St Joseph – foster father of Jesus, husband of Mary, patron of the Universal Church, of fathers, of workers and of families – is one of the most powerful intercessors in the Church’s tradition. This nine-day novena, long beloved under the title “never known to fail,” entrusts your intention to his fatherly care.
A word of honesty: “never known to fail” is a traditional title expressing confidence in St Joseph’s intercession – not a guarantee of outcomes. God answers every prayer in His own way and time.
How to Pray This Novena
Pray one day’s video each day for nine consecutive days, holding your intention in your heart. Many pray it March 10-18 to finish on the eve of the Solemnity of St Joseph (March 19), or in late April before the Feast of St Joseph the Worker (May 1) – but you may begin any day of the year. Each day ends with the same concluding prayers, given below the videos.
Day 1 – Foster Father of Jesus
Day 2 – Virginal Husband of Mary
Day 3 – Man Chosen by the Blessed Trinity
Day 4 – Faithful Servant
Day 5 – Patron of the Church
Day 6 – Patron of Families
Day 7 – Patron of Workers
Day 8 – Friend in Suffering
Day 9 – Patron of a Happy Death
The Concluding Prayers (Prayed Each Day)
Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you. You are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have special confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful with God and will never abandon your faithful servants. Therefore I humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at the hour of my death.
Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, obtain for me a pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore: (mention your request). Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers in my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.
Memorare to St Joseph
Remember, most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, my loving protector, Saint Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to your protection or asked for your aid without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in your goodness, I come before you and humbly implore you. Despise not my petitions, foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.
About St Joseph
St Joseph is the patron of many causes, including fathers, workers and families. His feast days are March 19 (St Joseph, Husband of Mary) and May 1 (St Joseph the Worker, instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955 to honor the dignity of human work). With the apostolic letter Patris Corde, Pope Francis marked the 150th anniversary of St Joseph’s proclamation as Patron of the Universal Church.
After the Novena
Many continue with the Litany of St Joseph, or pray the Rosary of St Joseph and the Holy Cloak devotion – both coming soon to this library.
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Source note: Day themes and concluding prayers follow the traditional Novena to St Joseph as published by EWTN (ewtn.com, “Novena to St. Joseph – Full”). Background details from the channel’s own video descriptions (Patris Corde; the feasts of St Joseph).