Prayer for Protection Against Storms

Prayer for Protection Against Storms

'Jesus Christ a King of Glory has come in Peace.  God became man, and the Word was made flesh. Christ was born of a Virgin. Christ suffered.  Christ was crucified. Christ died. Christ rose from the dead.  Christ ascended into Heaven.  Christ conquers.  Christ reigns.  Christ orders.  May Christ protect us from all storms and lightning.  Christ went through their midst in Peace, and the word was made flesh.  Christ is with us with Mary.  Flee you enemy spirits because the Lion of the Generation of Juda, the Root of David, has won.  Holy God!  Holy Powerful God!  Holy Immortal God!  Have mercy on us.  Amen!

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Short Prayer of Consecration

Short Prayer of Consecration

My Queen, my Mother,
I give myself entirely to Thee,
And to show my devotion to Thee,
I consecrate to Thee this day,
my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, 

my whole being without reserve.

Wherefore good Mother as I am thine own, 

keep me, Guard me, as thy property and possession.  Amen

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Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue

Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue

Lovely Lady  

dressed in blue -  
Teach me how to pray! 
God was just your little boy,  

Tell me what to say!

Did you lift Him up, sometimes, 
Gently, on your knee? 
Did you sing to Him the way  

Mother does to me?

Did you hold His hand at night? 
Did you ever try 
Telling stories of the world? 

Oh! And did He cry!

Do you really think He cares  
If I tell Him things - 
Little things that happen? And  
Do the Angels' wings 
Make a noise? And can He hear  
Me if I speak low? 
Does He understand me now? 
Tell me - for you know.

Lovely Lady dressed in blue - 

Teach me how to pray! 

God was just your little boy, 

And you know the way.

Prayer for Desperate Cases

Prayer for Desperate Cases

Lord God, Who has graciously chosen Saint Dymphna to be the patroness of those afflicted with mental and nervous disorders, and has caused her to be an inspiration and a symbol of charity to the thousands who invoke her intercession, grant through the prayers of this pure, youthful martyr, relief and consolation to all who suffer from these disturbances, and especially to those for whom we now pray. (Here mention those for whom you wish to pray.) 

We beg You to accept and grant the prayers of Saint Dymphna on our behalf. Grant to those we have particularly recommended patience in their sufferings and resignation to Your Divine Will. Fill them with hope and, if it is according to Your Divine Plan, bestow upon them the cure they so earnestly desire. Grant this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Consecration to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Consecration to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

DESIRING to consecrate myself entirely to the service of the ever Blessed Virgin Mary, from whom, after God, I expect all help and assistance in life and in death, I unite myself to the members of the pious archconfraternity, which has been erected in honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. 

As my special patron I choose the the glorious Saint Alphonsus, that he may obtain for me a true and lasting devotion to the ever Blessed Virgin, Who 
is honored by so sweet a name. 

I promise moreover, to renew my consecration to the Mother of God and to Saint Alphonsus at least once each month, and frequently to receive the Holy 
Sacraments. 

Mother of Perpetual Help, receive me as thy servant, and grant that I may ever experience thy constant motherly protection. I promise to have recourse to thee in all my spiritual and temporal necessities. 

My holy patron, Saint Alphonsus, obtain for me the grace of an ardent love for Jesus Christ and the grace of invoking our Mother of Perpetual Help. Amen. 

Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

Under the Appearance of Good, the Enemy Strives

Under the Appearance of Good, the Enemy Strives

And so, under the appearance of good, the enemy strives to make them turn back by showing them that the way is too narrow or too long. But in no way should the spouse of Christ consent to such deceits, but with fortitude and readiness of spirit, she should steel her will and say to herself: "If my Lord God permits that I be always tempted to the end of my life, I will never consent, but I will stand firm."

