A Program of Consecration to St. Joseph - Return to Fatima
March is the month of St. Joseph as well as the month of our Lent, and we offer again in his honor this program for Consecration to St. Joseph and the Holy Family. It is an 18 day program and so if we start today, we will complete it on the eve of St. Joseph’s Feast Day, March 19th, which falls this year on Quadragesima Sunday. It’s especially fortuitous to be able to celebrate St. Joseph’s Feast Day with Mass and Holy Communion, and so it is a glorious day for our Consecration to St. Joseph! Many have told me that they are expecting this Lent to be a tough one for them, with all the upheaval of the current papacy. Let us then turn to St. Joseph as our guide!
Dear readers, I hope you will consider that taking a bit of time to seek the strength and protection of St. Joseph. It is far from a burden; Our Lady told Sister Lucia that St. Joseph will give us peace. Let’s seek his peace amid the trials and confusion of the faith in the Passion of the Church.
In times of trial, go to St. Joseph!
The Most Holy Trinity and the Holy Family: Two Trinities.
Dear readers, we know that the Sacred Hearts of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Immaculate Mother are inseparable. And we know that this self-same Mother is also the most pure and perfect Spouse of the Holy Ghost, and the most beloved and treasured child of the Eternal Father. We know as well that this loving Father entrusted these two most beloved beings, Jesus and Mary, to St. Joseph to guard and protect them from the hostile powers of the Lord of the World and those who serve him. And now, in these dark and calamitous times when our families and our very faith are under attack from those who should protect and nurture it, we turn again to St. Joseph, to the Holy Family, inseparably united to the Most Holy Trinity, to keep us safe in the faith of all times.
Readers, do not be surprised if soon the few small certainties and comforts of the faith are taken from us, for as Cardinal Manning said,
These are times of sifting. Our Divine Lord is standing in the Church: “His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly cleanse His (own) and He will gather the grain into His barn, and will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” It is a time of trial, when ‘some of the learned shall fall’, and those only shall be saved who are steadfast to the end. … Saint Alphonsus says: ‘Hence St. Bonaventure says that in the Mass God manifests to us all the love that He has borne us, and includes in it, as in a compendium, all His benefits. On this account the Devil has always endeavored to abolish the Mass throughout the world by means of heretics, making them the precursors of Antichrist who, before all things, will endeavor to abolish, and in fact will, in punishment for the sins of men, succeed in abolishing the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar, according to the prediction of Daniel: ‘And strength was given him against the continual sacrifice because of sins.’
We must understand, and help others to understand, the importance of using the precious little time we have left to bond ourselves as securely as possible to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. To this end, I have posted often on Total Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
And now, I hope that you will avail yourselves of an additional help to accomplish this, which is Consecration to St. Joseph, the faithful Guardian of Jesus and Mary, appointed by our loving Father Himself. At Fatima in 1917, Our Lady promised the little shepherds that in October, St. Joseph and the Child Jesus would come to “bless us with peace”. We need this peace! And while we struggle to live our Consecrations to Jesus through Mary, St. Joseph goes before us to lead us safely to our goal, so that we may be truly one holy family, now and always, in the glory of God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
To this end, we offer this 18 day program for Consecration to St. Joseph. The Consecration should occur on the 19th day, which should be a day of Mass and Holy Communion. [If we start today, we complete the Consecration on St. Joseph’s Feast Day.] If you are unable to fit the whole program into your busy schedules, perhaps just try to read through it, and incorporate the prayers and practices which seem to fit best for you. For me, I simply kneel at our family shrine and say a brief prayer to St. Joseph from time to time throughout the day. I try to keep close to him during the day and especially pray to him before bed each night. Whenever possible, pray his litany during this 18 day preparation.
St. Joseph has been such a dependable help to me in my sin and weakness and I’m sure he will help you unfailingly!
TOTAL CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH AND THE HOLY FAMILY
PREPARATION FOR THE TOTAL CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH (18 days)
As St. Louis De Montfort advises us, we have to prepare ourselves for the consecration by exercises which certainly are not compulsory, but which assure its great efficacy because of the purity and other dispositions which these devotions help to develop in our souls.
The object of this consecration is to cast off the spirit of the world and to acquire the spirit of Jesus, through the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph. Thence we will follow the practices suggested by St. Louis de Montfort: renouncement of the world, knowledge of self, of St. Joseph, of the Blessed Virgin and of Jesus Christ; we will assign 18 days for this preparation to start the first of March or of any other month; in order to finish the 18th of that month and do the consecration on the 19th of the chosen month, since the 19th of each month is dedicated to St. Joseph by tradition. [This may be adapted to your circumstances.]
