Saint Joseph
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Virginal Father of the
Child Jesus
Patron of the Universal Church
God confided to the care of St. Joseph His most precious treasures
Feast Days
March 19: Feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
May 1: Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
Feast of the Holy Family: First Sunday after Christmas
The Church has traditionally assigned Wednesday as a special day of
remembrance of St. Joseph.
Patron Saint of Fathers, Workers, and the Dying
PRAYERS TO ST. JOSEPH
Blessed are you St. 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!
Prayer of Pope Leo XIII to St. Joseph
This prayer is often said after the Prayer of the Holy
Rosary during the months of March and October.
To you, O Blessed Joseph, we come in our trials, and having asked
the help of your most holy spouse, we confidently ask your patronage
also. Through that sacred bond of charity which united you to the
Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the fatherly love with
which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you to look
graciously upon the beloved inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased
by his blood, and to aid us in our necessities with your power and
strength.
O most provident guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen
children of Jesus Christ. Most beloved father, dispel the evil of
falsehood and sin. Our most mighty protector, graciously assist us
from heaven in our struggle with the powers of darkness. And just as
you once saved the Child Jesus from mortal danger, so now defend
God's Holy Church from the snares of her enemies and from all
adversity. Shield each one of us by your constant protection, so
that, supported by your example and your help, we may be able to
live a virtuous life, to die a holy death, and to obtain eternal
happiness in heaven. Amen.
Prayer to St. Joseph the Worker (Blessed John XXIII)
This beautiful prayer was composed by Blessed Pope John XXIII
(1958-63). It 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.
A Prayer for Workers
O glorious Joseph! Who concealed your incomparable and regal dignity
of custodian of Jesus and of the Virgin Mary under the humble
appearance of a craftsman and provided for them with your work,
protect with loving power your sons, especially entrusted to you.
You know their anxieties and sufferings, because you yourself
experienced them at the side of Jesus and of His Mother. Do not
allow them, oppressed by so many worries, to forget the purpose for
which they were created by God. Do not allow the seeds of distrust
to take hold of their immortal souls. Remind all the workers that in
the fields, in factories, in mines, and in scientific laboratories,
they are not working, rejoicing, or suffering alone, but at their
side is Jesus, with Mary, His Mother and ours, to sustain them, to
dry the sweat of their brow, giving value to their toil. Teach them
to turn work into a very high instrument of sanctification as you
did. Amen.
Prayer to St. Joseph
This prayer was found in the fiftieth year of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. In 1500's it was sent by the Pope to Emperor Charles
when he was going into battle. Whoever shall read this prayer or
hear it or keep it about themselves 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 this prayer for nine
mornings for anything you may desire. It has never been known to
fail, so be sure you really want what you ask.
- Imprimatur Most Rev. George W. Ahr, Bishop of Trenton
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
O Blessed St. Joseph, faithful guardian and protector of virgins, to
whom God entrusted Jesus and Mary, I implore you by the love which
did bear them, to preserve me from every defilement of soul and
body, that I may always serve them in holiness and purity of love.
Amen
O St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus Christ and true spouse of the
Virgin Mary pray for us and for those who will die this day (or
night).
Prayer to St. Joseph
Glorious St. Joseph, foster-father and protector of Jesus Christ! To
you I raise my heart and my hands to implore your powerful
intercession. Please obtain for me from the kind Heart of Jesus the
help and the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare.
I ask particularly for the grace of a happy death and the special
favor I now implore.
[Mention your request here.]
Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel animated with confidence that
your prayers in my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne
of God.
V. O glorious St. Joseph, through the love you bear to Jesus Christ,
and for the glory of His Name.
R. Hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. Amen.
Thirty Days Prayer to Saint Joseph
To be prayed any 30 days of the year.
Ever blessed and glorious Joseph, kind and loving father, and
helpful friend of all in sorrow! You are the good father and
protector of orphans, the defender of the defenseless, the patron of
those in need and sorrow. Look kindly on my request. My sins have
drawn down on me the just displeasure of my God, and so I am
surrounded with unhappiness. To you, loving guardian of the Family
of Nazareth, do I go for help and protection. Listen, then, I beg
you, with fatherly concern, to my earnest prayers, and obtain for me
the favors I ask.
I ask it by the infinite mercy of the eternal Son of God, which
moved Him to take our nature and to be born into this world of
sorrow.
I ask it by the weariness and suffering you endured when you found
no shelter at the inn of Bethlehem for the holy Virgin, nor a house
where the Son of God could be born. Then, being everywhere refused,
you had to allow the Queen of Heaven to give birth to the world's
Redeemer in a cave.
I ask it by that painful torture you felt at the prophecy of holy
Simeon, which declared the Child Jesus and His holy Mother future
victims of our sins and of their great love for us.
I ask it through your sorrow and pain of soul when the angel
declared to you that the life of the Child Jesus was sought by His
enemies. From their evil plan you had to flee with Him and His
Blessed Mother to Egypt. I ask it by all the suffering, weariness,
and labors of that long and dangerous journey.