And when she has made this resolution, she will go to prayer with as much fervor as she can and say with her heart and her mouth: "My Lord, sweet Jesus Christ, through that infinite and ineffable love which made you stand bound to the cruel torment of the pillar and sustain the fierce and cruel blows of your enemies for my salvation, I pray that you give me such strength that, with the help of your grace, I can achieve victory over my enemies and with patience sustain this and every battle that they can launch against me."

And then let her bow about one hundred times more or less, as she is able, at the name of Jesus, invoking him always.'

St. Catherine of Bologna

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Daily Devotions to Saint Joseph with Reflections for Every Day

Prayer To Be Said Every Day After Each Day's Special Reflection

Most holy patriarch, St. Joseph, I rejoice at the great dignity to which thou hast been raised in being made foster father of the Son of God, endowed with authority to command Him Whom Heaven and earth obey. 

My holy patron, since Jesus Himself respected and served thee as His father, I, too, wish to enroll myself in thy service. I choose thee, after Mary, for my principal advocate and protector. I promise to honor thee every day with some special devotion, and each day I will place myself under thy protection.

As thou didst enjoy the sweet company of Jesus and Mary during thy life on earth, grant that I may ever live close to them and never be separated from God by losing His grace. And as thou wert assisted by Jesus and Mary at the hour of thy death, so grant me protection at the hour of my death, that, dying in thy presence and that of Jesus and Mary, I may one day go to thank thee in Paradise, and in thy company praise and love God for all eternity. Amen. 

St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church, protect us. Protect our Holy Father, the Pope,      and our Mother, Holy Church.

FIRST DAY

God, because of the great love He bears us, and His great desire to see us saved, has given us among other means of salvation the practice of devotion to the Saints. It is His will that they, who are His friends, should intercede for us, and by their merits and prayers obtain graces for us which we ourselves do not deserve.

But everyone must know that, after the Mother of God, St. Joseph is, of all the Saints, the one dearest to God. He has, therefore, great power with Him and can obtain graces for His devout clients. Let us then frequently say: 

St. Joseph, give me the greatest confidence in thy powerful intercession. 

SECOND DAY
We should, indeed, honor St. Joseph, since the Son of God Himself was graciously pleased to honor him by calling him father. "Christ," says Origen, "gave to Joseph the honor due to a parent." The Holy Scriptures speak of him as the father of Jesus. "His father and mother were marveling at the things spoken concerning Him" (Luke 2:33). Mary also used this name: "in sorrow thy father and I have been seeking thee" (Luke 2:48 ). If, then, the King of Kings was pleased to raise Joseph to so high a dignity, it is right and obligatory on our part to endeavor to honor him as much as we can.  

St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to thy service forever. Protect me all the days of my life.  

THIRD DAY
The example of Jesus Christ, Who wished to honor St. Joseph so much, and to be subject to him on earth, ought to inflame all with a fervent devotion toward this great Saint. Since the Eternal Father shared His Own authority with St. Joseph, Jesus always regarded him as a father, and respected and obeyed him for thirty years. St. Luke says He "was subject to them" (Luke 2:51). These words mean that during all this time the sole occupation of the Redeemer was to obey Mary and Joseph. To St. Joseph, as head of the little family, belonged the office of commanding, and to Jesus as a subject, the duty of obedience. Hence, a learned author has justly said: "Men should pay great honor to him whom the King of Kings wished to raise to such a height."  

St. Joseph, by the obedience which Jesus rendered to thee, make me always obedient to the will of God. 

FOURTH DAY
St. Bernardine of Siena says that we should be persuaded that Our Lord, Who respected St. Joseph on earth as His father, will refuse Him nothing in Heaven; but on the contrary, will most abundantly grant His petitions. Jesus Himself advised St. Margaret of Cortona to cherish a special devotion to St. Joseph, and never to allow a day to pass without rendering some homage to him as His foster father. Let us not, then, fail to recommend ourselves each day to St. Joseph and to ask him for graces. 

St. Joseph, make me faithful in invoking thee daily. 

