Prayers to Saint Joseph

As we begin this year's novena for the feast of Saint Joseph, it may be well for us to include some of these prayers for seminarians and for the seminary, especially for San Jose Seminary which delights to be under his glorious patronage.

A Prayer to Saint Joseph for our Seminarians

O dear Saint Joseph,

to whose care the Father entrusted

the growth of his only-begotten Son,

we also commend our seminarians to you

that they may learn from your example

and enjoy your gracious protection and assistance.

You followed the angel’s command without hesitation

and took Mary and Jesus into your home.

Help them to respond to God’s invitation with confidence

to care for his people and to be foster-fathers to his family.

With great openess to the will of God,

you always went as you were instructed,

braving all difficulties and challenges

out of love for Jesus and Mary.

Guide our seminarians in their formation

that they may open their hearts with trust in God’s plan,

discerning with care the path he wishes them to take

and following his inspirations with generosity and love.

With fatherly love, you brought up Jesus,

showing him by the simplicity of your life,

given entirely to God and to his family,

the joy of obedience to the Father’s call.

Inspire our seminarians to embrace their vocation

with gladness, magnanimity and sincerity

and to grow in it with humility and gratitude.

You are the formator of the Formator of all disciples,

take also into your home with Mary,

those whom your Son has called to his side,

so that under your paternal care and counsel as He once was,

they may also grow in virtue and wisdom, holiness and service.

O patron and protector of the Universal Church,

obtain from us from your dear foster son,

vocations according to the Father’s will

and persons eager to accept them

with hearts like yours and His. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Joseph for the Financial Stability of the Seminary

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Dear Saint Joseph,

whom God himself appointed

as Head and provider of his earthly family,

we beg for your intercession

that being the patron of this seminary,

you may also be our chief benefactor

in all spiritual as well as material needs.

Obtain for us from God

a steady flow of priestly vocations

and adequate means to nurture them.

As a diligent provider and wise administrator,

you sheltered and raised Jesus

in a simple but stable home,

pray for us always so that our seminary may be sustained

in her financial and material needs

by the goodness and generosity of its benefactors

and the prudent care of its administrators,

who likewise shelter and raise Christ’s ministers today.

Help seminarians as well

to use the resources of the seminary,

wisely, responsibly and gratefully.

Heeding the voice of the Scriptures, which tells us

ITE AD IOSEPH,

we turn to your in our need.

Listen to this prayer we raise to your with trust

and graciously commend it to Christ, our Lord. Amen.