Saint Joseph

St. Joseph, Foster-father of Jesus
Feast Day 19 March
Patron of The Family, of Fathers, of the Universal Church

Ever blessed and glorious Joseph, kind and loving father, and helpful friend of all in need! You are the good father and protector of orphans, the defender of the defenseless, the patron of those in difficulty and sorrow. Look kindly on my request. My sins have led me to reject God's love and caused me to wander away from him through my own fault. To you, loving guardian of the Family of Nazareth, do I go for help and protection.

Listen with fatherly concern, I beg you, to my earnest prayers, and obtain for me the favor 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 place 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 the loveliness and power of that sacred Name, Jesus, which you conferred on the adorable Infant.

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 into 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 share with her in the presence of God.

O good Joseph! I beg you, by all your sufferings, sorrows, and joys, to hear me and obtain for me what I ask. (Name or think of your petition).

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 friend, 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. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Joseph
by Pope Leo XIII

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 embrace the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by His blood, and with the 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

Act of Consecration to Saint Joseph

O dearest St. Joseph, I consecrate myself and my parish (Parish name here) to your honor and give myself to you, that you may always e my father, my protector and my guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me a greater purity of heart and fervent love of the interior life. After your 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. O Blessed St. Joseph, pray for me, that I may share in the peace and joy of your holy death. Amen.

Litany to St. Joseph

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven,
R - Have mercy on us.
God the Son,
R - Have mercy on us.
Redeemer of the world,
R - Have mercy on us.
God the Holy spirit,
R - Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
R - Have mercy on us.

Saint Joseph,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Renowned offspring of David,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Light of Patriarchs,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Spouse of the Mother of God,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Chaste guardian of the Virgin,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Foster-father of the Son of God,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Diligent protector of Christ,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Head of the Holy Family,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Joseph most just,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Joseph most chaste,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Joseph most prudent,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Joseph most strong,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Joseph most obedient,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Joseph most faithful,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Mirror of patience,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Lover of poverty,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Model of artisans,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Glory of home life,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Guardian of virgins,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Pillar of families,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Solace of the wretched,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Hope of the sick,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Patron of the dying,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Terror of demons,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us
Patron of Holy Church,
R - Holy Mary, pray for us

He made him the Lord of His house:
R - And ruler of all His substance.

Let us pray.
O God, who in Thine unspeakable providence didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Thine own most holy Mother: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may deserve to have him for our intercessor in heaven, whom we reverence as our defender on earth: who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.