For me, consecration to St. Joseph began many, many years ago, as far back as March 4, 2004, when I believe, St. Joseph interceded to save my life. (read story) I have done so many Consecrations to St. Joseph over the years that I honestly don’t remember which one I was using when St. Joseph saved my life. I have done the Act of Consecration to St. Joseph in the booklet called Favorite Prayers to St. Joseph by TAN, and I simply prayed it for 30 or 33 days. I have done the 31 Day Novena to St. Joseph – As seen by the mystics by Rosalie A. Turton. I have done the 30 day – St Joseph’s Holy Cloak Novena; however, I don’t remember doing the Thirty Days’ Prayer to Saint Joseph.
Incidentally why 30 days? According to tradition, St. Joseph died just before Jesus began his public ministry at the age of 30 as mentioned in Luke 3:23. The prayer, therefore, honors St. Joseph for each of the 30 years he spent with Jesus and Mary on earth.
Other times I simply used a favorite prayer to St. Joseph for that year or I read a chapter of a book for 30 or 33 days which has led to collecting 39 books on St. Joseph! I pray the following prayer every day before getting up. It’s simply a personal devotional prayer, and one time I used it as my daily consecration prayer,
Hail “Joseph, Son of David,” (Mt.1:20) “Husband of Mary,” (Mt. 1:16) the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst men and blessed is the Son that you raised, Jesus. Holy Joseph, Virgin Father of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
I have also done the Month of St. Joseph by St. Peter Julian Eymard which up until now ranks as the best one for consecration; however, the very, very best, I believe, is the brand-new Consecration to St. Joseph – The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Fr. Donald Calloway which can be found (here).
This book is hot off the press! This has to be the best book I have ever read or close to the very best book that I have ever read. God told St. Thomas Aquinas, “You have written well of me, Thomas!” I think St. Joseph would say the same to Fr Donald! The boy whom the dragon almost destroyed has now become a dragon slayer! This book has already changed my life, and it is very powerful! Scott Hahn gave it this review:
“This book is a marvel. It is a summary of the whole of the study of St. Joseph — the wisdom of the saints, the teachings of the popes, and the reflections of theologians. And yet it is readable and accessible to anyone — clergy or laity, men or women, married or single. This book — and consecration to St. Joseph — are gifts not only from Fr. Calloway, but from our Lord, to get us through our current crisis, and all the way home to heaven. Let us look to, and learn from, St. Joseph, the spiritual father of us all.”
Fr. Calloway’s book follows the 33-day Marian consecration initiated by St. Louis de Montfort, and it can be done by individuals, groups, parishes, or an entire diocese. Maybe one day our Holy Father will give us a Year of St. Joseph.
Close to seven years ago, I was hired as one of two formators in the Diocese of Austin for men studying to be permanent deacons which is the 5-year diaconal formation program. I, also, introduced them to Consecration to St. Joseph using different models but most especially the one by St. Peter Julian Eymard. At times even Bishop Joe S. Vásquez has joined us in the Consecration to St. Joseph.
This year the 46 men in diaconal formation and their wives who wish to will begin the Consecration to St. Joseph on Feb. 16, 2020, and end on March 19, 2020. Why is St. Joseph important for the deacons or men studying to be deacons? He was the model deacon, or as St. Peter Julian Eymard explains, “St. Joseph lived for one purpose: to be the personal servant [deacon] of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh…Realizing this, he fulfilled to perfection the role of a good and faithful servant [deacon] charged with caring for the House of God.” Furthermore, St. Peter Julian Eymard expounds, “St. Joseph had the virtue which marks a good servant [deacon], disinterested devotedness. Every moment of his life was consecrated to the service of the Lord: sleep, rest, work, – everything was sacrificed uncomplainingly and unselfishly…In the Eucharistic service, we must imitate St. Joseph with generosity.” [added] Incidentally, in the past many of the men and wives have expressed many special graces due to the consecration.
This year is the 150th anniversary of the papal declaration: St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church – a title given by Pope Pius IX in 1870, and you can put St. Joseph to the test! Unleash the Terror of Demons! If you are a single person, father, or mother and need assistance with your vocation, a healing or other problem give this consecration a try. One quote from St. Teresa of Avila stands out in my mind if you have doubts,
“I wish I could persuade everyone to be devoted to this glorious saint, for I have great experience of the blessings which he can obtain from God. I have never known anyone to be truly devoted to him and render him particular services who did not notably advance in virtue, for he gives very real help to souls who commend themselves to him. For some years now, I think, I have made some request of him every year on his festival and I have always had it granted.”
