Meditations and prayers · Irish Messenger Office, 1926

Novena to St. Joseph

Nine days of prayer to St. Joseph, printed word for word from an old Catholic book (the source is given below). Pray the daily prayer every day, then the day's own prayer.

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The daily prayer (every day)

Efficacious Prayer to St. Joseph O Glorious St. Joseph! faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to thee do we raise our hearts and hands, to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special favour we now implore [mention it.]

(Then say the following Versicle and Response seven times in honour of the seven joys and sorrows of St. Joseph.)

V. O Glorious St. Joseph! through the love thou bearest to Jesus Christ, and for the glory of His Name. R. Hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.

The nine days

Day 1

I.—St. Joseph in the Sacred Scriptures

1st Prelude.—Behold St. Joseph on his Throne of Glory in Heaven.

2nd Prelude.—Ask for grace to understand in some degree the importance of the place that St. Joseph holds in the designs of Providence.

1st Point.—"Go to Joseph, and do all that he shall say to you."—Gen. xli. 55. Affections and Resolutions.—"Go to Joseph" in all temporal and spiritual necessities. Take him as your patron. Have great confidence in him, for he is God's steward in Heaven, as he was on earth.

2nd Point.—"Joseph, her husband, being a just man."—Matt. i. 19. Affections and Resolutions.—To beg of St. Joseph to obtain for you in all things conformity to the Will of God.

3rd Point.—"Is not this the carpenter's Son?"—Matt. xiii. 55. Affections and Resolutions.—Examine yourself on these three heads, and see if your work has hitherto been profitable for eternity. Ask St. Joseph to obtain for you a great spirit of work.

Colloquy with St. Joseph.

Day 2

II.—St. Joseph's Supereminent Sanctity (I.)

1st Prel.—Behold St. Joseph, with Jesus and Mary, occupied in his daily avocations in the holy house of Nazareth.

2nd Prel.—Ask grace to understand the sources of St. Joseph's supereminent sanctity.

St. Joseph is the greatest of the saints of God because:

1st Point.—He was the Spouse of Mary. Affections and Resolutions.—O glorious saint! obtain that I, too, like you, may grow in sanctity and every virtue from the contemplation of my Mother Mary.

2nd Point.—He was the Companion of Jesus. Affections and Resolutions.—St. Joseph, Patron of interior life, teach me how to walk in the presence of God, by sometimes turning to Him in my daily occupations, in acts of faith and love and generous oblation of myself, and of my work to Him whose eye is ever fixed upon me.

Colloquy with St. Joseph.

Day 3

III.—St. Joseph's Supereminent Sanctity (II.)

Preludes as in the previous meditation.

Again, St. Joseph is the greatest of the saints of God, because:

1st Point.—He was the Guardian and Superior of the Holy Family. Affections and Resolutions.—I now begin, O glorious Saint, to understand in some degree the greatness and the splendour of thy reign in Heaven. Watch over and protect me from thy throne above.

2nd Point.—He laboured in the immediate service of the Holy Family. Affections and Resolutions.—Obtain for me, O glorious Saint, to understand more and more thy supereminent sanctity, and the power and glory thou enjoyest in Heaven.

3rd Point.—He was the Consort of the Queen of Heaven. Affections and Resolutions.—Have unbounded confidence in the power of St. Joseph. Turn to Him in all your spiritual and temporal necessities, and be assured that you will never have recourse to him in vain.

Colloquy with St. Joseph.

Day 4

IV.—The Seven Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph

1st Prel.—Behold St. Joseph kneeling with the Blessed Virgin beside the newly-born Saviour at the Crib of Bethlehem.

2nd Prel.—Ask grace to understand and sympathise with the Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph.

1st Point.—St. Joseph's First Sorrow and First Joy. Affections and Resolutions.—When affliction fills the soul, and we are groping in the darkness of uncertainty and sorrow, to cry aloud to God in the secret of our hearts for light and grace and guidance. "Incline unto mine aid, O God; O Lord, make haste to help me."

2nd Point.—St. Joseph's Second Sorrow and Second Joy. Affections and Resolutions.—Kneeling that first Christmas night with Mary and St. Joseph at the Infant Saviour's side, pour forth the fervent affections of your heart in acts of love, oblation, and petition.

3rd Point.—St. Joseph's Third Sorrow and Third Joy. Affections and Resolutions.—Often to invoke the Sacred Name. "My Jesus, mercy; may I ever love Thee more and more."

Colloquy with St. Joseph.

Day 5

V.—The Seven Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph (Continued.)

1st Prel.—Behold St. Joseph carrying the Child Jesus up to the Temple, or hurrying with Him in his arms into Egypt.

2nd Prel.—Grace to understand and sympathise with the joys and sorrows of St. Joseph.

1st Point.—St. Joseph's Fourth Sorrow and Fourth Joy. Affections and Resolutions.—Not to give way to discouragements on such occasions. Be patient, trust in God, and persevere. Labour crossed and thwarted is often the most fruitful.

2nd Point.—St. Joseph's Fifth Sorrow and Fifth Joy. Affections and Resolutions.—"In Thee, O Lord! have I hoped; I shall not be confounded for ever."