FIFTH DAY
All the faithful should be devoted to St. Joseph in order to obtain the grace of a good death, and this for three reasons. 1. Because Jesus Christ loved him not only as a friend, but as a father, and, therefore, his intercession is more powerful than that of the other Saints. 2. Because Our Lord, in return for having saved Him from Herod, has given St. Joseph the special privilege of protecting the dying against the snares of the devil. 3. Because St. Joseph, who died in the company of Jesus and Mary, is the model of a holy death and can obtain this grace for his clients. 

St. Joseph, obtain for me that, like thee, I may die in the arms of Jesus and Mary.  

SIXTH DAY
According to St. John Damascene: "God gave St. Joseph the love, the care, and the authority of a father over Jesus. He gave him the affection of a father that he might guard Him with great love; the solicitude of a father, that he might watch over Him with care; and the authority of a father that he might feel sure that he would be obeyed in all that he arranged concerning this Son."  

St. Joseph, be always a father to us; and grant that we may be always thy faithful children.  

SEVENTH DAY
When God, destines anyone for a particular office, He gives him the graces that fit him for it. Therefore, since God chose St. Joseph to fill the office of father over the person of the Incarnate Word, we must certainly believe that he conferred upon him all the sanctity which belonged to such an office. Gerson says that among other privileges Joseph had three which were special to him. 1. That he was sanctified in his mother's womb, as ere Jeremias and St. John the Baptist. 2. That he was at the same time confirmed in grace. 3. That he was always exempt from the inclinations of concupiscence-----a privilege with which St. Joseph by the merit of his purity, favors his devout clients by delivering them from carnal appetites.

St. Joseph, shining light of chastity, preserve the angelic virtue in me.  

EIGHTH DAY
In the Gospels St. Joseph is called "just." What is meant by a just man? St. Peter Chrysologus says: "It means a perfect man-----one who possesses all virtues." Joseph was already holy before his marriage; but how much must his sanctity have increased after his union with the Blessed Virgin? The example of his holy spouse sufficed to sanctify him; and since Mary is the dispenser of all the graces which God grants to men, in what profusion must she not have showered them down upon her spouse, who she loved so much and by whom she was so tenderly loved!

St. Joseph, increase my devotion to Mary.  

NINTH DAY
The two disciples, going to Emmaus were inflamed with Divine love by the few moments which they spent in company with our Savior, and by His words. What flames of holy love must not, then, have been enkindled in the heart of St. Joseph, who for thirty years conversed with Jesus Christ, and listened to His words of eternal life; who observed the perfect example which Jesus gave of humility and patience, and saw the promptness with which He obeyed and helped him in his labors, and all that was needed for the household!

St. Joseph, inflame us with the love of Jesus. 

TENTH DAY
St. Paul writes that in the next life Jesus Christ "will render to every man according to His works" (Rom. 2:6). What great glory must we not suppose that He has bestowed upon St. Joseph, who served and loved Him so much while He lived on earth! Our Lord has promised a reward to him who gives a cup of cold water to the poor in His name. What, then, must be the reward of St. Joseph, who can say to Jesus Christ: "I not only provided Thee with food, with a dwelling, and with clothes, but I saved Thee from death, delivering Thee from the hands of Herod."

St. Joseph, increase our zeal for growing in holiness by the hope of eternal reward.  

ELEVENTH DAY
We must believe that the life of St. Joseph, spent in the presence of Jesus and Mary, was a continual prayer, abounding in acts of faith, confidence, love, resignation, and oblation. Since, then, the reward of the Saints corresponds to their merits during life, consider how great must be the glory of St. Joseph in Heaven. St. Augustine compares the other Saints to the stars, but St. Joseph to the sun.

It is, then, very reasonable to suppose that St. Joseph, after Mary, surpasses all the other Saints in merit and glory. The Venerable Bernardine de Bustis says that when St. Joseph asks any grace for those who are devoted to him, his prayers have in a certain manner the force of a command with Jesus and Mary.