Interestingly, Bishop Peter Joseph Jugis of the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina is declaring a Year of St. Joseph for his diocese from January 1 – December 31, 2020. I am sure they will do the Crowning of St. Joseph ceremony like the yearly one we do at Saint Mary Cathedral in Austin, Texas (Read story) My sense is that Bishop Peter understands what Pope Pius XII says about the power of St. Joseph,
“If Joseph was so engaged, heart and soul, in protecting and providing for that little family at Nazareth, don’t you think that now in heaven he is the same loving father and guardian of the whole Church, of all its members, as he was of its Head on earth?”
THE END!
January 23, 2020 Feast of the Espousals of the Joseph and Mary.
SIGN UP FOR THE CONSECRATION: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e45a4ab2daaf49-consecration
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Lovely book! I would also like to read St. Peter Julian Eymard. What is the name of that book and where can I
purchase it? Publisher?
Thank you.
Dear Sal,
The name of the book is Month of St. Joseph – St. Peter Julian Eymard Go to this link to order the book: http://store.casamaria.org/month-of-st-joseph-st-peter-julian-eymard/
Please read St. JOSEPH THE JUST MAN AND THE PROTECTOR (from the Writings of Maria Valtorta) at http://www.mariavaltortawebring.com/Documents/Saint_Joseph-Valtorta.pdf
Thank you for sharing the visions of this wonderful mystic.
Just received the book and will make my consecration March 19th. My religious name is Joseph-Mary.
It will change your life! Guaranteed! Really! It is a gift from God! Thank you for your fiat!
Bishop Donald J. Hying, Bishop of the Diocese of Madison, WI, will be going to St. Mary of Pine Bluff to launch the “St. Joseph Strong” challenge, calling ALL men to enter into the 33 Day Consecration to St. Joseph (February 16 – March 19, Feast of St. Joseph).
Thank you for your beautiful witness to St. Joseph. Due to the many graces I have received from him, my household is consecrated to him, this included my grown children whom I pray will carry this tradition. He is with me as the Head of my family as he wsa head of the holy Family. I have entrusted everything to him, as God the Father entrusted all to Him! He is a great gift from God, a treasure.
Dear Rita,
Yes, I totally agree! Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical mentions him as Head and protector of the Family: “From this two-fold dignity flowed the obligation which nature lays upon the head of families, so that Joseph became the guardian, the administrator, and the legal defender of the divine house whose chief he was. And during the whole course of his life he fulfilled those charges and those duties. He set himself to protect with a mighty love and a daily solicitude his spouse and the Divine Infant…These are the reasons why men of every rank and country should fly to the trust and guard of the blessed Joseph. Fathers of families find in Joseph the best personification of paternal solicitude and vigilance; spouses a perfect example of love, of peace, and of conjugal fidelity; virgins at the same time find in him the model and protector of virginal integrity….Defend, O most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, the chosen off-spring of Jesus Christ. Keep from us, O most loving Father, all blight of error and corruption. Aid us from on high, most valiant defender, in this conflict with the powers of darkness.”
http://w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15081889_quamquam-pluries.html
You really didn’t say how the consecration changed your life. you only stated that you have done many of them and other are doing it as well.
Dear Alex Schmidt, Thank you for the input. In the past (2004) the Consecration to St. Joseph saved my life. Currently, it has put my spiritual life on the TOLL road instead of being stuck on the interstate traffic lanes for hours. With the consecration, my spiritual life is now on steroids (a matter of speaking). As soon as I started this consecration, I literally felt the spiritual faculties of my soul strengthened and receive a spiritual boost! What seemed impossible is now possible! A spiritual cover/mantle has come over me because of the consecration. I have never felt this way before! REALLY! It has even affected my preaching! I could go on and on… Alex why don’t you give the consecration a try?
If you still have not received the hardcopy of “Consecration to St. Joseph” and want to begin the consecration preparation on February 16, please consider purchasing the ebook. Here is the link
https://www.shopmercy.org/consecration-to-st-joseph-the-wonders-of-our-spiritual-father-ebook.html?source=ctsj&fbclid=IwAR2FTSrf5CMtmZZLyaLtX3Q8V7v6MRi8RCyhyXOzwflxpxGOt5Bmuyl824M
My wife and I both have it already… ready to go.. deacon paul
From Fr. Donald Calloway: “It can’t be done without the book. Amazon had no idea this book would be in such demand and they keep selling out and can’t seem to get enough in stock to fill the orders. My suggestion is that you cancel your order with Amazon and call this number tomorrow and ask for priority shipping: 1-800-462-7426. Or you can just get the ebook at http://www.consecrationtostjoseph.org Sorry for so much troubles. This is happening to many, many people.”
937 people have signed up for the consecration. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e45a4ab2daaf49-consecration