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St Joseph
 St Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was declared Patron of the Universal Church by Pope Pius IX in 1870; a model for fathers of families by Pope Leo XIII, who confirmed that his pre-eminent sanctity places him next to the Blessed Virgin among the saints, in his encyclical Quanquam pluries in 1889 (see below); a protector of workingmen by Pope Benedict XV; and in 1955 Pope Pius XII established the feast of St. Joseph the Worker on the 1st of May. March 19th is the feast day of St. Joseph
As he was the head of the humble home in Nazareth and guardian of the Holy Family, so he is the protector of the Church on earth. He is also patron of a holy death because he died with Jesus and Mary close to him, the way we all would like to leave this earth. St Joseph is also invoked for finding a good husband. |
Pope Leo XIII's Encyclical on Devotion to St Joseph
 In order to foster devotion to St Joseph, Pope Leo XIII wrote this Encyclical called QUAMQUAM PLURIES on August 15, 1889. You can read it by clicking here:
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Altar to St Joseph and Prayer
 TO thee, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our tribulation, and having implored the help of thy most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke thy patronage also. Through that charity which bound thee to the immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the paternal love with which thou embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg thee to graciously regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by His Blood, and with thy 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 propitious to us and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness; and, as once thou 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 thy constant protection, so that, supported by thy example and thy aid, we may be able to live piously, to die holy, and to obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.
(Prayer recommended by Pope Leo XIII for recitation after the Rosary in the month of October) |
St Theresa of Avila on St Joseph
 St. Theresa of Avila's Plea
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 honoured 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." [From her Autobiography, VI, 11-12]
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St Alphonsus Liguori on St Joseph
 St. Alphonsus Liguori's testimony on 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 vigour 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.
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More about St Joseph
God in His Wisdom chose Joseph a descendant of the house of David to be the most chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster father of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Joseph was a just man, who worked as a carpenter to look after Mary and the Holy Infant Jesus.
When he was promised in marriage to Mary he discovered that She was already pregnant, so to avoid publicity he wanted to divorce her informally but and angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him that Mary had conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and that her Son was going to be named Jesus, the Messiah, Emmanuel which means God with us.
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 " Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"
Jesus lived with Joseph and Mary, growing in stature and wisdom, obeying them and being a carpenter like his foster father.
Joseph died in the arms of Jesus and Mary that is why he is called the patron of a Happy Death.
His feast is celebrated on the 19th of March. St. Joseph is the patron saint of many religious institutions, He is the patron of the Church, the patron of families, He is the chaste and just man who has great powers of intercession with Jesus his adoptive son and with Mary his spouse.
Wednesday is the special day of the week dedicated to St. Joseph, his devotees are recommended to honour this great saint by some special devotion.
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