Wednesday — St. Joseph
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.
Go to Joseph,
Ite ad Ioseph,
and do whatever he shall say to you.
et quidquid ipse vobis díxerit, fácite.
Joseph speaks not a single word in the Gospels. That silence is the form of his obedience. He hears an angel in a dream and rises and takes the Child; he hears a second and rises and goes down into Egypt; he hears a third and rises and comes back. He does not argue. He does not explain. He guards what is most precious in the world without commentary. The tradition has given him to fathers and to workers and to the dying — but above all, to those entrusted with a hidden task. Ite ad Joseph. Bring him today's difficulty.
Memorare to St. Joseph
Remember, O most pure spouse of the Virgin Mary, my loving protector, Saint Joseph, that never has it been heard that anyone invoked thy protection and besought thy aid without being comforted. Inspired by this confidence, I come to thee, and with fervor commend myself to thee. Despise not, O foster father of the Redeemer, my humble supplication, but graciously hear and grant my prayer. Amen.
Memoráre, o puríssime Sponse Vírginis Maríæ, o dulcis Protéctor mi, sancte Ioseph, non esse audítum a sǽculo, quemquam ad tua implorántem auxília, tua peténtem suffrágia, esse derelíctum. Ego tali animátus confidéntia ad te vénio, tibíque férvide me comméndo. Noli, quæso, o Pater putatíve Redemptóris, verba mea despícere, sed audi propítius. Amen.
Litany of St. Joseph
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.
Lord, have mercy.
Kýrie, eléison.
Lord, have mercy.
Kýrie, eléison.
Christ, have mercy.
Christe, eléison.
Christ, have mercy.
Christe, eléison.
Lord, have mercy.
Kýrie, eléison.
Lord, have mercy.
Kýrie, eléison.
Christ, hear us.
Christe, audi nos.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Christe, exáudi nos.
God the Father of Heaven,
Pater de cælis, Deus,
Have mercy on us.
Miserére nobis.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Fili, Redémptor mundi, Deus,
Have mercy on us.
Miserére nobis.
God the Holy Spirit,
Spíritus Sancte Deus,
Have mercy on us.
Miserére nobis.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Sancta Trínitas, unus Deus,
Have mercy on us.
Miserére nobis.
Holy Mary,
Sancta María,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph,
Sancte Ioseph,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, renowned offspring of David,
Proles David ínclyta,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, light of patriarchs,
Lumen Patriarchárum,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, spouse of the Mother of God,
Dei Genetrícis Sponse,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, chaste guardian of the Virgin,
Custos pudíce Vírginis,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, foster-father of the Son of God,
Fílii Dei nutrície,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, diligent protector of Christ,
Christi defénsor sédule,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Custos Redemptóris,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, Servant of Christ,
Serve Christi,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, Minister of salvation,
Miníster salútis,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, head of the Holy Family,
Almæ Famíliæ præses,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, most just,
Ioseph iustíssime,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, most chaste,
Ioseph castíssime,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, most prudent,
Ioseph prudentíssime,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, most courageous,
Ioseph fortíssime,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, most obedient,
Ioseph obœdientíssime,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, most faithful,
Ioseph fidelíssime,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, mirror of patience,
Spéculum patiéntiæ,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, lover of poverty,
Amátor paupertátis,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, model of artisans,
Exémplar opíficum,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, glory of home life,
Domésticæ vitæ decus,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, guardian of virgins,
Custos vírginum,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, pillar of families,
Familiárum cólumen,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, Support in difficulties,
Fulcímen in difficultátibus,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, solace of the wretched,
Solátium miserórum,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, hope of the sick,
Spes ægrotántium,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, patron of exiles,
Patróne éxsulum,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, patron of the afflicted,
Patróne afflictórum,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, patron of the poor,
Patróne páuperum,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, patron of the dying,
Patróne moriéntium,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, terror of demons,
Terror dǽmonum,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Joseph, protector of Holy Church,
Protéctor sanctæ Ecclésiæ,
Pray for us.
Ora pro nobis.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi,
Spare us, O Lord.
Parce nobis, Dómine.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Exáudi nos, Dómine.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi,
Have mercy on us.
Miserére nobis.
He made him the lord of his household.
Constítuit eum dóminum domus suæ.
And ruler of all his possessions.
Et príncipem omnis possessiónis suæ.
Let us pray.
O God, who in Thine ineffable providence didst choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may be worthy to receive him for our intercessor in heaven, whom on earth we venerate as our protector. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Deus, qui in ineffábili providéntia beátum Ioseph sanctíssimæ Genetrícis tuæ Sponsum elígere dignátus es, præsta, quǽsumus, ut quem protectórem venerámur in terris, intercessórem habére mereámur in cælis: Qui vivis et regnas in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
The great Leonine prayer to St. Joseph in time of trial, from the encyclical Quamquam Pluries (1889).
Prayer to St. Joseph
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.
To thee, O blessed Joseph, we have recourse in our affliction, and having implored the help of thy most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke thy patronage also.
By that charity which united thee to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and by that fatherly love with which thou didst embrace the Child Jesus, we beseech thee graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by His Blood, and by thy powerful intercession, to help us in our necessities.
Guard, O most watchful Guardian of the Holy Family, the chosen people of Jesus Christ; keep far from us, O most loving Father, all blight of error and corruption; aid us from on high, O our most mighty protector, in this conflict with the powers of darkness; and even as of old thou didst rescue the Child Jesus from the supreme peril of His life, so now defend God's Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity; keep us one and all under thy continual protection, that we may be supported by thine example and thine assistance, may be enabled to lead a holy life, to die a holy death, and to obtain everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.
Ad te beáte Ioseph, in tribulatióne nostra confúgimus, atque, imploráto Sponsæ tuæ sanctíssimæ auxílio, patrocínium quoque tuum fidénter expóscimus.
Per eam, quǽsumus quæ te cum immaculáta Vírgine Dei Genetríce coniúnxit, caritátem, perque patérnum, quo Púerum Iesum ampléxus es, amórem, súpplices deprecámur, ut ad hereditátem, quam Iesus Christus acquisívit Sánguine suo, benígnus respícias, ac necessitátibus nostris tua virtúte et ope succúrras.
Tuére, o Custos providentíssime divínæ Famíliæ, Iesu Christi súbolem eléctam; próhibe a nobis, amantíssime Pater, omnem errórum ac corruptelárum luem; propítius nobis, sospitátor noster fortíssime, in hoc cum potestáte tenebrárum certámine e cælo adésto; et sicut olim Púerum Iesum e summo eripuísti vitæ discrímine, ita nunc Ecclésiam sanctam Dei ab hostílibus insídiis atque ab omni adversitáte defénde: nosque síngulos perpétuo tege patrocínio, ut ad tui exémplar et ope tua suffúlti, sancte vívere, pie émori, sempiternámque in cælis beatitúdinem ássequi possímus. Amen.
Saint Joseph, patron of a holy death, pray for us — that we may live as you lived, and die between Jesus and Mary as you did. Amen.
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.