Consecration to St. Joseph

​

In recent centuries, the Church has recognised the unique and important role of St. Joseph in

salvation history. God chose St. Joseph to be the foster-father of Jesus His Divine Son, and

entrusted to him the care of His masterpiece, the Immaculate Virgin Mary.
 

Jesus and Mary entrusted themselves entirely to the care and protection of St. Joseph as the

head of the Holy Family. We too can entrust ourselves completely to St. Joseph, our spiritual

father.
 

During this year of St. Joseph, join countless individuals, families and parishes all over the world in the Consecration to St. Joseph, a spiritual programme introduced by Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC. The programme consists of 33 days of readings and prayers leading up to a prayer of consecration recited on a feast day connected to St. Joseph.
 

To make a Consecration to St. Joseph is to make a formal act of filial entrustment acknowledging St. Joseph as our spiritual father whom we desire to be close to and resemble in virtue and holiness.
 

If you have already consecrated yourself to Our Lady, you can also be consecrated to St. Joseph. Total consecration to Mary is not diminished by total consecration to St. Joseph. We need both a spiritual father and mother to aid us in our spiritual growth. Everything given to Jesus and Mary can also be given to St. Joseph.

​

Make the Consecration more memorable by doing it as a family, group or as a parish. Get to know the wonders of our spiritual father during this season of Lent. To join the 33-Day Preparation for Total Consecration to St. Joseph, purchase the book or audiobook of Fr. Donald Calloway Total Consecration to St. Joseph, and register now!

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

“Devotion to St. Joseph is one of the choicest graces that God can give to a soul, for it is tantamount to revealing the entire treasury of our Lord’s graces.” “When God wishes to raise a soul to greater heights, he unites it to St. Joseph by giving it a strong love for the good saint.”

​

                                                                                                                      -St. Peter Julian Eymard

Below are ideas for how to celebrate the Year of St. Joseph:

​

For Individuals:

​

• Begin your celebration of the Year of St. Joseph with a special intention for his intercession, for which you will offer your prayers and St. Joseph devotions throughout the year.

• Learn about St. Joseph’s virtues and try to imitate them

• Participate in the 33-day consecration to St. Joseph

• Pray the Holy Rosary daily, reciting the Year of St. Joseph prayer at the conclusion

• Plan a pilgrimage to one or more of the St. Joseph parishes across the diocese

• Adopt St. Joseph traditions into your prayer life and family life

• Attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on his feast days: March 19th and May 1st

• Participate in the Year of St. Joseph events across the diocese

• Include prayers to St. Joseph in your morning and evening prayers

• Encourage others to foster a greater devotion to St. Joseph

• Take advantage of the Year of St. Joseph indulgences granted by the Holy See

• ​

For parishes:

​

• Offer the Votive Mass of St. Joseph on Wednesdays, the traditional day given to his honor *

• Recite a prayer to St. Joseph after daily Masses, such as the Litany of St. Joseph

• Plan special prayers and activities during March, the month the Church dedicates to St. Joseph

• Offer opportunities for parishioners to participate in a 33-day consecration to St. Joseph, with the final consecration prayer said in unison at the parish lead by the pastor or parochial vicar

• Celebrate St. Joseph’s feast days on March 19th and May 1st with a special celebration, such as the St. Joseph’s Table

• Incorporate a study of St. Joseph’s virtues into catechetical lessons and activities throughout the year using the monthly themes for the Year of St. Joseph.

• Include a link to the Year of St. Joseph website on the parish website

• Promote the Year of St. Joseph events in your parish bulletins and social media channels

• Launch a Fraternity of St. Joseph men’s group                                                                                                                                                    

* Priests who have pastoral care of souls are encouraged to lead devotions with the lay faithful on Wednesdays throughout the year. This can include the recitation of the Litany of St. Joseph before or at the end of Mass or weekly recitation of the Chaplet of St. Joseph. When not impeded by an obligatory memorial or feast, priests are encouraged to celebrate a Votive Mass of St. Joseph (n. 13) on Wednesdays while using the daily readings or choosing appropriate readings according to the General Instruction of the Roman Lectionary. These Wednesday celebrations are an opportune time to develop a catechesis on the saintly figure of St. Joseph and expound upon the virtues of Christian manhood and family life.

(adapted from https://yearofstjoseph.org)