3rd Point.—St. Joseph's Sixth Sorrow. Affections and Resolutions.—O glorious Saint! obtain for me through life, in joy and sorrow and doubt, in storm and sunshine, ever to give myself without reserve into the hands of God. How happy am I if I am under the direction of obedience. At any rate I will always ask of God in all things to direct my steps.

Colloquy with St. Joseph.

Day 6

VI.—The Seven Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph (Continued.)

1st Prel.—Picture to yourself the Holy Home of Nazareth; see St. Joseph working in the workshop at his trade with Jesus Christ.

2nd Prel.—Grace to understand and sympathise in the joys and sorrows of St. Joseph.

1st Point.—St. Joseph's Sixth Joy. Affections and Resolutions.—I will consider how I stand in these regards, and, with St. Joseph's help, will strive to make my home, whether in religion or in the world, a little less unlike the home of Nazareth.

2nd Point.—St. Joseph's Seventh Sorrow. Affections and Resolutions.—In times of spiritual desolation to imitate Mary and Joseph in diligently seeking Jesus. Or, with the Apostles in the storm, to cry to Jesus, "Lord save us, we are perishing."

3rd Point.—St. Joseph's Seventh Joy. Affections and Resolutions.—Beg of St. Joseph to enable you to seek your happiness and joy in Christ alone, to look for Him, and to find Him in prayer and holiness of heart.

Colloquy with St. Joseph.

Day 7

VII.—On the Patronage of St. Joseph

1st Prel.—Behold St. Joseph, looking down most lovingly upon you from his glorious throne in heaven, and interceding for you with Jesus and Mary.

2nd Prel.—Ask grace to understand how justly St. Joseph merits the title of Patron in your regard, and grace to have henceforth the greatest confidence in his protection.

1st Point.—What it is to act as Patron. Affections and Resolutions.—My glorious patron, St. Joseph, obtain for me a daily increase of confidence in your goodness, and in your power and willingness to help me.

2nd Point.—How St. Joseph discharges the office of Patron. Affections and Resolutions.—Great Saint! watch over me and guard me in this life, be with me at the trying hour of my death to comfort and assist me, and accompany my soul before the tribunal of Jesus Christ, there to plead in my behalf, and to secure for me a speedy entrance into the everlasting joys of Heaven.

3rd Point.—What is the best means of securing the patronage of St. Joseph?

Colloquy with St. Joseph.

Day 8

VIII.—The Death of St. Joseph

St. Joseph is the patron of a happy death because he himself died the happiest of happy deaths. We ought often to ask him to procure for us this grace.

1st Prel.—Behold St. Joseph sweetly resting in the arms of Jesus and Mary as he breathes forth his beautiful soul into the hands of his Creator.

2nd Prel.—I will pray, "Glorious St. Joseph! obtain for me the grace of a happy and a holy death like unto thine."

1st Point.—The death of St. Joseph was most precious. Affections and Resolutions.—Glorious St. Joseph! help me to imitate, even in a very humble way, the holiness of your life, that my death, too, may be precious in the sight of God.

2nd Point.—The death of St. Joseph was most glorious. Affections and Resolutions.—O great St. Joseph! by your own most glorious death, I beg of you to obtain for me, by your powerful intercession with God, the solace of your presence and that of Jesus and Mary to comfort and support me as I "cross the bar."

3rd Point.—The death of St. Joseph was most happy.

Colloquy with St. Joseph, asking him to obtain for you the grace to die well. Beg of him to enable you to keep the thought of death habitually before you, and to make your life a constant preparation for a happy death.

Day 9

IX.—Special Graces obtained through St. Joseph's Intercession

1st Prel.—Behold St. Joseph on his throne in heaven.

2nd Prel.—Ask for great confidence in St. Joseph's intercession.

1st Point.—St. Joseph, patron of interior life, and of purity and innocence of heart. Affections and Resolutions.—Thank God for the wonderful degree in which he was pleased to bestow these graces on St. Joseph, and ask the Saint to procure for you in some degree a share in these most precious gifts.

2nd Point.—St. Joseph, patron of love of Jesus and Mary, and of temporal affairs. Affections and Resolutions.—In all temporal affairs to turn to St. Joseph with persevering and unshaken trust.

3rd Point.—St. Joseph, patron of a happy death. Affections and Resolutions.—To say some short prayer, or practice some devotion every day to St. Joseph for the grace of final perseverance and a happy death.

Colloquy with St. Joseph.

Source: J. McDonnell, S.J., St. Joseph: A Novena of Meditations and Prayers, 8th ed. (Dublin: Irish Messenger Office, 1926), pp. 2–31 · view the page scan

When to pray it

Next: Wednesday, March 10 to Thursday, March 18, 2027, ending on the eve of St Joseph (March 19).

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Frequently asked

What is a novena?

A novena is nine consecutive days of prayer for a particular intention, after the pattern of the apostles who prayed for nine days between the Ascension and Pentecost.

How do I pray the Novena to St. Joseph?

Pray the prayers given here on nine days in a row, as the source book directs; the text is printed exactly as it appears there.

Can I pray a novena for any intention?

Yes. Bring whatever intention is on your heart and entrust it to the prayers of St. Joseph.

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