From Forums of the Virgin Mary [translated]:
Invocation to Saint Joseph in difficult times and the miracles it produces.
Have you ever asked Saint Joseph for something? What happened? Has he let you down or more than fulfilled?
Well, Franciscans, throughout the centuries, have witnessed the powerful intercession of St. Joseph on countless occasions.
Their lives are permeated with amazing stories of favors received, for the love of this humble saint.
Today we invite you to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the miracles of Saint Joseph.
From helping shipwrecks on the high seas to times of desperation in inhospitable lands, these stories are vibrant testimonies of unwavering faith and the amazing grace of Saint Joseph.
Here we will tell you some of the most extraordinary miracles that Saint Joseph has worked for Franciscan friars.
Inspiring stories that will strengthen your faith and encourage you to trust more in his powerful intercession.
These stories will surprise you!
The Order of Saint Francis of Assisi was one of the first to set its eyes on Saint Joseph, persuaded by Matthew and Luke’s accounts of Jesus’ childhood.
They often mention Joseph as a “just man” and a key figure in the early years of Jesus’ life.
Also an eloquent example of “obedience to faith.”
In his silence he obeys the messenger of God and accepts Mary as his wife, gives the name Jesus to the newborn and, after fleeing to Egypt to escape Herod, he retires with the Holy Family to Nazareth, in Galilee.
These episodes have been immortalized in the Holy Land, where the Franciscans have been present for 8 centuries.
And after the example of Saint Francis, when he created the first Nativity scene for Christmas in Greccio, the Church began to pay more attention to the silent figure of Saint Joseph.
The Franciscans were especially important in spreading devotion to Saint Joseph through the popular preaching of friars such as Bernardino of Siena and Bernardino de Feltre.
In 1480, a Franciscan Pope, Sixtus IV, allowed the Franciscan Order to celebrate the feast of St. Joseph on March 19, and then it gradually spread throughout the Church.
And two secular Franciscan Popes were also important.
In 1870 Pius IX declared Saint Joseph patron of the Universal Church, and in 1962 John XXIII inserted Joseph’s name in the Roman Canon of the Mass.
This is why the Franciscans have obtained many miracles from Saint Joseph.
They say that two Franciscan friars were sailing along the coast of Flanders when a terrible storm arose that caused their ship to sink.
In the terrible confusion that followed, the two Franciscan friars never lost their presence of mind and clung to a plank in the sea.
But they soon felt that their strength was failing and in the desperate emergency they called on Saint Joseph to save them.
His limbs became numb and the board became more slippery and unsafe.
His confidence in Saint Joseph was put to the severest test.
Then suddenly, a beautiful and majestic young man stood between them.
He told them to take heart, and seemed to impart new strength to their weary limbs.
The unstable board took on the character of a boat that led them to the shore.
And after touching land they knelt and, raising their hands to heaven, praised God for his wonderful help.
They then expressed their gratitude to their kind savior and asked him his name.
“I,” he answered, “am Joseph, to whom you cried in your distress.”
At these words, the hearts of the Franciscans overflowed with ecstasy.
And Saint Joseph rewarded them even more for their trust in him by telling them of the pains and joys he had experienced, adding that he would always help those who piously meditated on these mysteries.
And as a result of the shipwreck of these Franciscans, the devotion of the Seven Sorrows and Joys of Saint Joseph arose in the Church , which was also known as the Devotion of the Seven Sundays to Saint Joseph, and quickly spread.
And there are a series of miracles of St. Joseph performed to St. Junípero Serra, a Spanish Franciscan friar who founded a series of missions, in what would later become the state of California.
Serra had a strong devotion to Saint Joseph, to whom he offered a votive mass every Wednesday.
In 1769, while trying to found a mission in San Diego, there was a serious food shortage and it was even thought that the mission would have to be abandoned before it began.
In preparation for the feast of St. Joseph on March 19, Serra and the friars began a novena.
And on that day, March 19, a ship arrived with much-needed supplies.
Once again Saint Junípero and two companions were trying to ford a river, but they faced great danger.
Surrounded by an eerie landscape, they were surprised when a stranger appeared on the other side of the river and told them, in Spanish, that they would cross the river further down.
They followed the instructions and everything worked perfectly, but the man was missing.
On another occasion, starving while crossing a large plain , Saint Junípero and his Franciscans were surprised by a galloping horseman who threw three pomegranate fruits at the friars and continued riding.
And some years later, Saint Joseph returned with all the members of the Holy Family, with the express purpose of providing the tired friars with a good night’s lodging.
One of the stories tells that Saint Junipero and a companion arrived at the door of a secluded monastery on foot.
The superior of the monastery in the middle of the desert couldn’t believe it.
How could they cross such a vast desert without a guide or food?
Father Serra responded that along the way they were helped by a humble Mexican family.
The brothers of the monastery considered this implausible, since there was no house on the path that the Franciscans had followed.
In the face of disbelief, Saint Junipero said that on the way they found a house near three large poplar trees, where they met a shepherd, his wife and their little son, who was playing with a lamb.
The family shared their dinner with the priests before the weary travelers fell asleep.
When they woke up, they found fresh food on the table, but the family and the lamb were gone.
Those who heard the story were amazed because on the road to the monastery there were three large trees, but there was definitely no house, much less a family with a small child.
Then some of the brothers returned to the three trees with Father Junípero.
And indeed there were no signs of human activity.
And there Saint Junípero added a detail that gave meaning to the providential meeting.
After the prayers, saying goodbye to his hosts, Saint Junipero bowed before the child to give him his blessing.
But at that moment, it was the child who raised his hand and with his little finger traced the cross on Father Junípero’s forehead.
And since then they were convinced that the Holy Family was the one who helped Saint Junípero and his companion cross the desert in their evangelizing feat.
Well, here is a series of miracles that the Franciscans tell about how Saint Joseph helped the friars on several occasions, due to their fervor towards him.
And I would like to ask you if you have turned to Saint Joseph when you have problems and what result you have had.
[resources: Saint Joseph books]