Saint Joseph's Lullaby

BLESSED CHRISTMAS SEASON TO ALL!

St. Joseph, pray for us!

St. Joseph: True Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Time of Jesus' Conception

What all Catholics and Christians should know:  the Virgin Mary was NOT an unwed mother!

Fr. Bonaventure McGuire explains how the marriage of Joseph is a true marriage in the light of Mary's Perpetual Virginity and how this means that St. Joseph's fatherhood is a true fatherhood over Jesus and true husband of Mary, and therefore true head of the Holy Family. Father stresses the great marvel that such a stupendous dignity of the stewardship of these awesome treasures were entrusted to a mere man. The key to making sense of these truths is that the marriage between Joseph and Mary was uniquely orientated to the incarnation and in turn the general orientation of all creation to this mystery makes sense of all history, of every little action done in love of Christ, and how the incarnation is then our one true hope. Ave Maria!

Fr. Liam Carey: St. Joseph, Devoted Father, Man of Pure Faith

Jesus needed a human father to protect, love, affirm and instruct. The Lord gave Him Saint Joseph.

Fr. Joseph Mary: St. Joseph Is Our Father

Fr. John Cihak: St. Joseph, Model of a True Man

Fr. Samuel Medley: The Sufferings of St. Joseph

Talk given at the Stations of the Cross on the dolors of the Glorious Patriarch, who shows us that if we are going to be near Jesus, we must suffer with him.

~ Audio of Fr. Medley's homily:  The Sufferings of St. Joseph ~

Fr. Samuel Medley: The Privileges and Powerful Intercession of St. Joseph

Foster Father of Jesus,

Spouse of the Immaculate Virgin Mary,

 Terror of Demons,

Protector of Holy Church, Glorious Patriarch,

Holy Guardian of the Redeemer,

HEAR US!!!

Listen to Fr. Medley's Homily for St. Joseph's Day

Fr. Medley's inspiring homilies and links to his other sites are at Magnificat Anima Mea Domino. 

Pope St. Pius X: Prayer to St. Joseph the Workman

O glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor,

obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously,

putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations,

to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins,

considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God,

to work with order, peace, moderation and patience,

without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties,

to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self,

having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost,

of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God.

All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph.

Such shall be my watchword in life and in death. Amen.

~ St. Pius X ~

Prayer to St. Joseph for Employment

God's Doorkeeper: St. Andre of Montreal

January 6th, 1937. It was as if a world leader had died. But it was only the humble, simple Brother from Montreal. Forty-five years later, he is beatified in Rome. Not even 30 years more, on October 17th, 2010, he is canonized. This makes him the first male Canadian-born saint and the first saint of the Congregation of Holy Cross. But Brother André would be the first to laugh about this chain of events. He would say, "I am a man, just like one of you."

Salt + Light Television brings audiences the beauty and inspiration of Brother André Bessette's story, through the documentary God's Doorman: St. André of Montreal. Br. André's life and ministry of compassion still speak to us today. Produced by Mary Rose Bacani and Sébastien Lacroix, this high-definition production features beautiful scenes and interviews from Montreal, Rome, and parts of the United States where Brother André's spirit still lives.

An educational short documentary on St. Joseph's Oratory located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This is a piece of the full length short movie "Montreal" which appeared on Community Television channel 6.

Blessed Virgin Mary Asks for Loving Devotion To St. Joseph

"My daughter, although thou hast described my spouse, Saint Joseph, as the most noble among the princes and saints of the heavenly Jerusalem; yet neither canst thou properly manifest his eminent sanctity, nor can any of the mortals know it fully before they arrive at the vision of the Divinity. Then all of them will be filled with wonder and praise as the Lord will make them capable of understanding this sacrament. On the last day, when all men shall be judged, the damned will bitterly bewail their sins, which prevented them from appreciating this powerful means of their salvation, and availing themselves, as they easily could have, of this intercessor to gain the friendship of the just Judge. The whole human race has much undervalued the privileges and prerogatives conceded to my blessed spouse and they know not what his intercession with God is able to do. I assure thee, my dearest, that he is one of the greatly favored personages in the divine presence and has immense power to stay the arms of divine vengeance.

