Saint Joseph

Husband of Our Lady / Patron of Workers

 

Feast of St. Joseph, 19 March (in 2006 tranferred to March 20)
Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, 01 May

Saint Joseph, also referred to as Joseph the Betrothed and as Joseph of Nazareth, was the foster-father of Jesus, according to the New Testament (Matthew 1:16;
Luke 3:23). Not much is known of Joseph except that he was "of the House of David" and lived in the town of Nazareth.

After an angel told Mary that she would be the Mother of God, Saint Joseph wondered what to do. An angel appeared to him in a dream and told him not to worry, that the child was the Messiah, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was to be her husband and protect the child as He grew. Joseph decided to trust the angel and God. He married Mary and took her into his home.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the angel appeared to Joseph again, warning him that the Child was in danger. Joseph followed the advice of the angel, later on took Mary to Bethlehem for the census. They could not find a place to spend the night except for a stable, this is the place where Jesus was born.

After Joseph and Mary presented Jesus in the temple, an angel advised Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and her child to be protected from the hatred of Herod. They came back when Herod was dead and at then when Jesus was twelve years old, they lost Jesus for three days but they found him in the temple. Jesus said to Mary and Joseph: "Don't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"

As he was the head of the humble home in Nazareth and guardian of the Holy Family, so Saint Joseph is the protector of the Church on earth. He is also patron of a holy or happy death because he died with Jesus and Mary close to him, the way we all would like to leave this earth. Saint Joseph is also invoked for finding a good husband.

Saint Joseph has two special Feast Days, one for his royalty on March 19, and one for his humility as a workman on May 1. His genealogy is the first one given in the New Testament. It was told of the Israelites in the Old Testament “Go to Joseph” if they wanted any favor or benefit. “Go to Joseph” is the advice and counsel given to every Catholic who wants a favor or benefit and who believes in the sanctity of the Holy Family and in its simple and innocent hierarchy. Anything that Saint Joseph asks of Jesus through Our Lady in eternity, he receives, and asking for his powerful intercession has been a source of many miracles and strengthened the faith of countless millions to Our Savior. He is still considered the head of the Holy Family and one of his greatest admirers among the saints was Saint Teresa of Avila.


 

Prayer to Saint Joseph

Be mindful of us, O blessed Joseph, and intercede for us with thy foster-Son by the pleading of thy prayer: do thou, in like manner, render the blessed Virgin Mary thy Spouse, gracious onto us, for she is the Mother of Him, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth world without end.
Amen.


Prayer to St. Joseph for Protection

Gracious St. Joseph, protect me and my family from all evil as you did the Holy Family. Kindly keep us ever united in the love of Christ, ever fervent in the imitation of the virtue of our Blessed Lady, your sinless spouse, and always faithful in devotion to you.
Amen

Novena to Saint Joseph


Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires. Oh, 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. Oh, 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.


Memorare of Saint Joseph

Remember, O most pure spouse of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, my beloved patron,
that never has it been heard that anyone sought your aid without being comforted.
Inspired by this confidence, I come to you and fervently commend myself to you.
Despise not my petition, dear foster father
of our Redeemer, but graciously accept it.
Amen.

Prayer to Saint Joseph

(to be said after the Rosary)

We come to thee, O blessed Joseph, in our sore distress. Having sought the aid of thy most blessed Spouse, we now confidently implore thy assistance also. We humbly beg that, mindful of the dutiful affection which bound thee to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and of the fatherly love with which thou didst cherish the Child Jesus, thou wilt loving watch over the heritage which Jesus Christ purchased with His Blood, and by thy 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 thy place in heaven, most powerful protector, graciously come to our aid in this conflict with the power of darkness, and as of old thou didst deliver 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 thy keeping, that, following thy example, and borne up by thy 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 Happy Death

O Blessed Joseph, you gave your last breath in the loving embrace of Jesus and Mary. When the seal of death shall close my life, come with Jesus and Mary to aid me. Obtain for me this solace for that hour - to die with their holy arms around me. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I commend my soul, living and dying, into your sacred arms.
Amen.


The Seven Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph

Among the many exercises of piety practiced in honor of Saint 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 Saint 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

Saint Joseph

benefactor was asked his name, that they might gratefully acknowledge so great a blessing and favor. He told them he was Saint Joseph, and advised them daily to recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times, in memory of his seven dolors or griefs, and of his seven joys, and then disappeared.

The Seven Sorrows and Joys of Saint Joseph

(Recite one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be after each number)

  1. Saint 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.

  1. Saint 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.

  1. Saint 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.

  1. Saint 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.

  1. Saint 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.

  1. Saint 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.

  1. Saint 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.

 

Thank you, Saint Joseph, for answering our prayers!

 

- Foundation Marypages - 

Our foundation has the objective to develop, expand and maintain the Marypages website to promote the Roman Catholic belief and especially the Devotion of Our Blessed Mother, Mary.
With your financial support you will make this possible.
Marypages can only survive with your help!
 You can become a donator of our foundation by donating at least 20 Euro per year. We will then offer you:

  • Our Newsletter (4 times a year)

  • A Miraculous Medal with explanation of its design

If your donation is 50 Euro or higher, then you will also receive a beautiful light blue rosary from Lourdes.

 Any extra income generated will be donated to compassionate projects with a Catholic basis. We are registered at the Chamber of Commerce Flevoland under number 39100629.

To make a donation, please click the button below.
God bless you.

ONLINE DONATION

 


 

Visitors: