Holy Cloak of
Saint Joseph
Novena
About the St. Joseph Holy Cloak Novena
The St. Joseph Holy Cloak Novena is to be recited on thirty consecutive days in memory of the thirty years St. Joseph spent in the company of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. If for some reason you cannot recite the prayer on a particular day, you may make up for if by reciting it on the 30th day as many times as the recitation was missed.
The extraordinary graces obtained by this prayer are innumerable. St. Teresa of Avila said: "If you really want to believe in it, prove it to yourself by reciting the Novena and you will be finally convinced"
​
It is most efficacious to say this prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
​
With the same solicitude that we help dry the tears of the suffering souls, so too can we hope that St. Joseph will help dry our tears in our necessities. In this way, St. Joseph's Holy Cloak will spread itself over us and will serve as a shield against all those dangers which beset us so that we may one day, with the grace of God, obtain eternal salvation.
Our Lord and Our Lady invite us to love, honor and pray to St. Joseph. Jesus said to St. Margaret Mary, "I wish that every day you offer special prayers to My Mother and St. Joseph, our most sweet guardian."
The Blessed Mother said to the Venerable Maria de Agreda, "You must see to it that you continually increase your love and devotion to this great saint. In all your necessities, you must avail yourself of his protection, under all circumstances you must encourage as many people as possible toward this devotion . .. for indeed, whatever my devoted spouse requests in Heaven, the Almighty God will grant on Earth"
How to Pray the St. Joseph Holy Cloak Novena
The novena is comprised of a total of six sections. Start from section 1
and pray all the way through section 6 to complete the novena.
Section 1: Offerings
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
​
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul.
​
+ Recite 3 Glory Be's +
Offering I
O Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, I humbly prostrate myself before you. I beg the Lord Jesus, your Immaculate Spouse the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the Angels and Saints in the Heavenly Court, to join me in this devotion. I offer you this precious cloak, while pledging my sincerest faith and devotion. I promise to do all in my power to honor you throughout my lifetime to prove my love for you. Help me St. Joseph. Assist me now and throughout my lifetime, but especially at the moment of my death, as you were assisted by Jesus and Mary, that I may join you one day in Heaven and there honor you for all eternity. Amen.
Offering II
O Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, I prostrate before you and your Divine Son Jesus, I offer you with heartfelt devotion this precious treasury of prayers, being ever mindful of the numerous virtues which adorned your sacred person. In you, O Glorious Patriarch, was fulfilled the dream of your precursor the first Joseph, who indeed seemed to have been sent by God to prepare the way for your presence on this Earth. In fact, not only were you surrounded by the shining splendor of the rays of the Divine Sun, Jesus, but you were splendidly reflected in the brilliant light of the mystic moon, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
​
O Glorious Patriarch, if the example of the ancient Jacob, who personally went to congratulate his favorite son, who was exalted on the throne of Egypt, served to bring all his progeny there, should not the example of Jesus and Mary, who honored you with their greatest respect and trust, serve to bring me, your devoted servant, to present you with this precious cloak in your honor.
Grant, O Great St. Joseph, that the Almighty God may turn a benevolent glance toward me. As the ancient Joseph did not reject his guilty and cruel brothers, but rather accepted them with love and protected and saved them from hunger and death, I beseech you, o Glorious Patriarch, through your intercession, grant that the Lord may never abandon me in this exiled valley of sorrows. Grant that He may always number me among your devoted servants who live serenely under the patronage of your Holy Cloak. Grant that I may live always within the protection of this patronage, every day of my life and particularly at that moment when I draw my dying breath.
Section 2: Prayers
Prayer I
Hail, O Glorious St. Joseph, you who are entrusted with the priceless treasures of Heaven and Earth and foster-father of Him who nourishes all the creatures of the universe. You are, after Mary, the Saint most worthy of my love and devotion. You alone, above all the Saints, were chosen for that supreme honor of rearing, guiding, nourishing and even embracing the Messiah, whom so many kings and prophets would have so desired to behold.
​
St. Joseph, save my soul and obtain for me from the Divine Mercy of God that petition for which I humbly pray. And for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, grant a great comfort from their pain.