St. Joseph, obtain for us a great spirit of prayer. 

TWELFTH DAY
To prove the power which St. Joseph possesses in Paradise, St. Bernardine of Siena writes thus: "We cannot doubt that Christ accords to St. Joseph, now that he is in Heaven, even more perfectly the respect and reverence which He paid to him on earth. Our Lord, Who on earth revered St. Joseph as His father, will certainly deny him nothing that he asks in Heaven." Let us then say to him with confidence:

St. Joseph, powerful protector of souls, keep us from all sin. 

THIRTEENTH DAY
Oh great St. Joseph, since God has served thee, I also wish to enroll myself in thy service. I wish henceforth to serve thee, to honor and love thee. Take me under thy protection and dispose of me as thou pleasest. My holy St. Joseph, pray to Jesus for me. Having obeyed all thy commands on earth, He will certainly never refuse anything thou doth ask Him. Tell Him to pardon me the offenses that I have committed against Him. Tell Him to detach me from creatures and from myself. Ask Him to inflame me with His holy love.

St. Joseph, watch over us, thy children. 

FOURTEENTH DAY
Most holy patriarch, now that thou art on a lofty throne in Heaven near thy beloved Jesus, Who was subject to thee on earth, have pity on me, who am exposed to the attacks of so many enemies, to the evil spirits, and the passions that continually strive to rob me of the grace of God. Through the grace given to thee on earth of enjoying the continual society of Jesus and Mary, obtain for me the grace of living during the remaining days of my life united to God, by resisting the attacks of Hell. Grant, too, that I may die with the love of Jesus and Mary in my heart so that I may be able one day to enjoy with thee their company in the kingdom of Heaven.

St. Joseph, grant me a horror of sin and the grace to conquer my passions. 

FIFTEENTH DAY
St. Bernard, speaking of St. Joseph's power of dispensing graces to his devout servants, makes use of the following remarkable words: "To some of the Saints power is granted to succor us in particular necessities; but to St. Joseph power is granted to succor in all necessities, and to defend all those who, with devotion have recourse to him." Let us then often say to him:

St. Joseph, help us when we are in need. 

SIXTEENTH DAY
St. Teresa says: "I do not remember to have asked any favor from St. Joseph which he did not grant. An account of the many graces which God has bestowed upon me, and of the dangers, corporal and spiritual, from which He has delivered me through this Saint would excite wonder. The Lord appears to have given power to the other Saints to assist us in a single necessity; but experience shows that St. Joseph gives aid in all. The Lord gives us to understand that, as He was to be subject to St. Joseph on earth, so in Heaven He does whatever the Saint asks."

St. Joseph, obtain for me the grace of perseverance in prayer. 

SEVENTEENTH DAY
St. Teresa also writes: "I would wish to persuade all the world to be devoted to St. Joseph, because I have long experience of the great favors which he obtains from God. I have never known any soul especially devoted to him that did not always advance in virtue. I ask, for God's sake, that they who do not believe me will at least make a trial of this devotion. I cannot believe that favors are not grant ed to St. Joseph in return for the help which he gave on earth to Jesus and Mary."

St. Joseph, patron of the interior life, lead me to that perfection which God requires of me. 

EIGHTEENTH DAY
Let us ask St. Joseph for the grace to love our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the particular grace which St. Joseph obtains for those who are devout to him-----a tender love toward the Incarnate Word. The Saint merited the power to bestow this grace upon his servants by the great love which he himself bore toward Jesus while he lived on earth.

St. Joseph, make me love Jesus with all my heart.  

NINETEENTH DAY
When Jesus lived in this world in the house of St. Joseph, could a sinner who desired to obtain forgiveness from Our Lord have found a more efficacious means of obtaining pardon than through St. Joseph? If, then, we desire to receive the forgiveness of our sins, let us have recourse to St. Joseph who, now that he is in Heaven, is more loved by Jesus Christ than he was loved by Him on earth.

