St. Teresa de Ávila wrote the following regarding St. Joseph: “I do not remember that I have ever asked anything of him which he has failed to grant ... To other saints, the Lord seems to have given grace to help us in some of our necessities. But my experience is that St. Joseph helps us in them all.”
Our Lady told Venerable Mary of Ágreda (1602-1665) of the power of St. Joseph’s intercession: “The whole human race has much undervalued the privileges and prerogatives conceded to my Blessed Spouse Joseph and they do not know what his intercession with God can do. I assure you, my dearest, that he is one of the greatly favoured personages in the divine presence and has immense power to stay the arms of divine vengeance. I desire that from now on, during the rest of your mortal life, you advance in devotion and in heartfelt love toward my Spouse, and that you bless the Lord for having favoured him with such high privileges and for having rejoiced me so much in the knowledge of all his excellences. In all your necessities, you must avail yourself of his intercession.”
On July 30, 1937, St. Faustina wrote, “St. Joseph urged me to have a constant devotion to him. He himself told me to recite these prayers: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and the Memorare to St. Joseph, once every day. He looked at me with great kindness and gave me to know how much he is supporting this work (of mercy). He has promised me his special help and protection. I recite the requested prayers every day and feel his special protection.”
St. Josemaria Escriva also had a special devotion to St. Joseph. In the first months of 1935, he was working to have the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel of the academy resident. He had managed to obtain some liturgical items but there were still other essential items he needed such as cruets, paten, bell and tabernacle lamp.
On the eve of the Feast of St. Joseph, Father Josemaria made a list of the things needed and entrusted the matter to St. Joseph. On the same day, a mysterious man with a beard gave a package to the porter for Father Josemaria. When Father Josemaria opened the package, he found it contained all the items he had listed.
In gratitude, Father Josemaria decided to attach to the tabernacle key a medallion engraved with the words, “Ite ad Joseph” (Go to Joseph). From that time on, all tabernacle keys in Opus Dei centres have that medallion.
St. Andre Bessette (1845-1937) and Blessed Maria Repetto (1807-1890) are two modern saints who were intensely devoted to St. Joseph and ardently promoted devotion to St. Joseph.
Brother Andre was the doorkeeper of Notre Dame College in Montreal. Many people experienced physical healings after praying with Brother Andre and his reputation as a healer began to spread. Brother Andre knew that the real source of these miraculous cures was St. Joseph’s intercession. He said, “When you invoke Saint Joseph, you don't have to speak much. You know your Father in Heaven knows what you need; well, so does His friend Saint Joseph. Tell him, “If you were in my place, Saint Joseph, what would you do? Well, pray for this in my behalf.”
Like St. Andre Bessette, St. Maria Repetto was doorkeeper for her convent. Her many small and simple act of kindness touched the hearts of many. Miracles, such as cures and remarkable conversions began to take place around Sister Maria, who humbly attributed them to the intercession of St. Joseph. She distributed medals and small images of St. Joseph to those who came to her for help. Like Blessed Maria Repetto, may we practice conscious acts of kindness and love; recognizing Christ in the people most in need of our charity.
聖若瑟和祈禱的精神
聖女德肋撒寫了以下有關聖若瑟的字句：『我記不起我向他請求的任何事不被允許的…相對於其他的聖人，我主看似在某些需求上施與寵祐去幫助我們。但我的經驗是聖若瑟在所有事情上都幫助我們』。
聖母告訴阿格雷達的可敬瑪利亞（1602-1665）聖若瑟轉禱的力量：『整個人類都低估了天主賦給我的聖配偶聖若瑟的特權，他們都不知道他向天主的代禱所能做的。親愛的，我向你保證，他在天主前是最受寵愛的人物之一，並有紓緩神聖降罰之臂的巨大力量。我期望，由今天開始，到你現世生命結束，更進一步恭敬和全心去愛我的配偶，讚美天主賦給他高度的特權，跟我一起喜樂於認識他的優越。在你所有的需要中，你要受益於他的轉禱。』
在1937年，7月30日，聖傅天娜寫道：『聖若瑟敦促我要經常恭敬他。他親自告訴我:每天都要誦念以下的祈禱經文各一遍:天主經,聖母經,聖三光榮頌,以及“求爾記憶”禱文。他非常慈祥地看著我,並讓我知道:他是多麼支持這項慈悲的工程。他已經答應給予我特殊的幫助和保護。我每天虔誠熱心地誦念他要求的這些禱文,感受到他特殊的保護。』
聖施禮華也有一向聖若瑟的特別敬禮。在1935年初的幾個月，他工作於為學院宿舍小聖堂聖體事項。他正在處理去購致一些禮儀上的用品，但卻仍有不少必需的例如酒水瓶，聖盤，搖鈴和聖體櫃的小燈。在聖若瑟瞻禮前夕，若瑟瑪利亞神父寫下一張清單交託於聖若瑟。同日，有一長了鬚的神秘人將一個給施禮華神父的包裹交予門房。當施禮華神父打開郵包時，發現他所列的一切都包含在內。為作感謝，施禮華神父決定把一個紀念章擊於聖體櫃鑰匙上，章上刻了『Ite ad Joseph』（奔赴若瑟）。由這時開始，所有在主業團中心的聖體櫃鑰匙都配置這紀念章。
聖Andre Bessette(1845-1937)和真福Maria Repetto(1807-1890)是兩位近代聖人他們都熱心敬禮聖若瑟和推廣對聖若瑟的敬禮。
Andre修士是蒙特利爾，我們聖母院書院的看門人。跟他一起祈禱後，很多人都體驗了身體上的治癒，由此他是治癒者的名譽開始遍傳。Andre修士知道，這治癒奇蹟的能力來自聖若瑟的中介。他說：『當你求助於聖若瑟，你不需要多說話。你知道你天上的父親知道你所需要的；所以祂的朋友聖若瑟也是一樣。告訴他：「聖若瑟，如果你身處我境，你會如何？好了，為此請為我祈禱。」』
跟聖Andre Bessette一樣，聖Maria Repetto也是她修院的看門人。她很多微少和簡單的愛心工作感動了很多人的心。治癒和皈依般的奇蹟在她身邊開始發生。她謙遜訴說這都是聖若瑟的代禱。她分發聖若瑟的聖像和襟章給到來請求幫助的人。跟真福Maria Repetto一樣，讓我們實踐仁慈和關愛的良心工作；在最需要我們關愛的人中認出耶穌。