"I desire that thou be very thankful to the divine condescension for vouchsafing thee so much light and knowledge regarding this mystery, and also for the favor which I am doing thee therein. From now on, during the rest of thy mortal life, see that thou advance in devotion and in hearty love toward my spouse, and that thou bless the Lord for thus having favored him with such high privileges and for having rejoiced me so much in the knowledge of all his excellences. In all thy necessities thou must avail thyself of his intercession. Thou shouldst induce many to venerate him and see that thy own religious distinguish themselves in their devotion. That which my spouse asks of the Lord in heaven is granted upon the earth and on his intercession depend many and extraordinary favors for men, if they do not make themselves unworthy of receiving them. All these privileges were to be a reward for the amiable perfection of this wonderful saint and for his great virtues; for divine clemency is favorably drawn forth by them and looks upon saint Joseph with generous liberality, ready to shower down its marvelous mercies upon all those who avail themselves of his intercession."

~ Blessed Virgin Mary to Venerable Mary of Agreda, excerpt from Mystical City of God ~

The Miracle Staircase of Santa Fe, New Mexico

True stories regarding the intercession of St. Joseph abound. One that has become known to the general public is "the miracle staircase".

In 1872 the bishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico commissioned the building of a convent chapel, Our Lady of Light Chapel in the care of the Sisters of Loretto. During the course of its construction the architect died suddenly and only afterwards did the builders discover an error in the plans. There was no staircase to the choir loft. But worse, at that point of construction, any stairwell would take up much needed space and disfigure the design.

The nuns began nine days of prayer in honor of St. Joseph, for he was a carpenter. On the day after their novena ended, a shabbily dressed man appeared at the door. The Sisters showed him their choir loft and the limited space available to erect a staircase. He assured them he would be able to build one, and so they let him undertake the task. With him was a burro carrying the toolbox. He offered to begin at once, if they would allow him total privacy while he worked. They hired him and he locked himself in. For three months he permitted no visitors, then he opened the doors.

When the Mother Superior entered, she stared in amazement, there in the corner was a beautiful freestanding staircase rising in a double spiral to the choir loft that may be seen today by visitors to Santa Fe. Each section is perfectly fitted in a groove--not a nail being used in its construction. There is no central pole, no wall attachment, no sign of a nail or screw--just a few wooden pegs. Moreover, the wood he used was unlike any the Mother had ever seen. Yet the carpenter had brought no wood with him. Architects from all sections of the country go to inspect this unique and marvelous piece of craftsmanship. When the work was completed and the Mother Superior of the convent wished to pay the man for his service, he was nowhere to be found. No one had seen him come or go. A reward was offered; no one ever claimed it. It is thought that the unknown carpenter was none other than St. Joseph, in whose honor the Sisters had received Communion every Wednesday that he might assist them in building a staircase. There is no doubt that the prayers of those nuns were answered in a most remarkable way. (Source)

St. Joseph: Patron and Protector of the Little Sisters of the Poor

On the feast day of their congregation's patron, St. Joseph, the Little Sisters of the Poor who serve at Sacred Heart Home for the Aged in Oregon, Ohio, shared stories about their devotion to the saint.

Miraculous Prayer to St. Joseph in Any Urgent Need

This Miraculous Prayer from the 16th century has brought help to many in their hours of greatest need. Jesus listened to St. Joseph while on earth and still listens to him now when he intercedes for our needs.

Hymn to St. Joseph

Saint Joseph's Lullaby

St. Alphonsus Liguori: St. Joseph, Patron of a Happy Death

“Since we all must die, we should cherish a special devotion to St. Joseph, that he may obtain for us a happy death. All Christians regard him as the advocate of the dying who had honored him during their life, and they do so for three reasons:

“First, because Jesus Christ loved him not only as a friend, but as a father, and on this account his mediation is far more efficacious than that of any other Saint.

“Second, because St. Joseph has obtained special power against the evil spirits, who tempt us with redoubled vigor at the hour of death.

“Third, the assistance given St. Joseph at his death by Jesus and Mary obtained for him the right to secure a holy and peaceful death for his servants. Hence, if they invoke him at the hour of death he will not only help them, but he will also obtain for them the assistance of Jesus and Mary.”