St. Joseph, obtain from Jesus the pardon of my sins. 

TWENTIETH DAY
"And Joseph also went from Galilee out of the town of Nazareth into Judea to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem" (Luke 2:4). In response to the decree of Caesar Augustus, St. Joseph made the long journey across the hills from Galilee to Bethlehem with Mary, who bore beneath her heart the Incarnate Son of God. What sweet conversations must Mary and Joseph have held on this journey on the mercy of God in sending His Son into the world to redeem the human race, and on the love of this Son in coming into this valley of tears in order to atone by His suffering and death for the sins of men!

St. Joseph, I wish to belong entirely to thee, so that through thee I may belong entirely to Jesus and Mary. 

TWENTY-FIRST DAY

"And it came to pass while they were there, that the days for her to be delivered were fulfilled. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:6-7). How great must have been the sorrow of St. Joseph when he could find no shelter for Mary on the night of the birth of the Divine Word, and was obliged to bring her to a stable! How his heart must have been pierced with anguish to see his holy spouse, who was pregnant, and near the time of childbirth, trembling with cold in that damp cave, which was open on every side.

Dear St. Joseph, through the pain which thou didst feel in seeing the Divine Word born in a stable, so poor, without fire, without clothes, and in hearing the cries caused by the cold which afflicted Him, I pray thee to obtain for me a true sorrow for my sins, by which I have drawn tears from Jesus.

St. Joseph, penetrate my heart with contrition and obtain for me the grace never to sin again. 

TWENTY-SECOND DAY
"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger" (Luke 2 : 7). How great must have been the joy of St. Joseph when he heard Mary calling him and saying "Joseph, come, and adore our infant God, Who is just born in this cave. Behold how beautiful He is. Look at the King of the world in this manger, on this straw. See how He, Who makes the seraphs burn with love, trembles with cold. Behold how He Who is the joy of paradise weeps!" Dear St. Joseph, through the joy which thou didst receive at the first sight of the infant Jesus in the crib, so beautiful and lovely that thy heart began from that moment to beat with love for Him alone, obtain for me also the grace to love Jesus with an ardent love on earth so that I may one day go to enjoy Him in Heaven.

St. Joseph, share with me a little of the burning love that thou didst bear to Jesus. 

TWENTY-THIRD DAY
"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men of good will" (Luke 2: 14). Consider how great was the love and tenderness of St. Joseph when he beheld with his own eyes the Son of God become an infant; when he heard the Angels singing around their newborn Lord, and saw the stable filled with light. Kneeling down and weeping with love and compassion, Joseph said: "I adore Thee, yes I adore Thee, my Lord and my God. How great is my happiness to be the first, after Mary, to see Thou born, and to know that in this world Thou wisheth to be called and reputed my Son! Allow me, then, also to call Thee my Son, and to say: My God and my Son, to Thee I consecrate my whole being. My life shall be no longer mine, but shall be Thine without reserve!"

St. Joseph, grant that I may spend my life, like thee, in the service of God.  

TWENTY-FOURTH DAY
"An Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, Arise, and take the child and His mother and flee into Egypt" (Matt. 2:13). Consider the ready obedience of St. Joseph, who raised no doubts about the time of the journey, nor about the manner of traveling, nor about the place in Egypt in which they were to stay, but immediately prepared to set out. He instantly makes known to Mary the command of the Angel, and on the same night sets out without guide on a journey of 400 miles through mountains, across rugged roads and deserts.

My holy protector, obtain for me the grace of perfect obedience to the Divine will. 

TWENTY-FIFTH DAY
How much St. Joseph must have suffered on the journey into Egypt in seeing the sufferings of Jesus and Mary! Their food must have been a piece of hard bread. They could have slept only in some poor hut, or in the open air. Joseph was indeed conformed in all things to the will of the Eternal Father, but his tender and loving heart could not but feel pain in seeing the Son of God trembling and weeping from cold and the other hardships which He experienced.

