son of God, pray for us
Defender of the Son of God, pray for us

Defender of Christ, pray for us
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us
O Joseph, most just, pray for us
O Joseph, most chase, pray for us
O Joseph, most prudent, pray for us
O Joseph, most forceful, pray for us
O Joseph, most Obedient, pray for us
O Joseph, most faithful, pray for us
Mirror of Patience, pray for us
Lover of poverty, pray for us
Model of Labourers, pray for us
Patriarch of the home, pray for us
Protector of virgins, pray for us
Strength of the family, pray for us
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us
Hope of the sick, pray for us
Patron of the dying, pray for us
Terror of Demons, pray for us
Protector of the Church, pray for us,
Lamb of God, you who takes away the sins of the world, forgive us O Lord
Lamb of God, you who takes away the sins of the world, hear us O Lord,
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus, through the merits of the devoted spouse of Your most Holy
Mother, help us, we beseech thee, that which we cannot obtain for
ourselves, may be granted through the intercession of the Most Holy
Patriarch, St Joseph. You who reign with God, the Father, in unity of the
Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen
CLOSING PRAYER OF THE HOLY CLOAK
O Glorious Patriarch St Joseph, you who were chosen by God above all
men to be the earthly head of the most holy of families, I beseech you to
accept me within the folds of your Holy Cloak, that you may become the
guardian and custodian of my soul.
From this moment on, I choose you as my father, my protector, my

counsellor, my patron and I beseech you to place in your custody my body,
soul, all that I am, all that I possess, my life and my death.
Look upon me as one of your Children; defend me from the treachery of

my enemies, invisible of otherwise, assist me at all times in all my
necessities; console me in the bitterness of my life, and especially at the
hour of my death. Say but one word for me to the divine Redeemer whom
you were deemed worthy to hold in your arms, and to the Blessed Virgin
Mary, your most chaste spouse. Request for me those blessings which will
lead me to salvation. Include me among those who are most dear to you
and I shall set forth to prove myself worthy of your special patronage.
Amen
PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH
To thee do we cry in our tribulations, O Blessed Saint Joseph, as we