~ St. Alphonsus Liguori ~

Fr. Wade Menezes: St. Joseph, an Awesome Model of Holiness

Prayer Choosing St. Joseph as Special Patron and Advocate

O blessed Joseph,

faithful guardian of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ,

protector of thy chaste spouse, the virgin Mother of God,

I choose thee this day to be my special patron and advocate

and I firmly resolve to honor thee all the days of my life.

Therefore I humbly beseech thee to receive me as thy client,

to instruct me in every doubt,

to comfort me in every affliction,
to obtain for me and for all the knowledge and love of the Heart of Jesus,
and finally to defend and protect me at the hour of my death.

Amen.

St. Teresa of Avila Encourages Devotion to St. Joseph

“Would that I could persuade all men to be devoted to this glorious Saint [St. Joseph], for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and honored him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue: for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now very many years since I began asking him for something on his feast, and I have always received it. If the petition was in any way amiss, he rectified it for my greater good . . .

" I ask for the love of God that he who does not believe me will make the trial for himself—then he will find out by experience the great good that results from commending oneself to this glorious Patriarch and in being devoted to him.”

~ St. Teresa of Avila ~

The Shrine of St. Joseph: Church of Miracles

About the Shrine and this documentary video:

In the stillness of its grand and silent Sanctuary, the Shrine of St. Joseph stands as a modern-day witness of faith, perseverance, and commitment. The quiet speaks powerfully to its simple beauty and impressive sense of dignity.

The Shrine of St. Joseph is an extraordinary Catholic shrine in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The majestic and stately appearance of this 19th Century architectural treasure is almost breath taking. The handcrafted wooden statues stand guardians of the historical richness, which is both extraordinary and miraculous.

Since 1864, this church has been the Church of Miracles. A German immigrant, Ignatius Strecker, was healed from terminal illness after he venerated a relic of Peter Claver. This miraculous healing led to the canonization of Peter Claver as a saint of the Catholic Church. Two years later there was another miracle at the church, and then another, and another. How many more miracles have taken place in connection with this church over the past 150 years, no one knows.

Many of this church's supporters say the fact that St. Joseph's is still standing today is a miracle in itself. It has survived declining parish membership, neglect, urban decay, vandalism, and acts of violence within its wall. More than one hundred years after the first miracle, a group of five men began an effort that would ultimately save this church. "The Shrine of St. Joseph: Church of Miracles" is a moving testimony to the faith and commitment of the Friends of St. Joseph to preserve this historic landmark church in a downtown St. Louis neighborhood that is also being rebuilt.

Shrine of Saint Joseph Link

St. Alphonsus Liguori: Pray to St. Joseph for a Happy Death

“Since we all must die, we should cherish a special devotion to St. Joseph, that he may obtain for us a happy death. All Christians regard him as the advocate of the dying who had honored him during their life, and they do so for three reasons:

“First, because Jesus Christ loved him not only as a friend, but as a father, and on this account his mediation is far more efficacious than that of any other Saint.

“Second, because St. Joseph has obtained special power against the evil spirits, who tempt us with redoubled vigor at the hour of death.

“Third, the assistance given St. Joseph at his death by Jesus and Mary obtained for him the right to secure a holy and peaceful death for his servants. Hence, if they invoke him at the hour of death he will not only help them, but he will also obtain for them the assistance of Jesus and Mary.”

~ St. Alphonsus Liguori ~

Saint Joseph, a Just Man

St. Peter Julian Eymard: Enter Into the Heart of Jesus Through St. Joseph

"We have close to us as much as Joseph had at Nazareth;

we have our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, but our poor eyes fail to see Him.

Let us once become interior souls and we shall immediately see.

In no better way can we enter into the Heart of our Lord than through Saint Joseph.

Jesus and Mary are eager to pay the debts which they owe him for his devoted care of them,

and their greatest pleasure is to fulfill his least desire.

Let him, then, lead you by hand into the interior sanctuary of Jesus Eucharistic."

~ St. Peter Julian Eymard ~

St. Josemaria Escriva: Obedience of St. Joseph

"St. Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life."