St. Joseph, obtain for me the grace that in my journey to eternity I may never lose the company of Jesus and Mary. 

TWENTY-SIXTH DAY
"The boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents did not know it" (Luke 2:43). How great was the pain of St. Joseph when Jesus was lost in the temple! Joseph was accustomed to the enjoyment of the sweet presence of his beloved Savior. What, then, must have been his sorrow when he was deprived of it for three days, without knowing whether he should evermore find Jesus, and most painful of all, without knowing why he had lost Him. How great, on the other hand, was Joseph's joy when he found Jesus and realized that the absence of the Child did not arise from any neglect on his part, but from a zeal for the glory of the Father.

St. Joseph, through the merits of the pains which thou didst suffer at losing Jesus, obtain for me tears to weep always for my sins.

TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY
"He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them" (Luke 2:51). Reflect on the holy life which Joseph led in the company of Jesus and Mary. In that family there was no business except that which tended to the greater glory of God; there were no thoughts or desires except the thought and desire of pleasing God; there were no discourses except on the love which men owe to God, and which God has shown to men, especially in sending His only begotten Son into the world to suffer and to end His life in a sea of sorrows and insults for the salvation of mankind.

St. Joseph, through the tears which thou didst shed in contemplating the future passion of Jesus, obtain for me a continual remembrance of the suffering of my Redeemer.

TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY
Consider the love which St. Joseph bore to Mary, his holy spouse. She was the most beautiful of all women. She was more humble, more meek, more pure, more obedient, more inflamed with the love of God, than all the Angels and than all men that have been or shall be created. Hence, she merited all his love. Add to this his realization of the love that she bore for him, and the fact that God had chosen her as His beloved Mother.

St. Joseph, obtain for me a great love for Mary, thy most holy spouse. 

TWENTY-NINTH DAY
Consider the love which Joseph bore to Jesus. This love was not purely human. like the love of other fathers, but superhuman; for he loved Jesus not only as his son but also as his God. Joseph knew from the Angel that his child was the Divine Word Who had become man to save mankind. He realized, too, that he himself had been chosen from among all men to be the protector and guardian of this Divine Infant. What a flame of holy love must, then, have been enkindled in the heart of Joseph by reflecting on all these things, and by the sight of his Lord obeying him like a little boy, opening and closing the door, helping him to saw or to plane, gathering fragments of wood, or sweeping the house!

St. Joseph, remove from my heart all that could be an obstacle to the love of God. 

THIRTIETH DAY
"Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful ones" (Ps. 115:6). After having faithfully served Jesus and Mary, St. Joseph reached the end of his life in the house at Nazareth. There, surrounded by Angels, assisted by Jesus Christ the King of Angels, and by Mary, his spouse, who placed themselves at each side of his poor bed, filled with the peace of Paradise, he departed from this miserable life. Who shall ever be able to understand the sweetness, the consolation, the blessed hope, the acts of resignation, the flames of charity which the words of eternal life coming alternately from the lips of Jesus and Mary, breathed into the soul of Joseph at the end of his life?

St. Joseph, grant me peace and resignation to God's will at the hour of my death. 

THIRTY-FIRST DAY
Great, indeed, will be the comfort of those, who, at the hour of death shall be protected by St. Joseph. For this great Saint has received from God power to command the devils and to drive them away, less they tempt his servants in their dying moments. Happy is the soul that shall be assisted by this great advocate, who, on account of having died with the assistance of Jesus and Mary, and because of having preserved the infant Jesus from the danger of death by his flight into Egypt, has received the privilege of being the patron of a good death, and of delivering his clients from the danger of eternal death. 

St. Joseph, defend me from the attacks of the devils at the last moment of my life.

The Litany  of Saint Joseph

Prayer to Saint Joseph

O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires. O Saint 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 Saint 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. Saint Joseph, Patron of departing souls, Pray for me. Amen.

