Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
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 Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Joseph, pray for us.
Illustrious Son of David, pray for us.
Light of the 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.
Faithful 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 courageous, 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 working men, pray for us.
Ornament of the domestic life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of the family, pray for us.
Consoler of the miserable, 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 the Holy Church, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
V. He hath made him master of His house.
R. And ruler of all His possessions.
Let us pray.
O God, who in Thy ineffable providence did vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother: grant, we beseech Thee,
that we may have him for our intercessor in Heaven, whom on earth we venerate as out most holy Protector. Who livest and reignest world without end.
Amen.
THE CHAPLET OF SAINT JOSEPH, MAN OF SILENCE
Composed by Roberta Eicher
(Handmade Chaplets for this prayer can be seen in our online catalog!)
This chaplet is made up of 33 beads including the centerpiece, the years of Jesus's life and ministry on earth
which were formed in part because of the work and life of Saint Joseph...
because Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, and after all, it all comes down to Him.
On the medal, pray:
O holy Saint Joseph, man of silence, Scripture gives us not a word from your mouth.
Praise be to God the Father, who chose you, Joseph,
a just and upright man, to listen and to act according always to His will.
May each of us strive to emulate you in contemplation and faith.
Good Saint Joseph, earthly mirror of the Father in Heaven,
your guardianship of the young Jesus gave you authority with the Son of God.
Even now in heaven, He honors you and gives you what you ask of Him.
Pray to Him now for me, and if it be in His will, ask Him to grant my prayer:
(Here mention your needs and desires.)
On the first large bead of the pendant, pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
On the second large bead of the pendant, pray:
O my Jesus, who honored and obeyed your foster-father on earth,
heed and answer his prayers in heaven!
On the three small beads of the pendant, pray on each one:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
Here begins the chaplet prayer, a meditation of Seven "Silences," starting on the centerpiece
which stands as the first large bead of the first quartet.
The First Silence of Joseph
The Marriage of Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary:
The angel of the Lord comes to Joseph in a dream, and says,
"Be not afraid to take Mary into your house, for what she has conceived is of the Holy Spirit."
Joseph listens and acts according to God's will, taking the pregnant Mary into his house as his wife.
On the centerpiece of the chaplet loop, pray:
Our Father...
On the next 3 small beads, pray once each:
Holy Joseph, most excellent model of the kind and just spouse,
Listen to our plea! Pray for us now, and at the hour of our death.
"The Angel visits Saint Joseph", by La Tour
The Second Silence of Joseph
Journey to Bethlehem and the Birth of the Savior:
Under the care of Joseph, Mary and the unborn infant Jesus are journeyed to Bethlehem,
where Jesus is born in an ignominious stable. Joseph is silent in his pain and embarrassment,
in poverty and helplessness. His are the first human hands to touch the newborn Prince of Peace,
as he wraps Him gently and clumsily in the swaddling clothes and lays Him down with His exhausted mother.
He is silent as the shepherds come and proclaim what the Angel of the Lord has said to them.
He registers Jesus in the census, listing Him officially as a Son of Man, fully human.
Large Bead:
Our Father...
Small beads:
Holy Joseph, protector of the unborn,
Listen to our plea! Pray for us now, and at the hour of our death.
The Third Silence of Joseph
The Circumcision:
Fulfilling the solemn duty of a father, Joseph has the infant Jesus circumcised, at which time
he gives the child the name of Jesus, meaning "God Saves." This he does according to the will of God
as given to him in the dream. He is silent as the Son of God undergoes the first shedding of
His Precious Blood.
Large Bead:
Our Father...
Small Beads:
Holy Joseph, fulfilling the duties of father,
Listen to our plea! Pray for us now, and at the hour of our death.
The Fourth Silence of Joseph
The Presentation at the Temple:
Joseph is silent, staring at Simeon, partly awestruck, partly angry as he hears the prophecy of the ancient priest. He fears for his son,
he fears for his beloved wife, who must also undergo great pain according to the words of prophecy.
Large Bead:
Our Father...
Small beads:
Holy Joseph, full of awe and fear,
Listen to our plea! Pray for us now, and at the hour of our death.
"Presentation at the Temple", by Giovanni Bellini
The Fifth Silence of Joseph
The Flight into Egypt:
Being warned of the danger to Jesus, again in a dream given by God, Joseph leaves everything and everyone he knows,
traveling in poverty to a land unfamiliar and hostile. Here he must live and provide for his family,
until he is told it is safe to go home. Even then he cannot return to Bethlehem, but goes back to Nazareth,
to begin life again as a family. The uncertainty, the physical and emotional exhaustion is secondary to
the safety of those he is responsible for.
Large Bead: Our Father...
Small beads: Holy Joseph, protector of families,
Listen to our plea! Pray for us now, and at the hour of our death.
"Joseph's Dream," by Rembrandt
The Sixth Silence of Joseph
The Finding of Jesus in the Temple:
Joseph is silent as Mary chides the young Jesus for staying behind in Jerusalem, and frightening them so.
He hears Jesus ask them "Did they not know that He would be in His Father's House?" He is silent.