~ St. Josemaria Escriva ~

Fr. Liam Carey: St. Joseph's Dilema

St. Joseph: Adoration of Jesus in the Womb

"Words cannot express the perfection of his adoration. If Saint John leaped in the womb at the approach of Mary, what feelings must have coursed through Joseph during those six months when he had at his side and under his very eyes the hidden God! If the father of Origin used to kiss his child during the night and adore the Holy Spirit living within Him, can we doubt that Joseph must often have adored Jesus hidden in the pure tabernacle of Mary? How fervent that adoration must have been: My Lord and my God, behold your servant! No one can describe the adoration of this noble soul. He saw nothing, yet he believed; his faith had to pierce the virginal veil of Mary. So likewise with you! Under the veil of the Sacred Species your faith must see our Lord. Ask St. Joseph for his lively, constant faith."

~ St. Peter Julian Eymard ~

St Joseph: Prince of the Church

St. Josemaria Escriva: Ite Ad Joseph

"A master of interior life, a worker deeply involved in his job, God’s faithful servant in continual contact with Jesus: that is Joseph. Ite ad Ioseph. With St Joseph, the Christian learns what it means to belong to God and fully to assume one’s place among men, sanctifying the world. Get to know Joseph and you will find Jesus. Talk to Joseph and you will find Mary, who always sheds peace about her in that attractive workshop in Nazareth."

~ St. Josemaria Escriva, Christ is Passing By, 56 ~

Pope Benedict XVI: Imitate the Loving Trust of St. Joseph

The angel said to Joseph: “Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home,” (Mt 1:20) and that is precisely what he did: “he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him” (Mt 1:24). Why was Saint Matthew so keen to note Joseph’s trust in the words received from the messenger of God, if not to invite us to imitate this same loving trust?

...Joseph trusts God when he hears his messenger, the Angel, say to him: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her” (Mt 1:20). Throughout all of history, Joseph is the man who gives God the greatest display of trust, even in the face of such astonishing news.

Each and every one of us was thought, willed and loved by God. Each and every one of us has a role to play in the plan of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If discouragement overwhelms you, think of the faith of Joseph; if anxiety has its grip on you, think of the hope of Joseph, that descendant of Abraham who hoped against hope; if exasperation or hatred seizes you, think of the love of Joseph, who was the first man to set eyes on the human face of God in the person of the Infant conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Let us praise and thank Christ for having drawn so close to us, and for giving us Joseph as an example and model of love for him.

Dear brothers and sisters, I want to say to you once more from the bottom of my heart: like Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary into your home, that is to say do not be afraid to love the Church. Mary, Mother of the Church, will teach you to follow your pastors, to love your bishops, your priests, your deacons and your catechists; to heed what they teach you and to pray for their intentions. Husbands, look upon the love of Joseph for Mary and Jesus; those preparing for marriage, treat your future spouse as Joseph did; those of you who have given yourselves to God in celibacy, reflect upon the teaching of the Church, our Mother: “Virginity or celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God not only does not contradict the dignity of marriage but presupposes and confirms it. Marriage and virginity are two ways of expressing and living the one mystery of the Covenant of God with his people” (Redemptoris Custos, 20).

~ Pope Benedict XVI: Homily ~
Amadou Ahidjo Stadium of Yaoundé
Thursday, 19 March 2009

Pope Inaugurates A Fountain Dedicated to St. Joseph

VATICAN CITY, 5 JUL 2010 (VIS) - In the Vatican Gardens at 11.30 a.m. today Benedict XVI inaugurated a new fountain dedicated to St. Joseph. The fountain was commissioned by the Governorate of Vatican City State as a homage to the Pope's given name.

The fountain has two basins, one six metres wide and the other eight, with a palm between them. It is adorned with six bronze panels by the Italian artist Franco Murer depicting the marriage of St. Joseph and the Virgin, Joseph's dream, the birth of Jesus, the Flight into Egypt, finding Jesus in the Temple, and the work of the family in Nazareth.

"By trusting in God, Joseph agrees to and co-operates in the plan of salvation", said the Pope. "Of course, divine intervention in his life could not but trouble his heart. Entrusting oneself to God does not mean acting entirely clearly according to our criteria; entrusting oneself to God means emptying oneself, renouncing oneself, because only those who agree to lose themselves for God can be 'just' like St. Joseph; that is, they can conform their will to that of God and thus achieve fulfilment.

