With the Apostolic Letter “Patris corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis declared December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021 a “Year of St. Joseph.” This is the 150th anniversary of Blessed Pope Pius IX declaring St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church, and Pope Francis is marking the occasion.

In light of this, I am sharing some prayers to help us all increase our devotion to the step-father of Jesus, who protected Him and the Blessed Mother from the murderous intentions of Herod, raised Him as his own, guided Him in the faith of His ancestors, taught Him the Scriptures, and apprenticed Him in the trade of carpentry.

Below is a Litany of Saint Joseph from the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and a prayer to Saint Joseph by Pope Leo XIII.

Litany of Saint Joseph

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.

Prayer to Saint Joseph by Pope Leo XIII

To be recited after praying the Holy Rosary

To thee, O Blessed Joseph, we fly in our tribulation and after imploring the help of thy holy Spouse, with confidence we ask also for thy intercession. By the affection which united thee to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and by the paternal love with which thou didst embrace the Child Jesus, we beseech thee to look kindly upon the inheritance which Jesus Christ acquired by His Precious Blood, and with thy powerful aid to help us in our needs.

Protect, most careful guardian of the Holy Family, the chosen people of Jesus Christ. Keep us, loving father, from all pestilence of error and corruption. From thy place in heaven be thou mercifully with us, most powerful protector, in this warfare with the powers of darkness and, as thou didst once rescue the Child Jesus from imminent danger of death, so now defend the Holy Church of God from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity. Guard each of us by thy constant patronage, so that, sustained by thy example and help, we may live a holy life, die a holy death, and obtain the everlasting happiness of heaven. Amen

Prescribed by His Holiness Pople Leo XIII, for the month of October after the recitation of the Holy Rosary.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.