​
+ Recite three Glory Be's +
Prayer II
O powerful St. Joseph, you were proclaimed the Patron of the Universal Church, therefore, I invoke you, above all the other Saints, as the greatest protector of the afflicted, and I offer countless blessings to your most generous heart, always ready to help in any need.
​
To you, O Glorious St. Joseph, come the widows, the orphans, the abandoned, the afflicted, the oppressed. There is no sorrow, heartache, or anguish which you have not consoled. Deign, I beseech you, to use on my behalf those gifts which God has given you, until I too shall be granted the answer to my petition. And you, Holy Souls in Purgatory, pray to St. Joseph for me.
​
+ Recite three Glory Be's +
Prayer III
Countless are those who have prayed to you before me and have received comfort and peace, graces and favors. My heart, so sad and sorrowful, cannot find rest in the midst of this trial which besets me. O Glorious St. Joseph, you know all my needs even before I set them forth in prayer. You know how important this petition is for me. I prostrate myself before you as I sigh under the heavy weight of the problem which confronts me.
​
There is no human heart in which I can confide my sorrow; and even if I should find a compassionate creature who would be willing to assist me, still he would be unable to help me. Only you can help me in my sorrow, St. Joseph, and I beg you to hear my plea.
Has not St. Theresa left it written in her dialogues that the world may always know, "Whatever you ask of St. Joseph, you shall receive." O St. Joseph, comforter of the afflicted, have pity on my sorrow and pity on those Poor Souls who place so much hope in their prayers to you.
​
+ Recite three Glory Be's +
Prayer IV
O Sublime Patriarch St. Joseph, because of your perfect obedience to God, thou mayest intercede for me.
​
For your holy life full of grace and merit, hear my prayer.
For your most sweet name, help me.
For your most holy tears, comfort me.
For your seven sorrows, intercede for me.
For your seven joys, console me.
From all harm of body and soul, deliver me.
From all danger and disaster, save me.
​
Assist me with your powerful intercession and seek for me, through you power and mercy, all that is necessary for my salvation and particularly the favor of which I now stand in such great need.
Amen.
​
+ Recite three Glory Be's +
Prayer V
O Glorious St. Joseph, countless are the graces and favours which you have obtained for afflicted souls. Illness of every nature, those who are oppressed, persecuted, betrayed, bereft of all human comfort, even those in need of their life bread — all who implore your powerful intercession are comforted in their affliction.
Do not permit, O dearest St. Joseph, that I alone be the only one of all who have appealed to you, to be denied this petition which I so earnestly beg of you. Show your kindness and generosity even to me, that I may cry out in thanksgiving, “Eternal glory to our Holy Patriarch St. Joseph, my great protector on earth and the defender of the Holy Souls in Purgatory.” Amen.
​
+ Recite three Glory Be's +
Prayer VI
Eternal Father, Who art in Heaven, through the merits of Jesus and Mary, I beg You to grant my petition. In the name of Jesus and Mary I prostrate myself before Your Divine presence and I beseech You to accept my hopeful plea to persevere in my prayers that I may be numbered among the throngs of those who live under the patronage of St. Joseph.
​
Extend Your blessing on this precious treasury of prayers which I today offer to him as a pledge of my devotion. Amen.
​
+ Recite three Glory Be's +
Section 3: Supplications in Honor of St. Joseph's Hidden Life with Jesus and Mary
St. Joseph, pray that Jesus may:
​
Come into my soul and sanctify me.
Come into my heart and inspire it with charity.
Come into my mind and enlighten it.
Guide my will and strengthen it.
Direct my thoughts and purify them.
Guide my desires and direct them.
Look upon my deeds and extend His blessings.
Inflame me with love for Him.
​
St. Joseph, request for me from Jesus:
The imitation of your virtues.
True humility of spirit.
Meekness of heart.
Peace of soul.
A holy fear of the Lord.
A desire for perfection.
A gentleness of heart.
A pure and charitable heart.
The wisdom of faith.
His blessing of perseverance in my good deeds.
The strength to carry my cross.
A disdain for the material goods of this world.
