St. Joseph, our patron saint, is the protector of marriage and family. He was a carpenter who worked for King Herod and his wife Mariamne. After Joseph’s father died, he married Mary, who had been betrothed to someone else.
King Herod discovered that Joseph was Jewish and imprisoned him in the dungeon because he refused to work for him or marry Mariamne. It was from this experience that he learned to love his family more than anything else in the world—to protect them from harm as much as possible and make sure they were safe even if it meant sacrificing his own needs and desires.
In our time, many people are being persecuted for their religious beliefs or sexual orientation—and we must remember that these things are not only important parts of the human condition but also very personal to us as individuals. We can take those qualities into our daily lives by praying for peace on earth so that everyone can be treated fairly and equally under the law; we can pray for protection against any violence or violence against others; and we can pray for forgiveness when we’ve made mistakes or hurt others’ feelings.
St Joseph Devotions as Told by Early Christians: A blog on the early origins of prayers and devotions to St. Joseph
Churchgists has provided a well detailed information on the aforementioned and so much more. You will find these details very useful in whatever course you intend to use them for.
Introduction
In the Litany of Saint Joseph, the Church invokes the most chaste Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the foster father and Guardian of the Redeemer, and patron saint of the Universal Church. In May 2021, in honor of the Year of Saint Joseph, Pope Francis added seven new invocations to the litany.
The Committee on Divine Worship has slightly adapted and approved this translation (originally published in 1909), which also incorporates the new invocations and alternate introduction and conclusion indicated by the Holy See. It may be freely published, and other English translations may also be used. This litany is enriched with a partial indulgence (Manual of Indulgences, conc. 22).
Litany of Saint Joseph
| Lord, have mercy. | Lord, have mercy. |
| Christ, have mercy. | Christ, have mercy. |
| Lord, have mercy. | Lord, have mercy. |
| Christ, hear us. | Christ, hear us. |
| Christ, graciously hear us. | Christ, graciously hear us. |
| God the Father in 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, | pray for us. |
| Light of Patriarchs, | pray for us. |
| Spouse of the Mother of God, | pray for us. |
| Guardian of the Redeemer, | pray for us. |
| Pure Guardian of the Virgin, | pray for us. |
| Provider for the Son of God, | pray for us. |
| Zealous defender of Christ, | pray for us. |
| Servant of Christ, | pray for us. |
| Minister of salvation, | 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 brave, | pray for us. |
| Joseph, most obedient, | pray for us. |
| Joseph, most loyal, | pray for us. |
| Mirror of patience, | pray for us. |
| Lover of poverty, | pray for us. |
| Model for workers, | pray for us. |
| Glory of family life, | pray for us. |
| Guardian of virgins, | pray for us. |
| Cornerstone of families, | pray for us. |
| Support in difficulties, | pray for us. |
| Comfort of the sorrowing, | pray for us. |
| Hope of the sick, | pray for us. |
| Patron of exiles, | pray for us. |
| Patron of the afflicted, | pray for us. |
| Patron of the poor, | pray for us. |
| Patron of the dying, | pray for us. |
| Terror of demons, | pray for us. |
| Protector of the Holy Church, | pray for us. |
| Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, | spare us, O Lord. |
| Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, | hear us, O Lord. |
| Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, | have mercy on us. |
| He made him master of his house, | and ruler of all his possessions. |
Let us pray.
O God, who in your inexpressible providence
were pleased to choose Saint Joseph
as spouse of your most holy Mother,
grant, we pray,
that we, who revere him as our protector on earth,
may be worthy of his heavenly intercession.
Who live and reign for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
Alternate Introduction
| Lord, have mercy. | Lord, have mercy. |
| Christ, have mercy. | Christ, have mercy. |
| Lord, have mercy. | Lord, have mercy. |
| Or: | |
| God the Father in 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. |
Alternate Conclusion
| Christ, hear us. | Christ, hear us. |
| Christ, graciously hear us. | Christ, graciously hear us. |
| Or: | |
| Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, | spare us, O Lord. |
| Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, | hear us, O Lord. |
| Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, | have mercy on us. |
Devotions and prayers in honor of St. Joseph
Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, was a man of great faith, who stood by his wife’s side as she brought forth their firstborn son. He was also a man with many responsibilities, having been entrusted with the care of all his family’s earthly goods.
Joseph is an excellent model for those who are struggling to fulfill their duties as husbands or fathers, or those who need help managing their finances. By praying to Joseph, we can ask him to intercede on our behalf and give us guidance in our daily lives.
Devotions and prayers in honor of St. Joseph
The following prayers and devotions are meant to help you deepen your love for St. Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary, foster father of Jesus Christ, patron saint of workers and families. They are also intended to help you grow closer to Christ through his example and intercession.
- Pray the “Hail Holy Queen” every day during Lent. This prayer is traditionally said during the Easter season as a way to honor Mary by praying for her intercession on behalf of all people. However, it can be used throughout the year as a means of honoring her in her role as mother and protector of God’s people.
- Memorize these two beautiful verses from the Magnificat:
My soul glorifies the Lord;
My spirit exalts God my Savior.
He has looked upon his lowly servant; behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed (Luke 1:46-48).
- Make a special effort to attend daily Mass if at all possible during Lent so that you can receive Jesus’ body and blood in Holy Communion each day (if you are not able to attend daily Mass, try fasting on Thursdays instead).
Devotion to St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus and patron saint of carpenters, has a long history in the Catholic Church. The prayers and devotions associated with him are numerous and varied, ranging from simple practices such as praying a prayer before a photograph or statue to more elaborate acts of devotion.
In honor of his feast day on March 19th, here are some things you can do to honor St. Joseph:
Pray an Act of Contrition (the prayer we say when we sin).
Recite the “St. Joseph Novena” (a set of prayers that can be said over nine days).
Say the “Hail Holy Queen” prayer daily for nine days in honor of St. Joseph’s feast day on March 19th.
- Prayers to St. Joseph
- Prayer to St. Joseph for Protection from Evil
- Prayer to St. Joseph for a Happy Death
- Prayer to St. Joseph for the Sick and Dying
- Prayer to St. Joseph of Arimathea, Patron of the Dying
Prayer to St. Joseph
Loving father, I give myself to you, body and soul.
You are my protector; guide me through life.
Help me to always do the right thing.
Help me to be obedient to my parents and teachers.
Help me to be honest in all things.
Help me to respect others, especially those in authority over me.