Large Bead:
Our Father...
Small beads:
Holy Joseph, help of fathers and foster-fathers,
Listen to our plea! Pray for us now, and at the hour of our death.
The Seventh Silence of Joseph
Jesus submits to Joseph's earthly authority as father.
Joseph is silent throughout the years that Jesus grows to manhood, teaching Him the
craftsmanship he was taught by his own father. He dies a silent and happy death, in
the arms of his wife and son.
Large Bead:
Our Father...
Small beads:
Holy Joseph, with the authority and honor of father,
Listen to our plea! Pray for us now, and at the hour of our death.
On the centerpiece pray the Memorarae of Saint Joseph:
Remember, most pure spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, my protector, Saint Joseph, that no one has ever had recourse to your protection or implored your assistance without obtaining relief.
Confiding in your goodness, I come to you and humbly ask you to hear my petitions, gentle foster father of the Redeemer. In your love, hear and answer me. Amen.
"Joseph the Carpenter" by Georges de La Tour
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.
"Joseph", by Murillo
THE SAINT JOSEPH CORD
Recite the Glory Be seven times, in honor of Saint Joseph and his seven joys and sorrows. On the medal of Saint Joseph repeat the following prayer:
Oh Saint Joseph, Father and Protector of Virgins, to whose faithful custody Christ Jesus, Innocence itself, and Mary, Virgin of Virgins, were committed;
I pray and beseech you by these dear pledges, Jesus and Mary, that being preserved from all uncleanness, I may with spotless mind, pure heart and chaste body,
ever more chastely serve Jesus and Mary all the days of my life. Amen.
On the Holy Family medal say one Hail Mary.
This is a pocket version of the larger Cord of Saint Joseph which is made of knotted white rope and is to be worn. The larger cord carries conditions and indulgences, which this smaller
version does not carry. We offer it in order to have a convenient way to remember to honor Saint Joseph with prayers for chastity and purity.
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.
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.
READ POPE JOHN PAUL II'S EXHORTATION:
"REDEMPTORIS CUSTOS"
The Guardian of the Redeemer
SAINT JOSEPH
"Saint Joseph" by Charles L Souvay
An Article at EWTN on Saint Joseph in Scripture and in devotion.
THE CHAPLET DEVOTION OF THE
SEVEN SORROWS AND SEVEN JOYS
OF SAINT JOSEPH
The history of this devotion is as follows:
Two Fathers of the Franciscan order were travelling the waters along the coast of Flanders, when a terrific storm arose
which sank the vessel with all its passengers. The two Fathers seized hold of a floating plank,
and they were tossed upon the waves for three days and nights. In their danger and affliction,
their whole recourse was to St. Joseph, and they begged his assistance in their sad condition.
The Saint thus invoked appeared in the habit of a young man of beautiful features and encouraged them to confide in his assistance.
He conducted them into a safe harbor. Desiring to know who their benefactor was, they asked his name
that they might gratefully acknowledge so great a blessing and favor. He replied that he was Saint Joseph to whom they had prayed for help,
and advised them to recite daily the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times,
in memory of his seven sorrows and of his seven joys. He then disappeared.
Begin the prayer:
O Saint Joseph, on account of your great suffering when you feared to keep the Blessed Virgin as your lawful wife, because She had secretly conceived; and on account of your great joy when the Angel told you that Her Child had been given Her straight from heaven by the Holy Spirit, please listen to our prayers.
(Then say) Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...
O Saint Joseph, on account of your great suffering, when you could not find a decent place to stay in Bethlehem; and on account of your great joy when you noticed that the Infant Baby Jesus was satisfied to be born in a stable, please listen to our prayers.
(Then say) Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...
O Saint Joseph, on account of your great suffering, when the blood of the Baby Jesus was flowing for the first time; and on account of your great joy, when, at that occasion, they gave Him the beautiful name "Jesus", which means "God saves us", please listen to our prayers.
(Then say) Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...
O Saint Joseph, on account of your great suffering, when the Prophet Simeon foretold that the soul of Mary would be pierced by a sword of sorrow and that the Child Jesus would become a sign of contradiction; and on account of your great joy when He was acknowledged in the temple as the Savior of the whole world and the Glory of the Chosen People, please listen to our prayers.
(Then say) Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...
O Saint Joseph, on account of your great suffering when the wicked King Herod wanted to kill the Infant Jesus; and on account of your great joy when you escaped with Jesus and Mary towards the country of Egypt, please listen to our prayers.
(Then say) Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...
O Saint Joseph, on account of your great suffering when you feared to go back to Bethlehem because Archelaus reigned in the place of his father Herod; and on account of your great joy when the Angel told you to establish your home in Nazareth, please listen to our prayers.
(Then say) Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...
O Saint Joseph, on account of your great suffering when you had lost the Boy Jesus; and on account of your great joy when you found Him on the third day in the Temple, please listen to our prayers.
(Then say) Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...
IMPRIMATUR: die 31 a Octobis 1972 Antonius Jordan, O. M. I., Archiepiscopus Edmontonensis
