Consecration to St. Joseph
Consecration to St. Joseph is a profound act of entrustment, placing yourself, your family, and all your concerns under the powerful protection and guidance of the foster father of Jesus. Just as God entrusted His own Son to Joseph's care, we too can entrust ourselves to this great saint.
This consecration has become increasingly popular, especially since Pope Francis proclaimed the Year of St. Joseph (2020-2021) and issued Patris Corde ("With a Father's Heart"), calling the faithful to deeper devotion to St. Joseph. Many families have experienced tremendous spiritual fruits from this act of entrustment.
The consecration can be made after a period of preparation (typically 33 days, mirroring Marian consecration), or it can be prayed as a simple act of entrustment. Both approaches are spiritually fruitful.
Prayer of Consecration to St. Joseph
Begin with the Sign of the Cross
O my beloved St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to your honor and give myself to you, that you may always be my father, my protector, and my guide in the way of salvation.
Obtain for me a greater purity of heart and fervent love of the interior life. After your example, may I do all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
O blessed St. Joseph, pray for me, that I may share in the peace and joy of your holy death.
Amen.
Extended Consecration Prayer
This longer form is often used after 33 days of preparation
O Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, I humbly prostrate myself before you. I bless the Most High God who chose you above all men to be the head of the Holy Family, the chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, the foster father of the Word made Flesh.
I consecrate myself entirely to your service and protection. I choose you today as my father, my patron, my protector, and the model of all my actions.
I firmly resolve to honor you every day of my life, to have recourse to you in all my spiritual and temporal needs, and to promote devotion to you among all whom I meet.
Receive me, I beseech you, as your devoted servant. Guard me from all sin. Obtain for me the grace to be faithful to my duties. Assist me in life and especially at the hour of my death.
I entrust to your care my soul and body, my family, my work, and all that I have. I place myself under your protection. Defend me from the attacks of the enemy. Present me to Jesus and Mary, that through their intercession and yours, I may obtain eternal salvation.
St. Joseph, I trust in your powerful intercession. Be my father, my guide, and my advocate before the throne of God.
Amen.
End with the Sign of the Cross
Family Consecration to St. Joseph
Families can consecrate their home and household to St. Joseph using this prayer:
O Glorious St. Joseph, guardian and protector of the Holy Family of Nazareth, we consecrate our family to you.
Be the head of our household. Guide us in all our decisions. Protect us from all harm and evil. Help us to imitate the virtues of the Holy Family—the faith, charity, and peace that filled your home.
We entrust to you our marriage, our children, our home, and all our material and spiritual needs. Intercede for us that we may remain faithful to God and to one another.
Make our home a domestic church where God is loved and served. Help us to pray together, forgive one another, and grow in holiness.
St. Joseph, pillar of families, pray for us! Keep us under your protective mantle until we are all reunited in heaven.
Amen.
33-Day Preparation
For those who wish to make a formal consecration after preparation, the 33-day program typically includes:
- Daily prayers to St. Joseph
- Meditation on his virtues and life
- Reading Scripture passages about St. Joseph
- Examination of conscience
- Acts of charity and penance
- Frequent reception of the sacraments
Many begin 33 days before March 19 (Solemnity of St. Joseph) or May 1 (St. Joseph the Worker) to make their consecration on his feast day.
Fruits of Consecration
Those who have consecrated themselves to St. Joseph report many spiritual benefits:
- A deeper sense of protection and security
- Greater peace in family life
- Help in forming and keeping good habits
- Stronger devotion to Jesus and Mary
- Grace in times of temptation
- A powerful intercessor for material needs
- Confidence regarding the hour of death