St. Joseph is probably the most popular saint among Christians after Mary. Because he is the foster father of Jesus, he can teach us how to follow the footsteps of Jesus. Many saints prayed daily to St. Joseph asking for his intercession in their daily prayer life and activities. Saint Faustina loved St. Joseph and prayed to him daily. She said the Memorare of St. Joseph everyday! She wrote in her diary: "Saint Joseph urged me to have a constant devotion to him. He himself told me to recite every day three prayers [the Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be], and the Memorare once every day. He looked at me with great kindness and gave me to know how much he is supporting this work [of mercy]. He has promised me his special help and protection. I recite the requested prayers every day and feel his special protection" (1203).
“Remember, O most pure spouse of Mary,
and my dearly beloved guardian, St. Joseph,
that never was it known that anyone who invoked your care
and requested your help was left without consolation.
Inspired with this confidence, I come to you,
and with all the ardor of my spirit I commend myself to you.
Do not reject my prayer, O Foster Father of the Savior,
but graciously receive and answer it.
Amen!
Originally the Memorare was a prayer written for Mary, Joseph’s wife. Memorare comes from Latin and means “remember”; in the prayer we ask Mary not to forget us. The Memorare of St. Joseph was written later on and is almost a carbon copy of the Memorare to Mary where we also ask St. Joseph not to forget us!
You can pray to St. Joseph everyday throughout the year, or during a Novena or a retreat of a few days. The Catholic tradition offers a very wide selection of prayers to St; Joseph. Many of these prayers ask St. Joseph for very specific needs. Hozana can accompany and help you discover many of the virtues of St. Joseph through its various prayer communities.