(This prayer, it is claimed, was found in the fiftieth year of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.)  

Saint Joseph, patron of the universal Church, protect us. Protect our Holy Father, the Pope, and our Mother, Holy Church.

By Saint Alphonsus Liguori, adapted by Hugh J. O’Connell, C.SS.R.

Thanks to: the Redemptorist Fathers Saint Louis
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The Virtues of Saint Joseph

The Virtues of Saint Joseph

Words of Our Lady to St. Bridget of Sweden

"St. Joseph was so reserved and careful in his speech that not one word ever issued from his mouth that was not good and holy, nor did he ever indulge in unnecessary or less than charitable conversation. He was most patient and diligent in bearing fatigue; he practiced extreme poverty; he was most meek in bearing injuries; he was strong and constant against my enemies; he was the faithful witness of the wonders of Heaven, being dead to the flesh and the world, living only for God and for Heavenly goods, which were the only things he desired. He was perfectly conformed to the Divine Will and so resigned to the dispositions of Heaven that he ever repeated" May the Will of God ever be done in me!" He rarely spoke with men, but continually with God, whose Will he desired to perform. Wherefore, he now enjoys great glory in Heaven."

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Act of Consecration to Saint Joseph

Act of Consecration to Saint Joseph

O Dearest St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to thy honor and give myself to thee, that thou mayest always be my father, my protector and my guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me a great purity of heart and a fervent love of the interior life. After thine example, may I do all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary! And do thou, O blessed St. Joseph, pray for me that I may share in the peace and joy of thy holy death. Amen.

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Praises of Saint Joseph

Praises of Saint Joseph

(These praises may be prayed in thanksgiving for favors received)

IN the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed by thy soul, which was adorned with all the virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghost.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thine intellect, which was full of the most sublime knowledge of God and was enlightened with revelations.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thy will, which all inflamed with love for Jesus and Mary and always perfectly conformable to the Divine Will.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thine eyes, to which it was granted to look continually upon Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be thine ears, which merited to hear the sweet words of Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O dear St. Joseph, ever blessed be thy tongue, which continually praised God and with profound humility and reverence conversed with Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O chaste St. Joseph, ever blessed be thy most pure and loving heart, with which thou didst ardently love Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O holy Joseph, ever blessed be thy thoughts, words and actions, each and all of which ever tended to the service of Jesus and Mary. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O holy Patriarch Joseph, ever blessed be all the moments of thy life, which thou didst spend in the service of Jesus and Mary. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O my Protector St. Joseph, ever blessed be that moment of thy life in which thou didst most sweetly die in the arms of Jesus and Mary. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O glorious St. Joseph, ever blessed be that moment in which thou didst enter into the eternal joys of Heaven.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O happy St. Joseph, ever blessed in eternity be every moment in which, until now, in union with all the Saints of Heaven, thou hast enjoyed the incomprehensible bliss of union with God, with Jesus and Mary.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O my dear Protector! Be ever blessed by  me and by all creatures, for all eternity, with all the blessings which the Most Holy Trinity bestowed upon thee and with all the benedictions given thee by Jesus and Mary and by the whole Church.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O thrice holy Joseph, blessed in soul and body, in life and death, on earth and in Heaven. Obtain also for me, a poor sinner but nevertheless thy true and faithful client, a share in thy blessings, the grace to imitate thee ardently, and to love and faithfully serve Jesus, Mary, and thyself, and especially the happiness to die in thy holy arms. Amen.

Image taken from Waiting for the Word

Ad te Beate Joseph - To Thee, O Blessed Joseph

Ad te Beate Joseph - To Thee, O Blessed Joseph

To be prayed especially after the Rosary. 