confidently invoke your patronage, after that of your most holy spouse, the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
By the sacred bond of devotion which linked you to the Immaculate Virgin,
Mother Of God, and for the fatherly love you lavished on the child, Jesus,
we beg you to cast a glance on those heavenly gifts which the Divine
Redeemer has obtained for all mankind through his Precious Blood and
through your power and mercy, help us in our needs.
O holy protector of the holy family, protect us children of the Lord Jesus
Christ; keep far from us the errors and evils which corrupt the world; assist
us from Heaven in our struggles against the powers of darkness. And as
you once protected the Divine Child from the cruel edict of Herod, now
defend the Church and Keep it safe from all dangers and threats; spread
over all of us your holy patronage so that by following your example and
aided by your spiritual guidance, we may all aspire to a virtuous life, look
to a holy death and secure for ourselves the blessings of eternal happiness
in Heaven. Amen.
The Daily Devotion to Saint Joseph
Prayer To Be Said Every Day After Each Day's Special Reflection:
Most holy patriarch, St. Joseph, I rejoice at the great dignity to which
thou hast been raised in being made foster father of the Son of God,
endowed with authority to command Him Whom Heaven and earth
obey.
My holy patron, since Jesus Himself respected and served thee as His
father, I, too, wish to enroll myself in thy service. I choose thee, after
Mary, for my principal advocate and protector. I promise to honor thee
every day with some special devotion, and each day I will place myself
under thy protection.
As thou didst enjoy the sweet company of Jesus and Mary during thy life
on earth, grant that I may ever live close to them and never be separated
from God by losing His grace. And as thou wert assisted by Jesus and
Mary at the hour of thy death, so grant me protection at the hour of my
death, that, dying in thy presence and that of Jesus and Mary, I may one
day go to thank thee in Paradise, and in thy company praise and love
God for all eternity. Amen.
St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church, protect us. Protect our Holy
Father, the Pope, and our Mother, Holy Church.
FIRST DAY
God, because of the great love He bears us, and His great desire to see us
saved, has given us among other means of salvation the practice of
devotion to the Saints. It is His will that they, who are His friends, should
intercede for us, and by their merits and prayers obtain graces for us which
we ourselves do not deserve.
But everyone must know that, after the Mother of God, St. Joseph is, of all
the Saints, the one dearest to God. He has, therefore, great power with Him
and can obtain graces for His devout clients. Let us then frequently say:
St. Joseph, give me the greatest confidence in thy powerful intercession.
DAILY PRAYER
SECOND DAY
We should, indeed, honor St. Joseph, since the Son of God Himself was
graciously pleased to honor him by calling him father. "Christ," says
Origen, "gave to Joseph the honor due to a parent." The Holy Scriptures
speak of him as the father of Jesus. "His father and mother were marveling
at the things spoken concerning Him" (Luke 2:33). Mary also used this
name: "in sorrow thy father and I have been seeking thee" (Luke 2:48 ). If,
then, the King of Kings was pleased to raise Joseph to so high a dignity, it
is right and obligatory on our part to endeavor to honor him as much as we
can.
St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to thy service forever. Protect me all the days
of my life.
DAILY PRAYER
THIRD DAY
The example of Jesus Christ, Who wished to honor St. Joseph so much, and
to be subject to him on earth, ought to inflame all with a fervent devotion
toward this great Saint. Since the Eternal Father shared His Own authority
with St. Joseph, Jesus always regarded him as a father, and respected and
obeyed him for thirty years. St. Luke says He "was subject to them" (Luke
2:51). These words mean that during all this time the sole occupation of the
Redeemer was to obey Mary and Joseph. To St. Joseph, as head of the little
family, belonged the office of commanding, and to Jesus as a subject, the
duty of obedience. Hence, a learned author has justly said: "Men should
pay great honor to him whom the King of Kings wished to raise to such a
height."
St. Joseph, by the obedience which Jesus rendered to thee, make me always
obedient to the will of God.
DAILY PRAYER
FOURTH DAY
St. Bernardine of Siena says that we should be persuaded that Our Lord,
Who respected St. Joseph on earth as His father, will refuse Him nothing in
Heaven; but on the contrary, will most abundantly grant His petitions.
Jesus Himself advised St. Margaret of Cortona to cherish a special devotion
to St. Joseph, and never to allow a day to pass without rendering some
homage to him as His foster father. Let us not, then, fail to recommend
ourselves each day to St. Joseph and to ask him for graces.
St. Joseph, make me faithful in invoking thee daily.
DAILY PRAYER
FIFTH DAY
All the faithful should be devoted to St. Joseph in order to obtain the grace
of a good death, and this for three reasons. 1. Because Jesus Christ loved
him not only as a friend, but as a father, and, therefore, his intercession is
more powerful than that of the other Saints. 2. Because Our Lord, in return
for having saved Him from Herod, has given St. Joseph the special
privilege of protecting the dying against the snares of the devil. 3. Because
St. Joseph, who died in the company of Jesus and Mary, is the model of a
holy death and can obtain this grace for his clients.
St. Joseph, obtain for me that, like thee, I may die in the arms of Jesus and
Mary.
DAILY PRAYER
SIXTH DAY
According to St. John Damascene: "God gave St. Joseph the love, the care,
and the authority of a father over Jesus. He gave him the affection of a
father that he might guard Him with great love; the solicitude of a father,
that he might watch over Him with care; and the authority of a father that
he might feel sure that he would be obeyed in all that he arranged
concerning this Son."
St. Joseph, be always a father to us; and grant that we may be always thy
faithful children.
DAILY PRAYER
SEVENTH DAY
When God, destines anyone for a particular office, He gives him the graces
that fit him for it. Therefore, since God chose St. Joseph to fill the office of
father over the person of the Incarnate Word, we must certainly believe
that he conferred upon him all the sanctity which belonged to such an
office. Gerson says that among other privileges Joseph had three which
were special to him. 1. That he was sanctified in his mother's womb, as ere
Jeremias and St. John the Baptist. 2. That he was at the same time
confirmed in grace. 3. That he was always exempt from the inclinations of
concupiscence-----a privilege with which St. Joseph by the merit of his
purity, favors his devout clients by delivering them from carnal appetites.
St. Joseph, shining light of chastity, preserve the angelic virtue in me.
DAILY PRAYER
EIGHTH DAY
In the Gospels St. Joseph is called "just." What is meant by a just man? St.
Peter Chrysologus says: "It means a perfect man-----one who possesses all
virtues." Joseph was already holy before his marriage; but how much must
his sanctity have increased after his union with the Blessed Virgin? The
example of his holy spouse sufficed to sanctify him; and since Mary is the
dispenser of all the graces which God grants to men, in what profusion
must she not have showered them down upon her spouse, who she loved
so much and by whom she was so tenderly loved!
St. Joseph, increase my devotion to Mary.