The grace to always walk on the narrow path toward Heaven.
The grace to avoid all occasions of sin.
A holy desire for eternal bliss.
The grace of final perseverance.
​
St. Joseph:
​
Do not abandon me.
Pray that my heart may never cease to love you
and that my lips may ever praise you.
For the love you did bear for Jesus,
grant that I may learn to love Him.
Graciously accept me as your devoted servant.
I give myself to you;
accept my pleas and hear my prayers.
Do not abandon me at the hour of my death.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
​
+ Recite three Glory Be's+
Section 4: Invocations
Invocation I
Remember O most chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our good protector St. Joseph, never was it known that anyone who came to your protection, and sought your intercession was left unaided. Confidently I prostrate myself before you and fervently beg for your powerful intervention. O foster-father of our dear Redeemer, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
Invocation II
Glorious St. Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and virginal father of Jesus, look upon me and watch over me; lead me on the path of sanctifying grace; take heed of the urgent needs which I now beg you to envelop within the folds of your fatherly cloak. Dismiss those obstacles and difficulties standing in the way of my prayers and grant that the happy answer to my petitions may serve for the greater glory of God and my eternal salvation.
As a pledge of my undying gratitude, I promise to spread the word of your glory while offering thanks to the Lord for having so blessed your power and might in Heaven and on earth.
Section 5: The Litany of St. Joseph
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
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
​
Respond pray for us for each of the following petitions:
​
Holy Mary,
Saint Joseph,
Illustrious son of David,
Light of the patriarchs,
Spouse of the Mother of God,
Chaste guardian of the Virgin,
Foster-father of the Son of God,
Watchful defender of Christ,
Head of the Holy Family,
Joseph most just,
Joseph most chaste,
Joseph most prudent,
Joseph most valiant,
Joseph most obedient,
Joseph most faithful.
Mirror of patience,
Lover of poverty,
Model of workmen,
Glory of domestic life,
Guardian of virgins,
Pillar of families,
Solace of the afflicted.
Hope of the sick,
Patron of the dying,
Terror of demons,
Protector of Holy Church,
​
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.
​
V. He made him the lord of His household,
R. And prince over all His possessions.
​
Let Us Pray. O God, Who in Thine ineffable providence did choose
Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Thy most Holy Mother, grant that as I venerate him as my protector on earth, I may deserve to have him as my intercessor in Heaven, Thou Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
Section 6: Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
O Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, you who were chosen by God above all men to be the earthly head of the most holy of families, I beseech you to accept me within the folds of your Holy Cloak, that you may become the guardian and custodian of my soul.
​
From this moment on, I choose you as my father, my protector, my counselor, my patron, and I beseech you to place in your custody my body, my soul, all that I am, all that I possess, my life and my death. Look upon me as your child; defend me from the treachery of my enemies, invisible or otherwise; assist me at all times in all my necessities; console me in the bitterness of my life, and especially at the hour of my death. Say but one word for me to the Divine Redeemer whom you were deemed worthy to hold in your arms, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, your most chaste spouse. Request for me those blessings that will lead me to salvation. Include me among those who are most dear to you and I shall set forth to prove myself worthy of your special patronage. Amen.
Prayer to St. Joseph
To you do I cry in my tribulations, O Blessed Saint Joseph, as I confidently invoke your patronage, after that of your most holy spouse the Blessed Virgin Mary.
​
By that sacred bond of devotion which linked you to the Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God, and for the fatherly love you lavished on the child Jesus, I beg you to cast a glance on those heavenly gifts which the Divine Redeemer has obtained for all mankind through His Precious Blood, and through your power and mercy, help me in my needs.
​
O holy protector of the holy family, protect us children of the Lord Jesus Christ; keep far from us the errors and evils which corrupt the world; assist us from Heaven in our struggles against the powers of darkness. And as you once did protect the Divine Child from the cruel edict of Herod, now defend the Church and keep it safe from all dangers and threats; spread over all of us your holy patronage so that by following your example and aided by your spiritual guidance, we may all aspire to a virtuous life, look to a holy death, and secure for ourselves the blessing of eternal happiness in Heaven. Amen.