I ask it by all your care to protect the Sacred Child and His
Immaculate Mother during your second journey, when you were ordered
to return to your own country. I ask it by your peaceful life in
Nazareth where you met with so many joys and sorrows.
I ask it by your great distress when the adorable Child was lost to
you and His Mother for three days. I ask it by your joy at finding
Him in the Temple, and by the comfort you found at Nazareth, while
living in the company of the Child Jesus. I ask it by the wonderful
submission He showed in His obedience to you.
I ask it by the perfect love and conformity you showed in accepting
the Divine order to depart from this life, and from the company of
Jesus and Mary. I ask it by the joy which filled your soul, when the
Redeemer of the world, triumphant over death and hell, entered into
the possession of His kingdom and led you into it with special
honors.
I ask it through Mary's glorious Assumption, and through that
endless happiness you have with her in the presence of God.
O good father! I beg you, by all your sufferings, sorrows, and joys,
to hear me and obtain for me what I ask.
(Here make your request for Saint Joseph's intercession.)
Obtain for all those who have asked my prayers everything that is
useful to them in the plan of God. Finally, my dear patron and
father, be with me and all who are dear to me in our last moments,
that we may eternally sing the praises of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Novena to Saint Joseph
O Glorious Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ,
to you do we raise our hearts and hands to implore your powerful
intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all helps
and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare,
particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special favor we
now implore. (Mention your petition. Then say the following seven
times in honor of the seven sorrows and joys of Saint Joseph. Oh
Glorious Saint Joseph, through the love you bore to Jesus Christ,
and for the glory of his holy Name, deign to hear our prayers
andobtain for us our petitions. O Jesus, Mary and Joseph, come to
our assistance. Amen
"I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of
him (Saint Joseph) which he has failed to grant . . .To other saints
the Lord seems to have given grace to succour us in some of our
necessities, but of this glorious saint my experience is that he
succours us in them all..." (Autobiography of St. Teresa
of Avila, chapter 6.)
Novena to Saint Joseph
O
Glorious Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to you do
we raise our hearts and hands to implore your powerful intercession
in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all helps and graces
necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the
grace of a happy death, and the special favor we now implore.
(Mention your petition.)
Then say the following seven times in honor of the seven sorrows and
joys of Saint Joseph:
Oh
Glorious Saint Joseph, through the love you bore to Jesus Christ,
and for the glory of his holy Name, hear our prayers and obtain for
us our petitions. O Jesus, Mary and Joseph, come to our assistance.
Amen.
"I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of
him (Saint Joseph) which he has failed to grant . . .To other saints
the Lord seems to have given grace to succour us in some of our
necessities, but of this glorious saint my experience is that he
succours us in them all..." - Autobiography of St. Teresa of
Avila, chapter 6.
The Litany of St. Joseph
The Litany of Saint Joseph is a traditional prayer, often recited
in public with one person introducing each invocation, and everyone
responding with the conclusion ("have mercy on us," "pray for us").
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
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.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Renowned offspring of David, pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most strong, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of artisans, pray for us.
Glory of home life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, 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 Holy Church, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear
us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, 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, in your ineffable providence you were pleased to choose
Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we
beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in
heaven whom on earth we venerate as our Protector: You who live and
reign forever and ever.
R. Amen.
Prayer to St. 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.
Latin version:
Virginum custos et pater, sancte Ioseph, cuius fideli custodiae
ipsa Innocentia Christus Iesus et Virgo virginum Maria commissa fuit;
te per hoc utrumque carissimum pignus Iesum et Mariam obsecro et
obtestor, ut me, ab omni immunditia praeservatum, mente
incontaminata, puro corde et casto corpore Iesu et Mariae semper
facias castissime famulari. Amen.
The Chaplet of Saint Joseph
This chaplet consists of 15 groups of 4 beads (one large, often
white, and three small, usually purple). On the large, or white
bead, a mystery of the Rosary is meditated upon, and two Hail Marys
are prayed. On the smaller or purple beads recite the following:
Praised and blessed be Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
End on the medal of Saint Joseph:
Pray for us O holy Saint Joseph, that we may be worthy of the
promises of Christ!
O God, Who has predestined Saint Joseph from all eternity for the
service of your eternal Son and His Blessed Mother, and made him
worthy to be the spouse of this Blessed Virgin and the foster father
of your Son: We beseech you, through all the services he has
rendered to Jesus and Mary on earth, that You would make us worthy
of his intercession and grant us to enjoy the happiness of his
company in heaven. Through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.
