St. Joseph Rosary

St. Joseph is one of the most important figures of Christianity. The Rosary of St. Joseph is a simple, repeated form of prayer to help you meditate on the role of Jesus’ Foster-Father in Salvation History, and to help you discover his perspective and tenderness. More than a simple repetition, the Rosary of St. Joseph is an incredible meditative prayer, which can open your heart to abandoning yourself to Jesus through the intermediary of Joseph. 

How to Recite the Rosary of St. Joseph?

First, you will need to find the right rosary on which to recite your prayers. The Rosary of St. Joseph is recited using a special rosary, composed of 60 beads of two different colors: white and purple. The white beads represent purity, and they separate three purple beads representing piety. 

You can also use a regular rosary without problem: simply recite ‘Hail Josephs’ on the small beads instead of  ‘Hail Marys’, and meditate one mystery after each decade.

The Hail Joseph:

“Hail Joseph the just, wisdom is with you;
Blessed are you among men and blessed is Jesus,
The fruit of Mary, your faithful spouse.
Holy Joseph, worthy foster-father of Jesus Christ,
Pray for us sinners and
Obtain divine wisdom for us from God,
Now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.”  

The Mysteries of the Rosary of St. Joseph

The mysteries of the Rosary are meditations on passages of the Gospel, which we are invited to observe from the perspective of Joseph. 

The Joyous Mysteries

  • The Annunciation to Joseph (Matthew 1: 20);

  • The Birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 2: 1-12; Luke 2: 1-20);

  • The circumcision and naming of Jesus (Luke 2: 21);

  • Jesus presented in the Temple (Luke 2: 22-40);

  • The Finding in the Temple (Luke 2: 40-52).

The Sorrowful Mysteries

  • Joseph considers divorcing Mary (Matthew 1:19);

  • There is no room at the Inn of Bethlehem (Luke 2:7);

  • The escape to Egypt (Matthew 2: 13-15);

  • Jesus is lost in Jerusalem (Luke 2: 43-45);

  • The death of Joseph.

The Glorious Mysteries

  • The glorification of Joseph;

  • St. Joseph,  Protector of the Church;

  • St. Joseph, Patron of Families;

  • St. Joseph, Patron of a Happy Death;

  • Shrine of St. Joseph, Patron of the Suffering and Dying.

Closing Prayers of the Rosary of St. Joseph

You can finish praying the Rosary of St. Joseph by reciting the Memorare to St. Joseph, or the Litany of St. Joseph.

The Memorare to St. Joseph

“Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who implored your help and sought your intercession were left unassisted.

Full of confidence in your power I fly unto you and beg your protection.

Despise not O Guardian of the Redeemer my humble supplication, but in your bounty, hear and answer me. Amen.”

The Litany of St. Joseph

“Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us. 

Holy Mary, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Renowned offspring of David, pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster-father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most strong, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of artisans, pray for us.
Glory of home life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of demons, pray for us.
Protector of the Holy Church, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us. 

He made him the lord of his house, and prince over all his possessions. 

O God, in your ineffable providence you were pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our Protector: You who live and reign forever and ever.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.”

Finally, you can conclude the Rosary of St. Joseph with the signing of the cross, and by reciting the following invocation:

“O God, Who has predestined St. Joseph from all eternity for the service of Thine Eternal Son and His Blessed Mother, and made him worthy to be the spouse of this Blessed Virgin and the foster father of Thy Son; we beseech Thee, through all the services he has rendered to Jesus and Mary on earth, that Thou wouldst make us worthy of his intercession and grant us to enjoy the happiness of his company in heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen”

Why Pray the Rosary of St. Joseph? 

Just like you can pray to Our Mother Mary by reciting the Rosary or a Chaplet, you can do the same for St. Joseph. The Marian Rosary (the regular Rosary prayer) is an invitation to meditate on the mysteries of the life of Jesus through the eyes of the Virgin Mary. It is an act of consecration to Jesus, done under the guidance of His Mother. But you can do all of this by taking the perspective of Joseph: it is another way of approaching the episodes of the life of Jesus. Discover also the Chaplet of St. Joseph!

Pray to Joseph on Hozana

Hozana allows you to join multiple prayer communities to practice daily prayer and grow your faith every day. 

Discover the many prayer communities to St. Joseph on Hozana: say a novena to Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer, and learn the many virtues of the Foster Father of Jesus Christ. Pray for all your employment-related requests with a novena to St. Joseph the worker. Pray to St. Joseph every day!