1 – Renouncement of the world (6 days)
The spirit of the world consists essentially in the denial of the supreme dominion of God, a denial which is manifested in practice by sin and disobedience; thus it is principally opposed to the spirit of Christ, which is also that of Mary and Joseph.
During this time we should consider and meditate upon our lowliness and nothingness. We should consider our origin in original sin, and how this leaves us so prone to sin at every turn. We should recall the sinful course of our life and our present sinful state. We should look to the future when the corruption of death will lay claim to us.
Prayers to be said each day: Veni Creator; Ave Maris Stella; and the Litany of St. Joseph (these prayers are at the end of post)
Petition: contrition for our sins and knowledge of ourselves in a spirit of humility
Reading for the 6 days: from the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapters 5 to 10; one chapter each day.
Spiritual exercises:
- Examination of conscience, good confession, and communion in honor of St. Joseph.
- To practice a daily renouncement or mortification in honor of St. Joseph.
- Pray one Rosary each day in honor of Mary and Joseph in front of their images.
Purity of heart is the indispensable condition for contemplating God in Heaven, to see Him on earth, and to know Him, Mary and Joseph by the light of faith.
2 – Knowledge of Self (3 days)
We have to convince ourselves of our misery and helplessness.
Prayers for each day: Litany of the Holy Ghost; the Ave Maris Stella; and the Litany of St. Joseph.
Petition: Knowledge of and love for St.Joseph
Reading: 2 Chapters each day:
Spiritual exercises – Do each day:
- One act of obedience each day in honor of St. Joseph
- One act of humility each day in honor of St. Joseph
- One Rosary each day in honor of Mary and Joseph in front of their images.
We must understand that we can do no good of ourselves; and that we need Mary and Joseph to be humble, obedient, and pleasing to God.
3 – Knowledge of St. Joseph (3 days)
Meditate and study the interior life of St. Joseph: his royalty, his power, his virtues, sentiments, actions; his participation in the mysteries of Christ, and his union with Jesus and Mary.
Prayers for each day: Litany of the Blessed Virgin and the Litany of St. Joseph
Petition: Ask St. Joseph for the knowledge and love of Our Lady
Reading: To read and study the present treatise “Total consecration to St. Joseph and the Holy Family”.
And also read:
Spiritual exercises – each day:
- One act of faith, hope and charity in honor of St. Joseph.
- An act of mercy in honor of St. Joseph. For example: alms to the poor, visiting the sick, consoling the sorrowing, visiting and praying for the dead.
- One Rosary each day in honor of Mary and Joseph in front of their images.
We have to prepare to give ourselves completely to St. Joseph; praying for the grace of preparing ourselves well, of making it well, and for the grace of being faithful to the practice of this consecration once we have done it.
4 – Knowledge of Our Lady (3 days)
Mary is our Sovereign and our Mediatrix, our Mother and our Mistress. Let us then endeavor to know the effects of this royalty, of this mediation, and of this maternity, as well as the grandeurs and prerogatives which are the foundation or consequences thereof. This we cannot achieve without studying the interior life of Mary.
Prayers for each day: Ave Maris Stella; the Litanies of the Blessed Virgin and of St. Joseph.
Petition: Ask Our Lady and St. Joseph for an increase in the knowledge and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Reading: From the treatise on “True devotion to Mary” by St. Louis Marie de Montfort the following numbers :
- Part I, Chapter I, Mary is necessary, #39 – 59.
- Part II, Chapter I, Nature of Devotion #120 – 134.
- Part II, Chapter II, The Good Offices #144 – 150, Perseverance #173 – 182, Article 2 #201 – 212.
Spiritual exercises – Do each day:
- One act of faith, hope and charity through St. Joseph in honor of Our Lady.
- One act of mercy through St. Joseph in honor of Our Lady each day, for example: alms to the poor, visiting the sick, consoling the sorrowing, visiting and praying for the dead).
- One Rosary each day in honor of Mary and Joseph in front of their images.
We have to prepare ourselves to give ourselves completely to Mary through St. Joseph. Pray with fervor and humility for this grace.
5 – Knowledge of Our Lord Jesus Christ (3 days)
We have to apply ourselves to the meditation and study of Christ. First the man-God, His grace and glory; then His rights to sovereign dominion over us; since after having renounced Satan and the world, we have taken Jesus Christ for our Lord. Also we have to meditate and study upon His exterior actions and His interior life; namely, the virtues and acts of His Most Sacred Heart; His association with Mary and Joseph in the mystery of the Incarnation, and during His private and public life.
Prayers for each day: Litanies to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to the Blessed Virgin and to St. Joseph.
Petition: Ask Our Lord for an increase in the love of God and the grace of a perfect and total consecration to His Most Sacred Heart by the hands of Mary and Joseph.
