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St Joseph's RC Church
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St Joseph's RC Church
The Holy Cloak Novena to St. Joseph lasts for 30 days—one day for every year that Joseph spent with the Lord Jesus, before his ministry began. Each day, you pray the novena prayer and say the Litany of St Joseph. The novena asks for care from Our Lord’s foster-father, symbolised by St Joseph wrapping us in his spiritual mantle, like he wrapped the Child in his cloak. For thirty days—starting on Saturday 6th March and ending on Easter Sunday 4th April—we could all ask St Joseph to keep each one of us, our parish and our world in his care.
Joseph’s cloak is a symbol that brings together both the Old and New Testaments. When the children of Israel are experiencing a famine, Jacob tells his sons to go to Joseph; to Egypt, to their brother who had a beautiful cloak with long sleeves, the brother they sold into slavery. Reconciled, the brothers plead for the needs of children of Israel, and Joseph opens up his store and feeds the people with finest wheat.
The church has always seen this story as a prophecy of Saint Joseph, foster-father of Jesus. Go to Joseph!—because huddled in the sleeves of his cloak is the Child Jesus, the Bread of Life. Who knows if he won’t lift up his mantle to protect the children of God and give them what they need—should they plead to him?
O, Glorious Patriarch, St. Joseph, you who were chosen by God, above all others, to be the earthly head of the Holy Family, I ask you to accept me within the folds of your holy cloak, that you may be the guardian and protector of my soul, of my family, parish and world.
From this moment on, I choose you as my father, protector, help and patron—and I ask you to place me in your care—my health and well-being, my faith, my life and my death.
Look upon me as one of your children; defend me from all harm and from my enemies—invisible or otherwise. Assist me always in all my necessities; console me in the bitterness of life, and especially at the hour of my death. Say but one word for me to the Divine Saviour, who you were worthy to hold in your arms and to Mary, your Spouse. Ask, please, for those blessings that will lead me to Jesus. Include me among those who are dear to you and I shall try to prove myself worthy of all I know you will do. AMEN.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God our Father in 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.
Noble son of the House of David, pray for us.
Light of patriarchs, pray for us.
Husband of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Faithful guardian of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph, chaste and just, pray for us.
Joseph, prudent and brave, pray for us.
Joseph, obedient and loyal, pray for us.
Pattern of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of workers, pray for us.
Example to parents, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of family life, pray for us.
Comfort of the troubled, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of evil spirits, pray for us.
Protector of the Church, pray for us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
God made him master of his household,
And put him in charge of all that he owned.
O God, who in your loving providence,
chose Blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of your most Holy Mother,
grant us the favour of having him for our intercessor in Heaven,
who on earth we venerate as our Protector.
You who live and reign, forever and ever, Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God our Father in 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.
Noble son of the House of David, pray for us.
Light of patriarchs, pray for us.
Husband of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Faithful guardian of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph, chaste and just, pray for us.
Joseph, prudent and brave, pray for us.
Joseph, obedient and loyal, pray for us.
Pattern of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of workers, pray for us.
Example to parents, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of family life, pray for us.
Comfort of the troubled, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of evil spirits, pray for us.
Protector of the Church, pray for us.
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
God made him master of his household,
And put him in charge of all that he owned.
O God, who in your loving providence, chose Blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of your most Holy Mother, grant us the favour of having him for our intercessor in Heaven, who on earth we venerate as our Protector.
You who live and reign, forever and ever, Amen.
Attribution
Litany of St Joseph
Image #1: Stained glass window in Glasgow Cathedral depicting St Joseph. Photo by Fr. Lawrence Lew OP. Source: Flickr. Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Image #2: Stained glass window from the Caldwell chapel, Catholic University of America in Washington DC depicting St Joseph. Photo by Fr. Lawrence Lew OP. Source: Flickr. Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Image #3: Stained glass window in the Lady Chapel of Downside Abbey depicting St Joseph, by Sir Ninian Comper. Photo by Fr. Lawrence Lew OP. Source: Flickr. Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0Attribution
Litany of St Joseph
Stained glass window from the Caldwell chapel, Catholic University of America in Washington DC depicting St Joseph. Photo by Fr. Lawrence Lew OP. Source: Flickr. Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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Photographs of St Joseph’s Church by Brian Thornley
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Photographs of St Joseph’s Church by Brian Thornley