Seven Sorrows of St. Joseph
1 - The doubt of St. Joseph. (Matt. 1:19)
2 - The poverty of Jesus' birth. (Luke 2:7)
3 - The Circumcision. (Luke 2:21)
4 - The prophecy of Simeon. (Luke 2:34)
5 - The flight into Egypt. (Matt. 2:14)
6 - The return from Egypt. (Matt. 2:22)
7 - The loss of the Child Jesus. (Luke 2:45)
Seven Joys of St. Joseph
1 - The message of the Angel. (Matt. 1:20)
2 - The birth of the Savior. (Luke 2:10-11)
3 - The Holy Name of Jesus. (Matt. 1:25)
4 - The effects of the Redemption. (Luke 2:38)
5 - The overthrow of the idols of Egypt. (Is. 19:1)
6 - Life with Jesus and Mary at Nazareth. (Luke 2:39)
7 - The finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. (Luke 2:46)
The 20 Mysteries of the Rosary:
1. The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary
[The Angel's annunciation to Joseph in a dream ought to be also
considered here.]
2. The Visitation of Mary to St. Elizabeth
3. The Nativity
4. The Presentation in the Temple
[The Circumcision of Our Lord may be considered here, too.]
5. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple
6. The Baptism of the Lord
7. The Wedding at Cana
8. Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
9. The Transfiguration
10. The Institution of the Eucharist
11. The Agony in the Garden
12. The Scourging at the Pillar
13. The Crowning with Thorns
14. The Carrying of the Cross
15. Jesus' Death on the Cross
16. The Resurrection of Our Lord
17. The Ascension of Our Lord
18. The Descent of the Holy Ghost
19. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
20. The Coronation of the Virgin
Go To Joseph!
by Saint Teresa of Avila
(From her Autobiography, Chapter VI)
Finding myself so crippled and so young too, and earthly doctors
having failed to cure me, I looked to heavenly physicians for
help...
I took for my advocate and comforter the glorious Saint Joseph, and
commended myself fervently to him; and I clearly saw that it was he
who both cured me of my sickness and delivered me from great dangers
that threatened my good name and the loss of my soul. His aid has
brought me more good than I ever desired to receive from him. I do
not remember at any time having asked him for anything which he did
not grant. I am quite amazed at the great favors Our Lord has given
me, and the many dangers, both of soul and body, from which He has
delivered me through the intercession of this blessed saint. Our
Lord seems to have given to other saints the power to help us in
only one kind of necessity, but I know from experience that this
glorious Saint Joseph helps us in all kinds of needs. It appears
then that God wishes us to understand that as He was obedient to
Joseph when He was on earth (for Saint Joseph was called His father
and he could command Him) so now in Heaven God grants whatever
Joseph asks.
Others, on my advice, have turned to Saint Joseph and they have had
the same experience; and now there are many people who honor him and
keep discovering the truth of what I have told them.
I strove to celebrate his feast day [March 19] with all possible
solemnity, but I must admit that there was more vanity than true
devotion mixed in with the celebration, for I always wanted
everything to be done impressively and properly, even though my
intentions were good. But it was always a fault of mine that
whenever Our Lord gave me the graces to do something good, I added
many faults and imperfections with it; whereas when it was a
question of doing anything vain, worthless, or bad, I spent much
time and effort with it. May Our Lord pardon me!
I wish I could persuade everyone to be devoted to this glorious
saint, because long experience has shown me what wonderful blessings
he obtains for us from God. Of all those I have known with a true
devotion to Saint Joseph, I have never known any who did not advance
in virtue, for he assists in a very special way those souls who
place themselves under his protection.
For many years now I have always asked favors from him and they were
always granted. But if sometimes my petitions had something wrong
about them, dear Saint Joseph granted something much better for my
own good. Were I a person who had authority to write, I should
gladly relate in detail all the favors this dear patron obtained
both for me and others; but under obedience I must tell some things
briefly, and at length those incidents suggested by my superiors. I
only request, for the love of God, that those of you who doubt what
I say will prove it for yourselves. And you will see, through
experience, how great a blessing it is to commend yourselves to this
glorious patriarch, and to be devoted to him. Those persons,
especially, who are given to prayer should ever be devoted to him,
for I do not know how anyone can think of the Queen of Angels, at
the time when she suffered so much on account of the Child Jesus,
and not give thanks to Saint Joseph for taking care of them the way
he did.
Whoever wants a model to imitate on how to pray, let him take this
glorious saint as a guide and he will not lose his way!
God grant that I have not committed any error in speaking as I
have....for although I profess to be devoted to him, yet I feel I
have always failed in imitating his virtues. But he acted like
himself, and showed us his virtues when he enabled me to rise and
walk, and to be no more a cripple, And I, by making so bad use of
this favor, show what sort of person I am.
A Prayer in Honor of St.
Joseph, Protector of the Church
O glorious Saint Joseph,
chosen by God to be the foster-father of Jesus, the chaste spouse of
Mary ever Virgin, 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
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
Saint Joseph, to accept this dedication of myself which I now make
unto you. I dedicate myself which I now make unto you, that you may
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 your 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
you. Finally pray for me that I maybe a partaker in the peace and
joy which were yours at the hour of your holy death. Amen.
Imprimatur: Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York, May 30,
1951.
See Page on St. Joseph>>>
See Memorare to St. Joseph>>>
Back to the Main Page for Treasures of the Church>>>
