Feast of St.Joseph
Prayers to St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, date back almost as far as 50 A.D.! Even though he came from King David’s noble ancestry, St. Joseph lived a life of great humility and adoration to his Holy Family as a carpenter.This prayer is among the earliest invocations to St. Joseph, and also one of the best known:
Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.
Oh St. 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.
Oh St. 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. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen
| Lord, have mercy. | Lord, have mercy. |
| Christ, have mercy. | Christ, have mercy. |
| Lord, have mercy. | Lord, have mercy. |
| God our Father in heaven, | have mercy on us. |
| God the Son, Redeemer of the world, | have mercy on us. |
| God the Holy Spirit, | have mercy on us. |
| Holy Trinity, one God, | have mercy on us. |
| Holy Mary, | pray for us. |
| Saint Joseph, | pray for us. |
| Noble son of the House of David, | pray for us. |
| Light of patriarchs, | pray for us. |
| Husband of the Mother of God, | pray for us. |
| Guardian of the Virgin, | pray for us. |
| Foster father of the Son of God, | pray for us. |
| Faithful guardian of Christ, | pray for us. |
| Head of the Holy Family, | pray for us. |
| Joseph, chaste and just, | pray for us. |
| Joseph, prudent and brave, | pray for us. |
| Joseph, obedient and loyal, | pray for us. |
| Pattern of patience, | pray for us. |
| Lover of poverty, | pray for us. |
| Model of workers, | pray for us. |
| Example to parents, | pray for us. |
| Guardian of virgins, | pray for us. |
| Pillar of family life, | pray for us. |
| Comfort of the troubled, | pray for us. |
| Hope of the sick, | pray for us. |
| Patron of the dying, | pray for us. |
| Terror of evil spirits, | pray for us. |
| Protector of the Church, | pray for us. |
| Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, | have mercy on us. |
| Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, | have mercy on us. |
| Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, | have mercy on us. |
| God made him master of his household, | And put him in charge of all that he owned. |
Let us pray.
O God, who in your inexpressible providence
were pleased to choose Saint Joseph
as spouse of the most holy Mother of your Son,
grant, we pray,
that we, who revere him as our protector on earth,
may be worthy of his heavenly intercession.
Through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
History of the St. Joseph Altar
The St. Joseph Altar is Sicilian in origin. During a terrible famine, the people of Sicily pleaded to St. Joseph, their patron saint, for relief. St. Joseph answered their prayers, and the famine ended. In gratitude, they prepared a table with foods they had harvested. After paying homage to St. Joseph, they distributed the food to the less fortunate.
The Altar is set up in three tiers, representing the Holy Trinity. A statue of St. Joseph is placed on the top tier, usually surrounded by flowers, greenery & fruit.
No meat is prepared for the Altar. This is probably because St. Joseph’s Feast falls in the Lenten Season and also because meat was a rarity to the Sicilian peasants. Breads, cakes and cookies, baked in symbolic Christian shapes, are prepared for the Altar. Pastries in the shapes of monstrances, chalices, crosses, doves, lambs, fish, bibles, hearts, wreaths and palms adorn the tiers of the Altar. Symbols of St. Joseph – such as lilies, staffs, sandals, ladders, saws, hammers and nails – are also used. There is symbolism in many of the items on the Altar. Breadcrumbs rerpresent the sawdust of St. Joseph the Carpenter. Twelve whole fish represent the apostles. Wine is symbolic of the Miracle at Cana.
The Altar is a medium of petition and thanksgiving. Petitions of the faithful are written on pieces of paper and placed in baskets on the Altar. Photos of deceased relatives & friends decorate the Altar as well.
Please visit this site to see a virtual altar of St.Joseph and how to make yours at home http://virtualstjosephaltar.com/
This is a list of churches and stores that display the altars
“Saint Joseph was a just man, a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care. May he always guard, protect and enlighten families.”
Pope Benedict XVI
Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World Nov 22, 1981, The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King
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