Entrusting Ourselves to St. Joseph: A Powerful Devotion for Our Time

In an era when fatherhood is often misunderstood, families are fractured, and holiness feels out of reach amid the busyness of daily life, the Church offers us an alternative: a quiet, strong, and powerful leader—St. Joseph. And now, through the growing devotion of consecration to St. Joseph, one of the Church’s greatest intercessors is being lifted up as a spiritual father for all of us, offering protection, virtue, and peace to those who entrust themselves to his care.
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Fr. Donald Calloway, a priest of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, recently wrote a book that’s become a very helpful guide for how to do it: Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father. It invites the faithful into a 33-day journey that allows us to formally entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, asking him to lead us closer to Christ through his own fatherly example and intercession.
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We’ll go into that guide now, covering why St. Joseph is such a powerful and relevant guide for the times, what the consecration is, and how to go through it. We’ll also include a practice you can start using today, apart from the 33-Day consecration.
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Why St. Joseph? Why Now?

Fr. Calloway argues that we need St. Joseph today more than ever. In a world that suffers from confusion about identity, vocation, and the very structure of family life, St. Joseph reminds us of what it means to be strong, just, and faithful. As Fr. Calloway writes, “We need the spiritual fatherhood of St. Joseph to help us protect marriage and the family.” The virtues Joseph lived – humility, chastity, patience, labor, self-gift – are exactly the virtues we need to reclaim. They are also the virtues that St. Joseph himself embodies when he intercedes for us.
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St. Joseph is not just an example; he is a powerful intercessor. Just as he protected Jesus and Mary from danger and provided for them in Nazareth, so too does he watch over the Church today. When we consecrate ourselves to St. Joseph, we ask him to guide us throughout our lives, protect us from harm, and help us grow closer to Christ.
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What Is Consecration to St. Joseph?

To be consecrated to St. Joseph means to acknowledge him as your spiritual father and entrust yourself entirely to his paternal care. You ask him to teach you how to live virtuously, how to love Jesus and Mary, how to work hard with dignity, and how to pray with trust.
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Fr. Calloway’s 33-day program walks us through reflections on St. Joseph’s titles from the Litany – like “Terror of Demons,” “Pillar of Families,” and “Glory of Domestic Life”—combined with Scripture, insights from saints, and daily prayers. It’s a simple, straightforward, and heartfelt journey that’s accessible to anyone – especially those new to these kinds of devotions. 

The Sleeping St. Joseph: A Symbol of Trust

One element of the journey is worth mentioning on its own because you can start practicing it right away: the beloved “Sleeping St. Joseph” devotion.
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Popularized by Pope Francis, he liked to keep a statue of sleeping St. Joseph on his desk, placing handwritten intentions under it. It’s a reminder that even in his rest, Joseph listened to God – receiving divine guidance in dreams – acting faithfully when he woke up. Just as St. Joseph received direction from God in his sleep, so too can we slip our intentions to St. Joseph under these little statues while he is “asleep.”
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Devotees are free to write down any intention they would like. Whether it’s anxieties, practical concerns, or a desire to grow in your spiritual life, the sleeping statue devotion offers an invitation to trust in a practical way by writing our intentions down, slipping them under the statue for St. Joseph to receive directly. As Fr. Calloway points out: “He who works well sleeps well; he who sleeps well works well.” This holy balance of sleep and labor was something God intended for our benefit, and when we entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, who labors for us, it becomes a fruitful reality in our lives.
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What Are the Fruits?

Those who consecrate themselves to St. Joseph often report a deepened peace in their homes, greater clarity in their vocations, and an increased ability to endure trials with virtue. Husbands and fathers find in Joseph a brother and model. Young people discerning their paths find an anchor and guide. Workers find renewed strength and guidance, and wives and mothers discover the gentle strength of a protector who listens and intercedes.
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In one of the daily meditations, Fr. Calloway notes that "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph make it possible for us to be children of God." That’s what this devotion is really about: a deeper sense of sonship and daughterhood. In turn, we experience safety, security, and strength in God’s love.
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Let’s Begin

In the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, this devotion can be a beautiful way to re-anchor ourselves, our families and our church parishes. Whether you begin alone, with a small group, or as a parish, consecration to St. Joseph is an invitation to let him guide you through the desert – just as he once led Jesus and Mary – protecting and providing for you, so that his quiet love may draw us closer to one another and to Jesus.
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If you’ve ever desired to have a spiritual father, this devotion to St. Joseph is an incredible place to start. He’s not only the guardian of the Christ Child and the Blessed Virgin; he’s also your guardian – if you let him be.
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Resources

For more information about this devotion or to purchase the book, visit https://consecrationtostjoseph.org/. Sleeping St. Joseph statues are available on Amazon.

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Calloway, Donald H. Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father. Stockbridge, MA: Marian Press, 2020.