St. Joseph is the reflection of God the Father, the Guardian of God the Son, the Friend of God the Holy Spirit, and the Spouse of the Immaculate Handmaiden. In his youth, he prayed fervently for the coming of the promised Messiah. In his adult life, not only were his prayers answered – he became the first man to hold, love, and uphold the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Now, in the Court of Heaven, St. Joseph intercedes for the Church before the throne of Christ.

​

Although he holds the dignity of protodulia (venerated above all saints except the Virgin Mary), St. Joseph is often overlooked by many, who excuse their neglect by saying, "we know very little about him; the Bible does not record a single word spoken by him." Yet in truth, we do know much about him – we simply need to seek him out. In the journey to discover St. Joseph, one finds that there is, in fact, much to learn about him through the words of the Saints, Mystics, and Popes of the Church. The challenge is that many of these scholarly writings, rich though they are, have often been too dense or inaccessible for many of the faithful, and have thus gone largely unnoticed through the centuries.

​

Wanting to share the beauty and greatness of St. Joseph with everyone – and recognizing that in today's busy world many have little time for lengthy, fine-print, academic volumes –  the author undertook the task of researching St. Joseph and presenting the findings under one humble cover as The Book of Joseph. After gathering information from many sources, the life of St. Joseph was pieced together in chronological order.

​

It was not easy to decide what to include and what to leave out, but in the end, the essentials have been provided. The words of Church-approved Mystics, Saints, Blesseds, Venerables, and Popes not only tell the story of St. Joseph but also offer a glimpse into the sanctity and faith of these significant figures in the history of the Church.

​

With the hope that many will be drawn to a personal devotion to St. Joseph, a section of prayers has been included. Among these are the Litany of St. Joseph, the Chaplet of St. Joseph, 30 Days’ Prayer, and other beautiful prayers to this great saint.

​

Though the author is neither theologian, professor, nor any official authority on the matter, there was a deep need to write this book and share it, with the hope that readers might find some spiritual good within its pages.

This humble work is therefore presented to you, dear reader, in the hope that you will approach it with an open mind and heart – and that you may come away with a newfound respect and love for the Virgin Father of Christ.

​

May God bless you, and St. Joseph smile upon you!

​

José Rodrigues

​

​