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.

by Pope Leo XIII

Image Credit Waiting for the Word

The Nine First Wednesdays

The Nine First Wednesdays

Every Wednesday is dedicated in a special way to St. Joseph. Make the Nine First Wednesdays [in a manner similar to the Nine First Fridays of the Sacred Heart] in honor of St. Joseph for a happy death, for yourself and your dear ones. As charity is one of the best ways to be worthy of the grace of a happy death, offer your First Wednesday Mass and Communion and devotions in honor of St. Joseph in a special way for the salvation of the dying, most especially for an undying sinner who is to lose his soul without the grace of final repentance.

Our Lord permits St. Joseph to take from His Divine treasury with full hands in order to give souls the treasures of Divine grace and mercy, like Joseph, the son of Jacob, who took corn from the granaries of the King of Egypt to feed his brethren and all who had recourse to him. From the heights of Heaven, the King of Glory speaks to us the same words as Pharao spoke to the starving people of Egypt: "Go to Joseph." 
 

The Go to Joseph Prayers

I 

In the miseries of this vale of tears, to whom shall we have recourse, O blessed Joseph, if not to thee, to whom thy beloved spouse Mary entrusted all her rich treasures, that thou might keep them to our advantage? "go to my spouse, Joseph," Mary seems to say to us, "and he will comfort you, he will deliver you from the misfortunes which now oppress you and will make you happy and contented" Have pity on us, therefore, O St. Joseph; have pity on us through that love which thou didst cherish toward a spouse so worthy and amiable.

Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...

II 

We are fully conscious that we have offended the justice of God by our sins and deserve His most severe chastisements. Not what shall be our place of refuge? "go to Joseph," Jesus seems to say to us; "Go to Joseph, in whom I was well pleased and whom I had for My foster father. To him, as to a father, I have communicated all power, that he may use it for your good according to his own desire." Pity us, therefore, O blessed Joseph, pity us, for the great love thou didst bear toward a Son so admirable and so dear.

Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...

III 

Unhappily the sins we have committed call down upon the heaviest scourges: this we must confess. In what ark shall we take refuge in order to be saved? Where shall we find the blessed rainbow that shall give us comfort and hope in the midst of our afflictions? "Go to Joseph," the Eternal father seems to say to us: "Go to him who took My place on earth with regard to My Son made man. I entrusted to his keeping My Son, who is the unfailing source of grace; therefore, every grace is in his hands." Pity us, then, dear St. Joseph, pity us by thy great love for Almighty God, Who has been so generous to thee.

Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory Be ...

Image Credit Waiting for the Word

An Act of Oblation of a Little Soul

An Act of Oblation of a Little Soul

Behold, Sweet Jesus, I offer my life to Thee. Take me as a little victim of love and do with me whatever Thou willest. Oh, how I love Thee! I offer Thee all my faculties both of soul and of body. Take them, Jesus, also every moment of my life. Let me know and love no one but Thee, my Sweet Love. Take from me all liberty to sin. I offer myself entirely to Thee and beg Thee to rivet me within Thy Holy Wounds. Let my love of Thee have no limit or bounds, but let it be known over the earth when life has fled and I am resting in Thy Arms. 

Jesus, Thou Who art the lover of little souls, may my life be one act of perfect love. May I be plunged deeper within Thee at every heart-throb. Imprint within me Thy Divine Likeness so that I may draw many souls to the enjoyment of the happiness of living in Thee. 

Jesus, take my heart; make it Thy furnace of love so that many souls may be inflamed by its fire. Take me, wound me, so that the imprint may go with me into Eternity. O my God, take from me everything I have if it please Thy Wounded Heart. O Jesus, may my life be a martyrdom of love. May I become a perfect little victim. May suffering be the key to my happiness. I long only to love Thee passionately even unto folly and to burn others in the fire of this love. 

May I be a beacon-light to souls who are following in darkness the pleasures of this world. And when the evening of life comes may I fly to Thee, even though it be with empty hands, to receive once more Thy Heavenly embrace and fall asleep in Thy Arms - for all eternity in Heaven. Amen.

by Saint Therese of Lisieux
image Credit Waiting for the Word