Novena to St.

Joseph
O glorious St. Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to thee do we raise our hearts and hands to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special favor we now implore (state your petition). O uardian of the !ord "ncarnate, we have confidence that thy prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of od. #men. ($hen say the following seven times in honor of the seven sorrows and %oys of St. Joseph.) &. O lorious St. Joseph' $hrough thy love for Jesus Christ and for the glory of His (ame, ). Hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. &. Jesus, *ary and Joseph, ). #ssist us'

Prayer to St. Joseph to Obtain a Special Favor

O blessed Saint Joseph, tenderhearted father, faithful guardian of Jesus, chaste spouse of the *other of od, we pray and beseech thee to offer to od the +ather His divine Son, bathed in blood on the Cross for sinners, and through the thrice,holy (ame of Jesus, obtain for us from the -ternal +ather the favor we implore. ((ame your re.uest.) #ppease the /ivine anger so %ustly inflamed by our crimes, beg of Jesus mercy for thy children. #mid the splendors of eternity, forget not the sorrows of those who suffer, those who pray, those who weep0 stay the #lmighty arm which smites us, that by thy prayers and those of thy most holy spouse, the Heart of Jesus may be moved to pity and to pardon. #men. St. Joseph, pray for us.

Prayer to St. Joseph the Workman

Composed by 1ope St. 1ius 2 O glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to wor3 conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to wor3 with gratitude and %oy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from od, to wor3 with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrin3ing from weariness and difficulties, to wor3 above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that " must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the wor3 of od. #ll for Jesus, all through *ary, all after thine e4ample, O 1atriarch, St. Joseph. Such shall be my watchword in life and in death. #men.

Fr. Lallemant's Powerful Novena to St. Joseph

$his powerful novena has proven especially effective in obtaining favors through the intercession of St. Joseph. $he novena was devised by the celebrated +r. 5ouis 5allemant, S.J. (6788,69:7) of +rance, a saintly priest and master of spiritual life, to whom St. Joseph never denied any re.uest. ;rging two young priests to ma3e this novena, he promised their every re.uest would be fulfilled through St. Joseph<s intercession in return for their display of special honor and devotion. One priest, who re.uested grace to spea3 and write worthily of the 5ord, returned after reflection saying he wished to re.uest a different grace. +r. 5allemant replied= >"t is too late now to as3 for another grace. $he first has already been granted.? "n deed, the priest became one of the most noted preachers and writers of his day, through this novena to St. Joseph. ow to !ake this Novena= (o specific prayers are necessary. -ach day for @ days, turn to St. Joseph in spirit honoring him A times throughout the day. /uring each visit, consider one of the

following aspects of St. Joseph, remembering to than3 od for honoring St. Joseph and, through his intercession, re.uest a similar grace= , 6st &isit= St. Joseph<s +idelity to race B the Holy host<s action in his soul. , Cnd &isit= St. Joseph<s +idelity to the "nterior 5ife B Spirit of )ecollection. , :rd &isit= St. Joseph<s 5ove for Our 5ady. , Ath &isit= St. Joseph<s 5ove for the /ivine Child.

St. Joseph " come in spirit honoring you throughout this day with my present intention, you 3now it is long time in my heart. $han3 you. #men. St. Joseph, " am considering today the following aspects of your life: +irst visit. St. Joseph, " see your fidelity to race and the Holy host<s action in your soul. $han3 Dou 5ord od for honoring St. Joseph with such grace and, please through his intercession, " pray for a similar grace. Second visit. St. Joseph, " see your fidelity to the "nterior 5ife B Spirit of )ecollection. $han3 Dou 5ord od for honoring St. Joseph with such grace and, please through his intercession, " pray for a similar grace. $hird visit= St. Joseph, " see your fidelity to and 5ove for Our 5ady. $han3 Dou 5ord od for honoring St. Joseph with such grace and, please through his intercession, " pray for a similar grace. +orth &isit= St. Joseph, " see your care and 5ove for the /ivine Child. $han3 Dou 5ord od for honoring St. Joseph with such grace and, please through his intercession, " pray for a similar grace.

"ecollection
Recollection, as understood in respect to the spiritual life, means attention to the presence of God in the soul. It includes the withdrawal of the mind from external and earthly affairs in order to attend to God and Divine things. It is the same as interior solitude in which the soul is alone with God. This recollection is twofold:

Active recollection may be ac uired by our own efforts aided by the ordinary grace of God. Thus any devout soul can ac uire the habit of thin!ing of God"s presence and of fixing attention upon #im and his Divine perfections. Passive recollection does not depend upon our own efforts, but is an extraordinary grace infused by God, by which #e summons together the faculties

of the soul and manifests #is presence and #is perfections$ this !ind of recollection is classed by mystical writers as the first degree of infused contemplation. The first !ind of recollection belongs to ascetical devotion and practice. It is necessary for all who wish to attain %hristian perfection. &ithout it, it is most difficult to ma!e progress in virtue. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the means by which it may be ac uired. These are: silence and solitude, according to our state of life, !eeping in mind, at the same time, that one may be recollected amidst the duties of an active life$ the avoidance of distracting and dissipating occupations not dictated by reason or re uired by necessity. 'ultiplicity of occupations is an obstacle to recollection. (ather (aber says that the man who underta!es too much is a foolish man, if not a guilty one. The fre uent exercise of the presence of God. )s recollection is itself an application of the mind to the Divine presence within us, it is evident that the shortest way to its ac uisition is fre uently to call to mind that our souls are the temples of God.