Consecration to St. Joseph

1. The Urgent Call to Consecration to St. Joseph

Now is the time of St. Joseph!

Divine timing. The author asserts that we are living in an unprecedented "time of St. Joseph," marked by clear divine indications over the past 150 years. This era calls for a major redirection of hearts, families, and the Church to St. Joseph, fulfilling prophecies of a coming "time of St. Joseph." This surge in devotion is God's response to modern challenges.

Why now? Two primary reasons necessitate this renewed focus on St. Joseph:

• Protection of Marriage and Family: These institutions are under extraordinary attack, facing unprecedented confusion about their very nature. St. Joseph, as Head of the Holy Family and Terror of Demons, offers the example and protection needed to combat Satan's deceptions.
• Re-evangelization of the World: Many once-Christian nations have fallen away, leading to self-destruction. St. Joseph, the first missionary, is invoked to recover lost ground, elevate morals, and win souls for Christ, renewing the Church as a light to the nations.

What is consecration? Consecration to St. Joseph means acknowledging him as your spiritual father and entrusting yourself entirely to his paternal care. This formal act helps you acquire his virtues, become holy, and be led closer to God, without diminishing consecration to Mary, as the Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph are one.

2. St. Joseph: The Spiritual Father and Model of Holiness

Saint Joseph is “The Increaser.”

Spiritual fatherhood. St. Joseph is our spiritual father, chosen by God to represent the Heavenly Father on earth. Just as Jesus delighted in being known as the "son of Joseph" and grew in wisdom under his care, we too need St. Joseph's fatherhood to ascend to greater spiritual heights and increase the presence of God in our lives. His fatherhood is authoritative, affectionate, faithful, and everlasting.

Model of virtues. St. Joseph is the holiest person after Jesus and Mary, embodying all virtues perfectly. He is the "Most Just," "Most Chaste," "Most Prudent," "Most Courageous," "Most Obedient," "Most Faithful," "Mirror of Patience," and "Lover of Poverty." Imitating his virtues transforms us into "another Joseph," radiating his holiness in a world desperately needing reflections of Mary and St. Joseph.

Preeminence among saints. The Church recognizes St. Joseph's unique dignity, placing him above all other saints (protodulia), second only to Mary (hyperdulia) and God (latria). This preeminence stems from his direct mission related to the Incarnation and his role as father of Jesus, granting him unparalleled intercessory power, as affirmed by Doctors of the Church like St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Teresa of Avila.

3. St. Joseph's Unique Relationship with the Holy Trinity

Our heavenly Father has had only one saint to represent him on earth.

Shadow of the Father. God the Father chose St. Joseph to be His most tangible image on earth, the depository of His divine paternity. Every time Jesus saw St. Joseph, heard him speak, or witnessed his chaste love, the humanity of Jesus saw a perfect reflection of the Heavenly Father. God desires us to accept St. Joseph as our spiritual father, mirroring His entrustment of Jesus to Joseph.

To Jesus through Mary and Joseph. St. Joseph's entire life and mission point to Jesus, just as Mary's does. Consecration to St. Joseph allows us to be consecrated to each person of the Holy Family, the earthly trinity (Jesus, Mary, Joseph) that represents the heavenly Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). This membership prepares us for God's eternal family in heaven.

Docility to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was more active in St. Joseph's life than in any other saint (except Mary). St. Joseph's docility allowed him to communicate with God even in sleep, guiding his actions with supernatural prudence. Through consecration, the Holy Spirit pours extraordinary graces into our hearts, helping us become "another Joseph" filled with similar graces.

4. St. Joseph, the Chaste Spouse and First Consecrated Knight

No husband and wife ever loved one another so much as Joseph and Mary.

Virginal marriage. St. Joseph and Mary lived a "Josephite marriage," truly husband and wife, united in heart, mind, and soul, but never physically. Both consecrated their virginity to God, sacrificing a natural good for the greater good of salvation. This tradition, affirmed by saints and popes, posits St. Joseph as a perpetual virgin, mirroring Mary's purity.

Model husband. St. Joseph is the model husband, strong, protective, gentle, loving, and trustworthy. He respected Mary's virginity and dignity, serving as her beloved provider and defender. Men are called to imitate his chivalrous love, becoming guardians and protectors of women and children, renewing families and the Church.

First consecrated knight. St. Joseph is the most Marian of all saints, the prototype for total consecration to Mary. He took Mary into his heart and home long before Jesus commanded it, living and dying for them. He is the "first consecrated knight of the Holy Queen," leading souls to Jesus through Mary, the "Holy Grail" who brings us to the Eucharist.

5. St. Joseph, the Just and Courageous Guardian

Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.

Just and reverent man. St. Joseph is called "Most Just" because he perfectly aligned with God's will and gave God and others their due. When he discovered Mary's pregnancy, he didn't suspect infidelity but was overwhelmed by the divine mystery, considering himself unworthy to live with such holiness. He resolved to "distance himself quietly" out of reverence, not to divorce, a noble act that solidified his role as the Head of the Holy Family.

Courageous protector. St. Joseph was "Most Courageous," fearing nothing but offending God. He displayed tremendous fortitude in defending Jesus and Mary, taking them into enemy territory (Egypt) and enduring hardships. His courage, rooted in love, serves as a model for us to be fearless disciples, willing to suffer for truth and overcome spiritual combat.

Savior of the Savior. St. Joseph earned the unique title "Savior of the Savior" by protecting Jesus from Herod's murderous intentions, taking him to Egypt. This act of paternal sacrifice was crucial for Jesus's saving mission. His suffering—from Mary's mysterious pregnancy to the hardships in Egypt and the prophecy of Simeon—was interior, intense, and more meritorious than that of many martyrs, preparing Jesus and Mary for Calvary.