DAILY PRAYER
NINTH DAY
The two disciples, going to Emmaus were inflamed with Divine love by the
few moments which they spent in company with our Savior, and by His
words. What flames of holy love must not, then, have been enkindled in
the heart of St. Joseph, who for thirty years conversed with Jesus Christ,
and listened to His words of eternal life; who observed the perfect example
which Jesus gave of humility and patience, and saw the promptness with
which He obeyed and helped him in his labors, and all that was needed for
the household!
St. Joseph, inflame us with the love of Jesus.
DAILY PRAYER
TENTH DAY
St. Paul writes that in the next life Jesus Christ "will render to every man
according to His works" (Rom. 2:6). What great glory must we not suppose
that He has bestowed upon St. Joseph, who served and loved Him so much
while He lived on earth! Our Lord has promised a reward to him who
gives a cup of cold water to the poor in His name. What, then, must be the
reward of St. Joseph, who can say to Jesus Christ: "I not only provided Thee
with food, with a dwelling, and with clothes, but I saved Thee from death,
delivering Thee from the hands of Herod."
St. Joseph, increase our zeal for growing in holiness by the hope of eternal
reward.
DAILY PRAYER
ELEVENTH DAY
We must believe that the life of St. Joseph, spent in the presence of Jesus
and Mary, was a continual prayer, abounding in acts of faith, confidence,
love, resignation, and oblation. Since, then, the reward of the Saints
corresponds to their merits during life, consider how great must be the
glory of St. Joseph in Heaven. St. Augustine compares the other Saints to
the stars, but St. Joseph to the sun.
It is, then, very reasonable to suppose that St. Joseph, after Mary, surpasses
all the other Saints in merit and glory. The Venerable Bernardine de Bustis
says that when St. Joseph asks any grace for those who are devoted to him,
his prayers have in a certain manner the force of a command with Jesus
and Mary.
St. Joseph, obtain for us a great spirit of prayer.
DAILY PRAYER
TWELFTH DAY
To prove the power which St. Joseph possesses in Paradise, St. Bernardine
of Siena writes thus: "We cannot doubt that Christ accords to St. Joseph,
now that he is in Heaven, even more perfectly the respect and reverence
which He paid to him on earth. Our Lord, Who on earth revered St. Joseph
as His father, will certainly deny him nothing that he asks in Heaven." Let
us then say to him with confidence:
St. Joseph, powerful protector of souls, keep us from all sin.
DAILY PRAYER
THIRTEENTH DAY
Oh great St. Joseph, since God has served thee, I also wish to enroll myself
in thy service. I wish henceforth to serve thee, to honor and love thee. Take
me under thy protection and dispose of me as thou pleasest. My holy St.
Joseph, pray to Jesus for me. Having obeyed all thy commands on earth,
He will certainly never refuse anything thou doth ask Him. Tell Him to
pardon me the offenses that I have committed against Him. Tell Him to
detach me from creatures and from myself. Ask Him to inflame me with
His holy love.
St. Joseph, watch over us, thy children.
DAILY PRAYER
FOURTEENTH DAY
Most holy patriarch, now that thou art on a lofty throne in Heaven near thy
beloved Jesus, Who was subject to thee on earth, have pity on me, who am
exposed to the attacks of so many enemies, to the evil spirits, and the
passions that continually strive to rob me of the grace of God. Through the
grace given to thee on earth of enjoying the continual society of Jesus and
Mary, obtain for me the grace of living during the remaining days of my
life united to God, by resisting the attacks of Hell. Grant, too, that I may die
with the love of Jesus and Mary in my heart so that I may be able one day
to enjoy with thee their company in the kingdom of Heaven.
St. Joseph, grant me a horror of sin and the grace to conquer my passions.
DAILY PRAYER
FIFTEENTH DAY
St. Bernard, speaking of St. Joseph's power of dispensing graces to his