Reading: From the Gospel of St. John the following chapters:
- John 13-17
- John 18-21
- From “True Devotion to Mary”, Part I, Chapter II, First Truth, #60 – 67.
Spiritual exercises – each day:
- One act of faith, hope and charity in honor of the most Holy Family.
- One Rosary each day in honor of Mary and Joseph in front of their images.
- Go to confession if possible or on the day of your consecration.
Realize that the goal of the present consecration is to belong in the most perfect way possible to Our Lord Jesus Christ by using the surest means: Mary and Joseph; for, they are now at our disposal as the greatest treasures of grace, given to us by Our Lord Himself. And in the same proportion that we are truly and completely consecrated to Mary and Joseph, they, in turn, will be able to establish their presence in our soul in a more perfect way. Belonging completely to Mary and Joseph is how we will be able to belong completely to Jesus in the most perfect way.
*** The day of our consecration we should attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receive Holy Communion.
CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH AND TO THE HOLY FAMILY
(For Private use only)
O Jesus, sweetest and most adorable Savior! True God and true man, I adore Thee profoundly in the most Holy Trinity during eternity; and I adore Thee also in the virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most immaculate Mother, and in the arms of St Joseph, Thy virginal Father.
I give Thee thanks that Thou hast delivered me from the cruel slavery of the devil. On earth, Thou didst submit Thyself to Mary and Joseph in all things; grant that I may be Thy faithful slave through humble submission to them. My sweet Jesus, I have failed Thee many times, but now I beg Thee the grace to submit myself in all things to Thy foster father St. Joseph and to Thy most pure and merciful Mother.
Oh most tender and sweet Mother; I love thee with my whole soul and my whole strength. I leave in thy pure hands all that I possess and shall possess – my heart, my soul, my merits, my acts, thoughts and desires; even my defects and my sins. All is thine and always will be thine, my most dear Mother. Love thou Jesus on my behalf and intercede for me. Alas, dearest, sweetest Mother, I have failed thee often in the past, but now I beseech thee to direct my heart and my mind to consecrate myself this day to thy most chaste spouse St. Joseph, that I might love thee through him; console thee through him; repair the offenses against thine Immaculate Heart through him; so that once I am living in his arms he may offer on my behalf all that I have given to thee, and all that I have not been able to give thee.
Oh my dear Father St. Joseph! To thee do I turn, asking thee to take thy child, this poor sinner, under the protection of thy most chaste heart; I entrust to thee my Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, thy beloved Spouse and my consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, thy Son, my Savior. I am but a weak and foolish sinner, but I trust in thee, for I am thy child as well, dear Father.
I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of myself and of all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greatest glory of God and the greatest joy of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in time and in eternity.
Receive, O Virgin Father, this little offering of my slavery, in honor of and in union with that subjection which our Lord and Savior deigned to have to Mary and to thee, in homage to the power which this thy Holy Family has over this poor sinner, and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which the Holy Trinity has favored thee and thy Immaculate Spouse. I declare that I wish henceforth, as thy true slave, to seek thine honor and to obey thee in all things.
O most loving Father, preserve me from all blight of error and corruption. Protect me from the powers of darkness. Shield me ever under thy patronage, that, imitating thine example and strengthened by thy help, I may lead a holy life, die a happy death, and attain to everlasting bliss in Heaven. Amen.
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This preparation for the Consecration to St. Joseph and the Holy Family is based on a personal prayer of mine, which I have altered based on the one offered by the Benedictines of Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery in New Mexico. Mine was much simpler, with a Litany of St. Joseph each day and a much simpler Consecration. I hope this is an improvement and that you will find it helpful.
The reason I offer this consecration is that perhaps, you may, like me, be in need of assistance to truly live your consecrations amidst these challenges facing us. It is all very well to read of lofty sentiments, but putting them in practice during times of severe trial is a different matter! Speaking only for myself, I find often that when I am most beset by difficulties, often I fall back into my old ways of relying on my own actions. Now it is a long-proven fact that by relying on my own resources, I subvert my own efforts, and doom myself to failure, and yet … And so, dear readers, if you are perhaps having the same difficulties, or if you know someone who is similarly struggling, I hope you will turn to St. Joseph, who will never fail!
Please don’t be put off by the hugeness of the preparation. It can be adapted to suit your needs. Below are the hymns and prayers of the Consecration Program, in case you don’t already have them.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gloria on
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St. Joseph,you listened to the Angel and led the Blessed Mother and Jesus to safety, lead us and keep us safe on this unpleasant and difficult path of staying true to our Catholic Faith as the saints did when they were tested.
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Permalink Reply by Flavia Talladen Schott on
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30 days Novena to St. Joseph for this intention, for all Crusaders, for more traditional priests, for more traditional Catholic families, for conversions, and for the restoration of Catholic culture in our society as a whole.
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