Among the many devotions in the Church to the foster-father of Jesus is the popular Chaplet of St. Joseph.
Little is known about this particular chaplet and how it developed. It may have been part of the recent revival in the Church during the 19th and 20th centuries in devotions to St. Joseph. There is no known author at the moment, as it appears in a variety of devotional books in the past 100 years without any attribution.
Whatever the origin may be, below is a brief guide to praying this popular chaplet, which can often be purchased in Catholic bookstores.
The Chaplet of St. Joseph
The Chaplet of St. Joseph is divided into 15 groups of four beads consisting of one white and three purple beads. The white bead symbolizes St. Joseph's purity, and the purple beads his saintly piety. A mystery of the Rosary is considered on each white bead, and two Hail Marys are said.
Prayers
On the purple beads pray:
Praised and blessed be Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!
The chaplet is ended with the following prayer:
V. Pray for us, O holy St. Joseph!
R. That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ!
Let us pray
O, God, Who had predestined St. Joseph for all eternity for the service of Thine Eternal Son and His Blessed Mother, and made him worthy to be the spouse of the Blessed Virgin and the foster father of Thy Son: we beseech Thee, through all the services he has rendered to Jesus and Mary on earth, that Thou wouldst make us worthy of his intercession and grant us to enjoy the happiness of his company in heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