devout servants, makes use of the following remarkable words: "To some
of the Saints power is granted to succor us in particular necessities; but to
St. Joseph power is granted to succor in all necessities, and to defend all
those who, with devotion have recourse to him." Let us then often say to
him:
St. Joseph, help us when we are in need.
DAILY PRAYER
SIXTEENTH DAY
St. Teresa says: "I do not remember to have asked any favor from St. Joseph
which he did not grant. An account of the many graces which God has
bestowed upon me, and of the dangers, corporal and spiritual, from which
He has delivered me through this Saint would excite wonder. The Lord
appears to have given power to the other Saints to assist us in a single
necessity; but experience shows that St. Joseph gives aid in all. The Lord
gives us to understand that, as He was to be subject to St. Joseph on earth,
so in Heaven He does whatever the Saint asks."
St. Joseph, obtain for me the grace of perseverance in prayer.
DAILY PRAYER
SEVENTEENTH DAY
St. Teresa also writes: "I would wish to persuade all the world to be
devoted to St. Joseph, because I have long experience of the great favors
which he obtains from God. I have never known any soul especially
devoted to him that did not always advance in virtue. I ask, for God's sake,
that they who do not believe me will at least make a trial of this devotion. I
cannot believe that favors are not grant ed to St. Joseph in return for the
help which he gave on earth to Jesus and Mary."
St. Joseph, patron of the interior life, lead me to that perfection which God
requires of me.
DAILY PRAYER
EIGHTEENTH DAY
Let us ask St. Joseph for the grace to love our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the
particular grace which St. Joseph obtains for those who are devout to him--
---a tender love toward the Incarnate Word. The Saint merited the power to
bestow this grace upon his servants by the great love which he himself bore
toward Jesus while he lived on earth.
St. Joseph, make me love Jesus with all my heart.
DAILY PRAYER
NINETEENTH DAY
When Jesus lived in this world in the house of St. Joseph, could a sinner
who desired to obtain forgiveness from Our Lord have found a more
efficacious means of obtaining pardon than through St. Joseph? If, then, we
desire to receive the forgiveness of our sins, let us have recourse to St.
Joseph who, now that he is in Heaven, is more loved by Jesus Christ than
he was loved by Him on earth.
St. Joseph, obtain from Jesus the pardon of my sins.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTIETH DAY
"And Joseph also went from Galilee out of the town of Nazareth into Judea
to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem" (Luke 2:4). In response to
the decree of Caesar Augustus, St. Joseph made the long journey across the
hills from Galilee to Bethlehem with Mary, who bore beneath her heart the
Incarnate Son of God. What sweet conversations must Mary and Joseph
have held on this journey on the mercy of God in sending His Son into the
world to redeem the human race, and on the love of this Son in coming into
this valley of tears in order to atone by His suffering and death for the sins
of men!
St. Joseph, I wish to belong entirely to thee, so that through thee I may
belong entirely to Jesus and Mary.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTY-FIRST DAY
"And it came to pass while they were there, that the days for her to be
delivered were fulfilled. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and
wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because
there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:6-7). How great must have
been the sorrow of St. Joseph when he could find no shelter for Mary on
the night of the birth of the Divine Word, and was obliged to bring her to a
stable! How his heart must have been pierced with anguish to see his holy
spouse, who was pregnant, and near the time of childbirth, trembling with
cold in that damp cave, which was open on every side.
Dear St. Joseph, through the pain which thou didst feel in seeing the Divine
Word born in a stable, so poor, without fire, without clothes, and in
hearing the cries caused by the cold which afflicted Him, I pray thee to
obtain for me a true sorrow for my sins, by which I have drawn tears from
Jesus.
St. Joseph, penetrate my heart with contrition and obtain for me the grace
never to sin again.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTY-SECOND DAY
"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in a manger" (Luke 2 : 7). How great must have been
the joy of St. Joseph when he heard Mary calling him and saying "Joseph,
come, and adore our infant God, Who is just born in this cave. Behold how
beautiful He is. Look at the King of the world in this manger, on this straw.
See how He, Who makes the seraphs burn with love, trembles with cold.
Behold how He Who is the joy of paradise weeps!" Dear St. Joseph, through
the joy which thou didst receive at the first sight of the infant Jesus in the
crib, so beautiful and lovely that thy heart began from that moment to beat
with love for Him alone, obtain for me also the grace to love Jesus with an
ardent love on earth so that I may one day go to enjoy Him in Heaven.
St. Joseph, share with me a little of the burning love that thou didst bear to
Jesus.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTY-THIRD DAY
"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men of good will"
(Luke 2: 14). Consider how great was the love and tenderness of St. Joseph
when he beheld with his own eyes the Son of God become an infant; when
he heard the Angels singing around their newborn Lord, and saw the
stable filled with light. Kneeling down and weeping with love and
compassion, Joseph said: "I adore Thee, yes I adore Thee, my Lord and my
God. How great is my happiness to be the first, after Mary, to see Thou
born, and to know that in this world Thou wisheth to be called and reputed
my Son! Allow me, then, also to call Thee my Son, and to say: My God and
my Son, to Thee I consecrate my whole being. My life shall be no longer
mine, but shall be Thine without reserve!"