"The Gospel has not conserved any words of Joseph, who accomplishes his work in silence. This is the style that characterised his entire life, both before facing the mystery of God's action in his bride, and when, aware of the mystery, he was at Mary's side during the Nativity".

"This beautiful fountain dedicated to St. Joseph represents a symbolic reminder of the values of simplicity and humility in accomplishing God's will every day, values which characterised the silent but invaluable life of the Custodian of the Redeemer. I entrust the Church and the world to his intercession. Together with the Virgin Mary, his bride, may he always guide my journey and yours, that we may become joyful instruments of peace and salvation".

Published by VIS - Holy See Press Office - Monday, July 05, 2010

St. Joseph: Miracle of Holiness

I perceive a certain difference in the graces given to this great Patriarch and those vouchsafed to other saints; for many saints were endowed with graces and gifts that are intended not for the increase of their own sanctity, but for the advance of the service of the Most High in other souls; they were, so to say, gifts and graces freely given and not dependent upon the holiness of the receiver. But in our blessed Patriarch all the divine favors were productive of personal virtue perfection; for the mysterious purpose, toward which they tended and helped along, was closely connected with the holiness of his own life. The more angelic and holy he grew to be, so much the more worthy was he to be the spouse of most holy Mary, the depository and treasure-house of heavenly sacraments. He was to be a miracle of holiness, as he really was. This marvelous holiness commenced with the formation of his body in the womb of his Mother. In this the providence of God himself interfered, regulating the composition of the four radical humors of his body with extreme nicety of proportion and securing for him that evenly tempered disposition which made his body a blessed earth fit for the abode of an exquisite soul and well-balanced mind (Wisdom 8, 19). He was sanctified in the womb of his mother seven months after his conception, and the leaven of sin was destroyed in him for the whole course of life, never having felt any impure or disorderly movement. Although he did not receive the use of his reason together with this first sanctification, which consisted principally in justification from original sin, yet his mother at the time felt a wonderful joy of the Holy Ghost. Without understanding entirely the mystery she elicited great acts of virtue and believed that her Son, or whomever she bore in her womb, would be wonderful in the sight of God and men.

The holy child Joseph was born most beautiful and perfect of body and caused in his parents and in his relations an extraordinary delight, something like that caused by the birth of Saint John the Baptist, though the cause of it was more hidden. The Lord hastened the use of his reason, perfecting it in his third year, endowing it with infused science and augmenting his soul with new graces and virtues. From that time the child began to know God by faith, and also by natural reasoning and science, as the cause and Author of all things. He eagerly listened and understood profoundly all that was taught him in regard to God and his works. At this premature age he already practiced the highest kinds of prayer and contemplation and eagerly engaged in the exercise of the virtues proper to his youth ; so that, at the time when others come to the use of reason, at the age of seven years or more, Saint Joseph was a perfect man in the use of it and in holiness. He was of a kind disposition, loving, affable, sincere, showing inclinations not only holy but angelic, growing in virtue and perfection and advancing toward his espousal with most holy Mary by an altogether irreproachable life.

For the confirmation and increase of his good qualities was then added the intercession of the blessed Lady; for as soon as She was informed that the Lord wished Her to enter the married state with him, She earnestly besought the Lord to sanctify Saint Joseph and inspire him with most chaste thoughts and desires in conformity with her own. The Lord listened to her and permitted Her to see what great effects his right hand wrought in the mind and spirit of the patriarch Saint Joseph. They were so copious, that they cannot be described in human words. He infused into his soul the most perfect habits of all the virtues and gifts. He balanced anew all his faculties and filled him with grace, confirming it in an admirable manner. In the virtue and perfection of chastity the holy spouse was elevated higher than the seraphim; for the purity, which they possessed without body, Saint Joseph possessed in his earthly body and in mortal flesh; never did an image of the impurities of the animal and sensible nature engage, even for one moment, any of his faculties. This freedom from all such imaginations and his angelic simplicity fitted him for the companionship and presence of the most Pure among all creatures, and without this excellence he would not have been worthy of so great a dignity and rare excellence.

