3 Things To Do on St. Joseph's Feast Day According to St. Teresa of Avila, and Why St. Joseph is Special Among the Saints

In this post you will learn

St. Joseph has a gift waiting for you on his feast day this year ...

Did you know that the church's widespread devotion to St. Joseph is relatively new? Do you know how all this got started? 

Heaven got the ball rolling, but how? 

And through whom? 

St. Joseph was declared the "Patron of the Universal Church" in 1870 by Pope Pius IX. That's a huge deal. But how could something of such universal proportions escape the Church's notice for over 1,800 years? 

A short time later, relatively speaking, in 1889, Pope Leo XIII spoke about this growing devotion to St. Joseph in Quamquam Pluries, encyclical letter on St. Joseph. This is what he said:

On the subject of this devotion [to St. Joseph], of which We speak publicly for the first time today, We know without doubt that not only is the people inclined to it, but that it is already established, and is advancing to full growth.

What would "full growth" of the devotion to St. Joseph mean? 

I'll tell you what I think it means. Consecration of every man, woman, and child -- of every family in the world -- to Jesus through St. Joseph.

That's why Fr. Donald Calloway and I wrote the Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families:

So St. Joseph can protect all families -- as he protected the Holy Family -- in this last great battle between Heaven and Hell over the family. 

Here's a talk I recently gave about consecrating your families to St. Joseph:

St. Teresa of Avila and Devotion to St. Joseph

Who got this devotion to St. Joseph going? Who did Heaven send to remind us about St. Joseph?

 

St. Teresa of Avila!

St. Teresa was on fire with love for Jesus, and through Jesus, St. Joseph.  

Here are some quotes from St. Teresa of Avila about her devotion to St. Joseph:

I have never known anyone who … honored him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue, for he helps in a special way those souls who recommend themselves to him 

Why would somebody advance greatly in virtue with St. Joseph? The secret lies in the meaning of his name. St. Joseph means "increase" (because Rachel, the mom of the Patriarch Joseph, wanted to "increase" the number of her children). St. Joseph is the "increaser" of virtues! 

Would that I could persuade all men to be devout to this glorious saint … for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God 

And, regarding St. Joseph's Feast Day:

It is now very many years since I began asking him for something on his feast, and I always received it ... If the petition was in any way amiss, he rectified it for my greater good.

So what should you do on St. Joseph's Feast Day this year?  

ASK HIM FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL!!

But there's more ...

3 Things To Do on St. Joseph's Feast Day According to St. Teresa of Avila

#1. Ask for St. Joseph's intercession on his feast day, March 19 

#2. Ask St. Joseph for a special intercession, something challenging, a special grace or conversion  

#3. Challenge somebody else to ask St. Joseph for something special

#1. Ask for St. Joseph's intercession on his feast day, March 19 

What should you ask St. Joseph's intercession for? What's St. Joseph's specialty? 

St. Joseph is known for helping families with jobs and homes. Here's a great Novena to St. Joseph for just these purposes.

But guess what? We're selling St. Joseph short. St. Joseph has no specialty, properly speaking.

No specialty? 

That's right. You can "Go to Joseph" for ANYTHING!! 

Why? 

Pharaoh said at Genesis 41:55: “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you!” Ite Ad Joseph!

Pharaoh was speaking of the Old Testament's Joseph, Joseph the Patriarch, whom Pharaoh had made "lord of his household, and prince over all his possessions" (Psalms 105:21). We also use these titles for St. Joseph in the Litany of St. Joseph. 

St. Joseph was made guard over "all of His possessions" -- guard over all of Heaven's greatest treasures, starting with the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus. 

St. Joseph is able to dispense from the vast treasury of Heaven whatever grace you need. Ask St. Joseph for a great treasure. But what is a great treasure?

 

#2. Ask St. Joseph for a special intercession, something challenging 

If you can ask St. Joseph, "lord over his household, prince over all his possessions," for anything? What should you ask for? 

Ask St. Joseph to break you of an addiction, of a persistent sin that you've been wrestling with for years or even your whole life. 

Ask St. Joseph for the conversion of somebody close to you: a child, a husband, a wife, a parent. Ask him to make that conversion finally happen. 

Ask St. Joseph for help for your family. Are you the provider of your family, barely providing for your family? Ask St. Joseph for help! 

Is your house falling apart? Ask St. Joseph the Carpenter to fix your house, just like he built the miraculous staircase for the chapel of Our Lady of Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico.   

#3. Challenge somebody else to ask St. Joseph for something special

St. Teresa of Avila would challenge her friends, fellow Catholics and fellow Saints. 

One of her best friends, St. John of the Cross, didn't understand St. Teresa's devotion to St. Joseph, so St. Teresa challenged St. John to ask St. Joseph for something special, a special grace, on St. Joseph's feast day. 

St. John of the Cross accepted. His prayer was answered. And St. John of the Cross also became a great devotee of St. Joseph. (You're probably wondering what St. John of the Cross asked for -- I don't know! I wish I did.)

St. Teresa kept challenging her friends to "Go to Joseph." Their prayers kept getting answered. They kept challenging others. 

THAT'S how devotion to St. Joseph spread across Christendom. That's how St. Teresa got the balling rolling! 

You should do the same. Challenge your friends and family to "Go to Joseph!" on his feast day.       

And please comment below with the results! 

What Prayer Should You Use to Ask St. Joseph's Intercession?

Somebody asked this very good question in the comments. No special prayer is needed. Feel free to just ask your foster-father in Heaven for his help and intercession. 

Nevertheless, the "Memorare to St. Joseph" would be a fitting prayer:

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.

Also, if possible, ask St. Joseph for his intercession before or after Mass and kneeling before the Tabernacle. 

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