St. Joseph, grant that I may spend my life, like thee, in the service of God.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTY-FOURTH DAY
"An Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, Arise, and
take the child and His mother and flee into Egypt" (Matt. 2:13). Consider
the ready obedience of St. Joseph, who raised no doubts about the time of
the journey, nor about the manner of traveling, nor about the place in
Egypt in which they were to stay, but immediately prepared to set out. He
instantly makes known to Mary the command of the Angel, and on the
same night sets out without guide on a journey of 400 miles through
mountains, across rugged roads and deserts.
My holy protector, obtain for me the grace of perfect obedience to the
Divine will.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTY-FIFTH DAY
How much St. Joseph must have suffered on the journey into Egypt in
seeing the sufferings of Jesus and Mary! Their food must have been a piece
of hard bread. They could have slept only in some poor hut, or in the open
air. Joseph was indeed conformed in all things to the will of the Eternal
Father, but his tender and loving heart could not but feel pain in seeing the
Son of God trembling and weeping from cold and the other hardships
which He experienced.
St. Joseph, obtain for me the grace that in my journey to eternity I may
never lose the company of Jesus and Mary.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTY-SIXTH DAY
"The boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents did not know it"
(Luke 2:43). How great was the pain of St. Joseph when Jesus was lost in
the temple! Joseph was accustomed to the enjoyment of the sweet presence
of his beloved Savior. What, then, must have been his sorrow when he was
deprived of it for three days, without knowing whether he should
evermore find Jesus, and most painful of all, without knowing why he had
lost Him. How great, on the other hand, was Joseph's joy when he found
Jesus and realized that the absence of the Child did not arise from any
neglect on his part, but from a zeal for the glory of the Father.
St. Joseph, through the merits of the pains which thou didst suffer at losing
Jesus, obtain for me tears to weep always for my sins.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY
"He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them"
(Luke 2:51). Reflect on the holy life which Joseph led in the company of
Jesus and Mary. In that family there was no business except that which
tended to the greater glory of God; there were no thoughts or desires
except the thought and desire of pleasing God; there were no discourses
except on the love which men owe to God, and which God has shown to
men, especially in sending His only begotten Son into the world to suffer
and to end His life in a sea of sorrows and insults for the salvation of
mankind.
St. Joseph, through the tears which thou didst shed in contemplating the
future passion of Jesus, obtain for me a continual remembrance of the
suffering of my Redeemer.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY
Consider the love which St. Joseph bore to Mary, his holy spouse. She was
the most beautiful of all women. She was more humble, more meek, more
pure, more obedient, more inflamed with the love of God, than all the
Angels and than all men that have been or shall be created. Hence, she
merited all his love. Add to this his realization of the love that she bore for
him, and the fact that God had chosen her as His beloved Mother.
St. Joseph, obtain for me a great love for Mary, thy most holy spouse.
DAILY PRAYER
TWENTY-NINTH DAY
Consider the love which Joseph bore to Jesus. This love was not purely
human. like the love of other fathers, but superhuman; for he loved Jesus
not only as his son but also as his God. Joseph knew from the Angel that
his child was the Divine Word Who had become man to save mankind. He
realized, too, that he himself had been chosen from among all men to be the
protector and guardian of this Divine Infant. What a flame of holy love
must, then, have been enkindled in the heart of Joseph by reflecting on all
these things, and by the sight of his Lord obeying him like a little boy,
opening and closing the door, helping him to saw or to plane, gathering
fragments of wood, or sweeping the house!
St. Joseph, remove from my heart all that could be an obstacle to the love of
God.
DAILY PRAYER
THIRTIETH DAY
"Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful ones" (Ps.
115:6). After having faithfully served Jesus and Mary, St. Joseph reached
the end of his life in the house at Nazareth. There, surrounded by Angels,
assisted by Jesus Christ the King of Angels, and by Mary, his spouse, who
placed themselves at each side of his poor bed, filled with the peace of
Paradise, he departed from this miserable life. Who shall ever be able to
understand the sweetness, the consolation, the blessed hope, the acts of
resignation, the flames of charity which the words of eternal life coming
alternately from the lips of Jesus and Mary, breathed into the soul of Joseph
at the end of his life?
St. Joseph, grant me peace and resignation to God's will at the hour of my
death.
DAILY PRAYER
THIRTY-FIRST DAY
Great, indeed, will be the comfort of those, who, at the hour of death shall
be protected by St. Joseph. For this great Saint has received from God
power to command the devils and to drive them away, less they tempt his
servants in their dying moments. Happy is the soul that shall be assisted by
this great advocate, who, on account of having died with the assistance of
Jesus and Mary, and because of having preserved the infant Jesus from the
danger of death by his flight into Egypt, has received the privilege of being
the patron of a good death, and of delivering his clients from the danger of
eternal death.
St. Joseph, defend me from the attacks of the devils at the last moment of
my life.
DAILY PRAYER
The Little Office of Saint Joseph
Start of all the Hours
Hail, glory of the Patriarchs, steward of God's holy Church, who didst
preserve the Bread of Life and the Wheat of the Elect.
At Matins only
V. O Lord, open my lips.