Also in the other virtues he was wonderfully distinguished, especially in charity; for he dwelt at the fountainhead of that living water, which flows on to eternal life (John 4, 14); he was in close proximity to that sphere of fire and was consumed without resistance. The best that can be said of the charity of our saint is what I have already said in the preceding chapter namely, that his love of God was really the cause of his mortal sickness and of his death. The manner of his death was a privilege of his singular love, for his sweet sighs of love surpassed and finally put an end to those of his sickness, being far more powerful. As the objects of his love, Christ and his Mother, were present with him always and as both of Them were more closely bound to him than to any of the woman-born, his most pure and faithful heart was unavoidably consumed by the loving effects of such a close union. Blessed be the Author of such great wonders and blessed be the most fortunate of mortals, Saint Joseph, who so worthily corresponded to their love. He deserves to be known and extolled by all the generations of men and all nations since the Lord has wrought such things with no other man and to none has He shown such love.

~ Venerable Mary of Agreda, from The Mystical City of God ~

Saint Joseph: The Holy Protector of Jesus and Mary

The Faith of St. Joseph

"We cannot help but marvel at the faith of Saint Joseph. Tormenting doubts harass his soul and he is on the point of leaving Mary. But an angel appears to him and all his doubts and fears vanish. On the angel's word He accepts the mystery of the Incarnation. In the ensuing years his faith was to be frequently put to the test. At Bethlehem he had to content himself with a stable for a home where the Incarnate Word might be born. Soon after, he was forced to flee in order to save the Infant God, and when later he returned to the tiny village of Nazareth it was to live there unknown and in dire poverty. All these trials only tempered his faith. Although he sees only the Child's wretchedness and poverty, his faith pierces the shroud and uncovers the hidden God within this weak baby frame. Because his faith was so strong, Joseph's mind and heart bowed in perfect adoration. Imitate his faith as you kneel before the humble Christ annihilated in the Eucharist. Pierce the veil which covers this furnace of love and adore the hidden God. At the same time respect the veil of love and make the immolation of your mind and heart your most beautiful homage of faith."

~ St. Peter Julian Eymard ~

Litany of St. Joseph

St. Josemaria Escriva: Devotion to St. Joseph

"Love Saint Joseph a lot. Love him with all your soul, because he, together with Jesus, is the person who loved Our Blessed Lady and been closest to God. He is the person who has most loved God, after Our Mother. He deserves your affection, and it will do you good to get to know him, because he is the Master of the interior life, and has great power before the Lord and before the Mother of God."

~ St. Josemaria Escriva ~

Ancient 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 me.
Amen.

Novena to St. Joseph

*NOVENA PRAYER
*(prayer to be said at the end of each day's devotion)

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 that, after Jesus and Mary, I place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful with God and will never abandon your faithful servants. Therefore I humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at the hour of my death.

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.

Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore:

(Mention your request).

Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers in my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.

MEMORARE
Remember, most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, my loving protector, Saint Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to your protection or asked for your aid without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in your goodness, I come before you and humbly implore you. Despise not my petitions, foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.

~ Source of novena and remaining novena prayers are here. ~

St. Joseph--His Life

Invocations to St. Joseph

INVOCATIONS TO ST. JOSEPH
By Father Olier

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 heard 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 carries 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.

Intercession of St. Joseph Is Most Powerful

"But I have been informed concerning certain other privileges conferred upon Saint Joseph by the Most High on account of his great holiness, which are especially important to those who ask his intercession in a proper manner. In virtue of these special privileges the intercession of Saint Joseph is most powerful:

first, for attaining the virtue of purity and overcoming the sensual inclinations of the flesh;

secondly, for procuring powerful help to escape sin and return to the friendship of God;

thirdly, for increasing the love and devotion to most holy Mary;

fourthly, for securing the grace of a happy death and protection against the demons in that hour;

fifthly, for inspiring the demons with terror at the mere mention of his name by his clients;

sixthly, for gaining health of body and assistance in all kinds of difficulties;

seventhly, for securing issue of children in families.

"These and many other favors God confers upon those who properly and with good disposition seek the intercession of the spouse of our Queen, Saint Joseph. I beseech all the faithful children of the Church to be very devout to him and they will experience these favors in reality, if they dispose themselves as they should in order to receive and merit them."

~ Venerable Mary of Agreda, from The Mystical City of God ~

St. Joseph: Father to the Son of God

Happy Father's Day, St. Joseph!