Plenary Indulgence during Year of Saint Joseph
Prayer to St. Joseph by Pope Francis
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;
with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage,
and defend us from every evil. Amen.
Last December 08, 2020, Pope Francis declares December 8, 2020 – December 8, 2021, as the Year of Saint Joseph. According to the decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary on December 8, 2020, there are fifteen ways to receive an indulgence in the Year of St. Joseph:
- Participate in a spiritual retreat for at least one day that includes a meditation on St. Joseph.
- Pray for St. Joseph’s intercession for the unemployed that they might find dignifying work.
- Recite the Litany of St. Joseph for persecuted Christians. Byzantine Catholics have the option of an Akathist to St. Joseph.
- Entrust one’s daily work and activity to the protection of St. Joseph the Worker.
- Follow St. Joseph’s example in performing a corporal work of mercy. These include feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the imprisoned, visiting the sick, and burying the dead.
- Perform one of the spiritual works of mercy, such as comforting the sorrowful, counseling the doubtful, instructing the ignorant, admonishing the sinner, bearing wrongs patiently, forgiving injuries, and praying for the living and the dead.
- Pray the rosary together with one’s family in order that “all Christian families may be stimulated to recreate the same atmosphere of intimate communion, love, and prayer that was in the Holy Family.”
- Engaged couples can also receive an indulgence from praying the rosary together.
- Meditate for at least 30 minutes on the Lord’s Prayer, because St. Joseph “invites us to rediscover our filial relationship with the Father, to renew fidelity to prayer, to listen and correspond with profound discernment to God’s will.”
- Pray an approved prayer to St. Joseph on St. Joseph Sunday, the Sunday after Christmas in the Byzantine Catholic tradition.
- Celebrate the feast of St. Joseph on March 19 with an act of piety in honor of St. Joseph.
- Pray an approved prayer to St. Joseph on the 19th of any month.
- Honor Joseph with an act of piety or approved prayer on a Wednesday, the day traditionally dedicated to St. Joseph.
- Pray to St. Joseph on the Feast of the Holy Family on Dec. 27.
- Celebrate the feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1 with an act of piety or prayer.
Here is the Litany of Saint Joseph;
Litany of Saint Joseph
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us, Jesus, 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.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Renowned offspring of David, pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most strong, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of artisans, pray for us.
Glory of home life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of demons, pray for us.
Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us, O Jesus.
V. He made him the lord of his household
R. And prince over all his possessions.
Let us pray:
O God, in your ineffable providence you were
pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the
spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we
beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for
our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we
venerate as our Protector: You who live and
reign forever and ever. Amen.
Saint Joseph, pray for us!