R. And my mouth will announce Thy praise.
At Compline only
V. Convert us, O God our Savior.

R. And turn away Thy wrath from us.
At all the Hours
V. O God, come to my aid.

R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Alleluia*.
During Lent until Easter, instead of the alleluia the following is said
Praise to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

At Matins, the start of the Day
MIGHTY Joseph, son of David!

High and glorious is thy state-
of our Lord the Foster-father,
Mary's spouse Immaculate.
The Almighty's faithful servant,
of the Holy Family,
head and father. Oh! I pray thee
be a father unto me.
Antiphon: He made him master of his house, and ruler over all his
possessions. (Psalm 104)
At Prime, the first hour of the day
SORELY was thy bosom troubled

till the mystery was revealed
which the Lord had wrought in Mary,
who in patience all concealed.
But an angel soon from heaven
bids thy loving doubts to cease.
So may every care and trial
turn for me to joy and peace.
Antiphon: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary as thy
spouse, for what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (Mt 1:20)
At Terce, the third hour of the day 9:00 am
WITH the Virgin, young and tender

in the winter-time forlorn,
thou to Bethlehem didst journey
that our Lord might there be born.
As thy God thou didst adore Him,
while He in the manger lay,
now is He in heaven exalted-
turn to Him for us and pray!
Antiphon: Joseph went up out of Galilee from Nazareth into Judea, to the
city of David, which is called Bethlehem, with Mary his espoused wife who
was with child. (Lk 2:4)
At Sext, the sixth hour of the day, noon
FLEEING at the angel's warning,

far from Herod's fury wild,
long in Egypt didst thou tarry
with the Virgin and the Child.
By thy toil, and pain, and sadness,
In that exile dark and drear,
Help me in the cares and sorrows
Which may be my portion here.
Antiphon: Rise and take the Child and his Mother, and fly into Egypt, and
be there until I tell thee; for it will come to pass that Herod will seek the
Child to destroy Him. (Mt 2:13)
At Nones, the ninth hour of the day 3:00 pm
HOME from Egypt's land returning

thou wouldst rest in Galilee,
but to Nazareth art bidden,
that the Child secure may be.
Souls retiring, sweet, and humble,
thou dost still for Jesus seek:
that my heart may be his garden,
make it humble, pure and meek.
Antiphon: And rising up out of Egypt, he took the Child and his Mother
and came into the land of Israel, and he dwelt in a city which is called
Nazareth. (Mt 2:23)
At Vespers, evening prayer 6:00 pm
THOU didst search with loving anguish