6. St. Joseph, the Silent Adorer and Model of Work

The Gospel does not record a single word from him; his language is silence.

Silent greatness. St. Joseph's silence and humility are foundational to his greatness. God chose the most silent of men to be Jesus's earthly father, revealing that true holiness often lies in hiddenness and obedience. His silence is a "veil" covering the mysteries of Mary's virginity and Jesus's divinity, glorifying him through humility.

Perpetual Adoration. Living with Jesus for 30 years, St. Joseph's vocation was one of perpetual adoration. The Holy Family's home in Nazareth was the first Christian monastery, where St. Joseph constantly contemplated and adored the divine presence of Jesus. He is the founder of Adoration chapels, and with Mary, conducted the first procession with the Body and Blood of Christ.

Model of workmen. Jesus learned manual labor and the proper place of work from St. Joseph in his carpentry workshop. St. Joseph sanctified human work, teaching that it is honorable and pleasing to God, but also modeled balance with time for God, family, recreation, and rest. He is the patron of workers, bringing dignity to labor and combating ideologies that degrade it.

7. St. Joseph, the Pillar of Families and Hope for the Afflicted

Joseph loved Jesus as a father loves his son and showed his love by giving him the best he had.

Pillar of families. St. Joseph is the unshakable foundation of families, teaching the importance of prayer, mutual respect, purity, honesty, forgiveness, and placing God first. In a world redefining family, he reminds us that the true family consists of a mother, a father, and children, and his example can bring a "revolution of holiness" to households.

Comfort of the afflicted. St. Joseph is the "Comfort of the Afflicted," offering solace in life's miseries and trials. He experienced many hardships—poverty, exile, anxiety over Jesus's loss—and understands human suffering. His fatherly wisdom and presence reassure us that everything will be okay, and he never abandons his spiritual children.

Hope of the sick. St. Joseph is a powerful intercessor for the sick, as evidenced by miraculous healings like that of St. Teresa of Avila and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. He offers hope for physical healing and, ultimately, for an illness-free life in heaven, teaching abandonment to Divine Providence in all circumstances of health and sickness.

8. St. Joseph, Terror of Demons and Patron of a Happy Death

Saint Joseph is most powerful against the demons which fight against us.

Terror of Demons. Demons are absolutely terrified of St. Joseph because he is the spouse of the Immaculata and the father of Jesus Christ. His purity, fatherhood, humility, obedience, and even his sleep, are mighty spiritual weapons against Satan. His lily is a "sword of purity" that pierces fire-breathing dragons, routing the forces of darkness.

Patron of the Dying. St. Joseph died a holy and happy death in the arms of Jesus and Mary, and God designated him as the Patron of the Dying. He fortifies souls against despair at the hour of death, protecting them from Satan's snares. Many saints believe he was assumed into heaven, body and soul, after Christ's Resurrection, making him a powerful intercessor for a holy death and for souls in purgatory.

Power of fatherhood and purity. St. Joseph's fatherhood and purity are particularly terrifying to Satan. The devil hates fatherhood because it originates in God and finds its earthly model in St. Joseph. Impurity leaves men spiritually impotent, but men who imitate St. Joseph's chaste heart become "terrors of demons," capable of fighting evil and renewing the Church and the world.

9. The Worldwide Movement of Consecration to St. Joseph

The Holy Trinity wants St. Joseph to be more known and loved.

Historical development. Devotion to St. Joseph, though present from early Christianity, developed slowly. It gained significant momentum in the 19th and 20th centuries, with popes and saints increasingly promoting his role. This culminated in Blessed Pope Pius IX declaring him "Patron of the Universal Church" in 1870, and St. Pope John XXIII inserting his name into the Roman Canon of the Mass in 1962.

Apparitions and messages. In modern times, Mary herself has "unveiled" St. Joseph's greatness through apparitions, bringing him with her to places like Knock (1879) and Fatima (1917), where he blessed the world with the Christ Child. The alleged "Our Lady of America" apparitions (1950s) included direct messages from St. Joseph, emphasizing his virginity, fatherhood, and the desire for a special feast day in his honor.

Call to spread devotion. The book aims to spark the "first worldwide movement of consecration to St. Joseph," encouraging individuals, families, and parishes to embrace his spiritual fatherhood. This movement is seen as essential for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for bringing peace and moral order back to the Church and the world.

10. St. Joseph's Unparalleled Intercessory Power

The Lord wants us to understand that just as he was subject to St. Joseph on earth — for since bearing the title of father, being the Lord’s tutor, Joseph could give the child commands — so in heaven God does whatever he commands.

Lord of God's household. St. Joseph is described as "lord and chief of his household and possessions, the guardian of his choicest treasures." This implies an extraordinary authority, not only over the Holy Family on earth but also in heaven. Many saints believe he sits at Jesus's left hand, dispensing all the treasures of heaven.

Unlimited intercession. St. Joseph's intercessory power is considered "unlimited" by St. Thomas Aquinas and "all-powerful" by Pope Pius XI. Because Jesus obeyed St. Joseph on earth and owes him so much for his protection and care, Jesus refuses nothing that his beloved foster father asks in heaven. This makes St. Joseph a uniquely effective advocate for all our needs.

Privileges of devotion. Devotion to St. Joseph brings tremendous privileges, including:

• Attaining purity and overcoming sensual inclinations.
• Powerful help to escape sin and return to God's friendship.
• Increasing love and devotion to Mary.
• Securing the grace of a happy death and protection from demons.
• Filling demons with terror at his name.
• Gaining health and assistance in all difficulties.
• Securing children in families.

These favors are a reward for his eminent sanctity and virtues, making him a source of boundless grace for those who seek his patronage.