(updated on sept. 25, 5:15 pm Spanish time)
PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH (and plenary indulgences 2026)
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(Indulgence of 3 years each time, 7 years if prayed during the month of October after the Rosary, and plenary with the usual conditions once a month, provided it is prayed every day.)
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Overwhelmed by tribulation, we turn to you, blessed Joseph, and full of trust, we invoke your Patronage, after that of your most holy Spouse.
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By that sacred bond of charity that united you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and by the paternal love you had for the Child Jesus, extend, we pray, your pious gaze over this cherished inheritance that Jesus Christ acquired with His Blood, and come with your power and help, to aid us in our needs.
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Defend, oh providential Guardian of the Holy Family, the chosen ones of Jesus Christ; keep away from us, oh most loving Father, this contagion of errors and vices that has infested the earth; assist us graciously from heaven in this struggle against the power of darkness, oh our most powerful Protector, and just as one day you saved the life of the Child Jesus from death, defend also now the Holy Church of God from such terrible plots and from all misfortune.
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Extend your patronage over each one of us, so that, following your example and trusting in your help, we may live virtuously, and after a holy death attain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.
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Another version, taken from another prayer book:
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Prayer to Saint Joseph
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(Prescribed by His Holiness Leo XIII for after the public recitation of the Rosary, in October.)
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To you we turn in our trouble, blessed Joseph, and (after having begged the help of your Most Holy Spouse), we also confidently seek your patronage.
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Because of the affection that united you to the Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God, and for the love you showed to the Child Jesus, we beg you to look kindly upon the inheritance that Jesus Christ conquered with His Blood, and to help us with your power in our needs.
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Protect, most prudent Guardian of the divine Family, the chosen lineage of Jesus Christ; preserve us, most loving Father, from all contagion of error and corruption; be favorable to us and assist us from heaven, oh most powerful Protector of ours!, in the battle we are currently fighting against the power of darkness; and just as on another occasion you saved the Child Jesus from the danger of death, now defend the holy Church of God against all adversity.
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Shield each one of us with your perpetual patronage, so that, following your examples and supported by your powerful help, we may live righteously, die devoutly, and attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.
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PLENARY INDULGENCES
[Taken from the web (September 2026):]
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General conditions:
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To be able to benefit from indulgences, it is necessary to be baptized, not excommunicated, and in a state of grace at least at the end of the prescribed works to gain the indulgence. This is essential to avoid falling into superstition or thinking that it is something magical.
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For the person who meets these conditions to benefit, they must have at least a general intention to gain them and to complete the prescribed works within the established time and in the proper way.
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Conditions for the plenary indulgence
To gain a plenary indulgence, besides desiring to avoid any mortal or venial sin, it is needed pray or do the work that grants the indulgence while fulfilling three conditions:
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Sacramental confession (some days before or some days after the action)
Eucharistic communion
Prayer for the intentions of the Pope.
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With just one sacramental confession, you can gain several plenary indulgences; however, with only one Eucharistic communion and one prayer for the Pope's intentions, you gain only one plenary indulgence. The three conditions can be fulfilled a few days before or after praying or doing the work that grants the indulgence, but it's advisable that the communion and prayer for the Pope's intentions are performed on the same day.
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The condition of praying for the Pope's intentions is fulfilled if you pray just one Our Father and one Hail Mary for his intention; however, each faithful has the option to pray using any formula according to their own piety and devotion.
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A plenary indulgence can only be earned once a day, but a faithful Christian can receive a plenary indulgence at the time of death, even if he have already gained another plenary indulgence on the same day.
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A partial indulgence can be earned multiple times a day, unless it is explicitly stated otherwise.
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The act required to obtain the plenary indulgence attached to a church or oratory is the devout visit to that place, praying the Our Father and the Creed, unless in some special case other conditions are established.
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The following prayers and actions, among others, have a plenary indulgence, if the required conditions are met:
- "To you, O God, we praise..."* (Te Deum): January 1 and on the Solemnity of Pentecost.
- "We Adore You, prostrated*..." (Tantum ergo): Holy Thursday after the Mass of the Lord's Supper and in the liturgical celebration of Corpus Christi.
- "Sweetest Jesus..." * (Act of reparation): publicly recited on the day of the Sacred Heart.
- "Look at me, O my beloved and good Jesus..." *: on the Fridays of Lent.
- Praying the Way of the Cross: at the stations, passing from one to another, at least the leader, meditating on the scenes if desired, with some vocal prayer.
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- Recitation of the Holy Rosary: praying it in a church, in an oratory, with family, or in a community. It is enough to pray only five of the fifteen mysteries, with meditation on the mysteries being prayed.
- (…) [You all should already know that one should not invoke the Holy Spirit directly upon oneself, but rather obey Jesus as He commands in the NT, where He says that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who request Him that.]
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for at least half an hour.
- Adoration of the Cross: in the liturgical action of Good Friday.
- Spiritual Exercises or similar retreats, lasting at least three days.
- Receive the Pope's Urbi et Orbi Blessing, also valid via radio or television.
- Attend the rite that closes a Eucharistic Congress.
- For the priest celebrating 25, 50, 60 years of ordination, it also extends to those who join him in the Holy Mass.
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- Reading the Holy Scripture: at least half an hour. [With 20 minutes we gain a partial indulgence]
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- Visiting the parish church on its titular feast and on August 2 (Porziuncola indulgence). The same applies to the cathedral or co-cathedral or quasi-parish churches.
- Receiving the apostolic blessing in imminent danger of death. If there is no priest available, the Church grants this same indulgence as long as some prayers have been regularly said (this replaces the three usual conditions needed to gain a plenary indulgence).
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- Attending the preaching of some sermons, participating in the conclusion of a Holy Mission.
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- Visiting a church or oratory on the day of its holy Founder, saying one Our Father and one Creed.
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- Visit the Patriarchal or Major Basilicas of Rome on their feast day, on any holy day of obligation, or on any day of the year chosen by the faithful: the Our Father and the Creed must be prayed.
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- Visit a church or oratory on All Souls' Day (or, with the bishop's permission, the Sunday before or after). This indulgence is only applicable to the souls in purgatory.
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- Visit a church or altar on the day of its dedication, praying an Our Father and a Creed.
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- On the day of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29), use some pious object blessed by the Pope or a bishop, praying a Creed.
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- To the new priest on his First Solemn Mass, and to those who attend it.
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- Renewal of baptismal promises: on the Easter Vigil or on the anniversary of baptism.
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- Visit the church where the diocesan Synod is held while it lasts, praying the Our Father and the Creed.
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- Visit the seasonal churches on their proper day, attending the morning or afternoon services.
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- For the faithful making First Communion, and those accompanying them.
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- Visit the cemetery during the first eight days of November, praying (mentally is enough) for the deceased faithful.
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- During the pastoral visit, one can receive the indulgence once if attending a sacred service presided over by the visitor.
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* My aproximated home-made translation, I do not know the exact words that those prayers have at the beginning, in English.