For the little Jesus lost,
But, in finding Him, what rapture
Purchased at that sorrow's cost!
Thee, my light, my life, my Jesus,
May I never lose by sin!
May my heart be pure and simple,
So that thou may'st rest therein.
Antiphon: Son, why hast Thou done this to us? Behold, Thy father and I
have sought Thee sorrowing. (Lk 2:48)
At Compline, night time prayer before sleep
JESUS, Mary, hung above thee,

on that sad, but happy day
when, with their fond arms around thee,
passed thy gentle soul away.
Oh! when death shall come to take me,
all its terrors I'll defy,
if, with Jesus and with Mary,
thou, dear Joseph, wilt be nigh.
Antiphon: I will sleep in peace, and I will rest, for Thou, O Lord,
singularly hast settled me in hope. (Psalm 4:9)
Conclusion of the above Hours
V. Pray for us, most blessed Joseph.

Let us pray:
O Lord, we beseech Thee, may we be assisted by the merits of the Spouse

of thy most holy Mother, that what of ourselves we cannot possibly obtain,
may through his intercession be granted to us by Thee, who livest and
reignest God for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
V. Lord, hear my prayer,

R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.
Commendation, recited at the end of Compline
THUS, O glorious saint, my homage

I thy grateful client pay.
Hear my prayer and smile upon me,
Guide and guard me on my way.
May I 'neath thy kind protection
Safely reach my journey's close,
And with thee in heaven's bright palace
Through eternity repose.
Amen.

Ite Ad Ioseph Prayers and Devotions To Saint Joseph PDF

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Ite Ad Ioseph Prayers and Devotions To Saint Joseph PDF

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

ITE AD IOSEPH

Prayers and Devotions to Saint Joseph

Anno Domini MMXVIII

Compiled and Edited by

Opus tuum nos, O Sancti Iosephi!

- St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way 559

Saint Joseph, Protector of Homes

Prayer to Saint Joseph for One’s Family

Prayer to Saint Joseph for Families

St. Joseph, pray for our families.

Prayer to Saint Joseph for a Family

Saint Joseph, I ask you to help me to be a good husband to my wife. Many

Prayer of Parents to the St. Joseph

O Blessed Joseph, foster father of my Savior and chaste spouse of the

Prayer of a Single Parent

A Father’s Prayer for His Children

Saint Joseph, I come to you with my concerns for the welfare of my

Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for me.

A Mother’s Prayer for Her Children

Thanksgiving Prayer for a Newborn Child

Prayer to Saint Joseph for One’s Friends

Saint Joseph, Guardian of the Pure in

Guardian of virgins, and holy father Joseph, to whose faithful custody

(Indulgence of 100 days, once a day – Pius IX, 4 February, 1877)

Prayer for the Spirit of the Beatitudes

A Sweetheart’s Prayer to Saint Joseph

O St. Joseph, Model of justice, and therefore of husbands, I beseech Thee to

Memorare to the Holy Family

Remember, O merciful Jesus, Immaculate Mary, and glorious

A Prayer to St. Joseph, for a Holy Family

Heart of Jesus, I adore Thee,

- St. Francis de Sales

Act of Consecration to Saint Joseph

O Blessed Joseph, foster father of my Savior and chaste spouse of the

Morning Prayer to St. Joseph

Evening Prayer to Saint Joseph

Blessed are you, Joseph

Praise to Saint Joseph

V. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.

V. “For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”.

V. “And you shall call his name Jesus”.

V. Pray for us, O virgin father of Jesus

Glory be to the Father…

V. Glory and riches shall be in his house.

O God, who by Thine unspeakable Providence didst vouchsafe to choose

O Joseph, Virgin-Father of Jesus

Supported by the patronage of the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother, we

He, whom the faithful joyously do honor

He, whom the faithful joyously do honor,

Joseph, the Praise and Glory of the

Joseph, the praise and glory of the heavens,

Joseph! To thee by hosts on high

When thou didst doubt thy wife’s repute,

To clasp the Son, the Lord, was thine,

Death brings to other Saints their rest;

Hail Joseph, image of God the Father.

Holy Mary , pray for us .

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

V. He made him the lord of His household,

(These praises may be prayed in thanksgiving for favors received.)

O happy St. Joseph, ever blessed in eternity be every moment in which,

O my dear Protector! Be ever blessed by me and by all creatures, for all