strong hymn texts for Saint Joseph the Worker?
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 814
    Can anyone point me in the right direction? I seem to remember one by James Quinn, S.J., but I cannot put my hands on it.

    Gratefully,
    Paul
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,299
    I've forgotten who wrote Joseph Be Our Guide and Pattern (Worship III).

    When in doubt Lord of All Hopefulness (the plane and the lathe...)
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,588
    1. Dear St. Joseph, pure and gentle,
    Guardian of the Saviour child,
    Treading with the virgin mother,
    Egypt's deserts rough and wild.

    Hail, St. Joseph, spouse of Mary,
    Blessed above all saints on high,
    When the death-shades round us gather,
    Teach, oh, teach us how to die.

    2. He who rested on thy bosom
    Is by countless saints adored;
    Prostrate angels in His presence
    Sing hosannas to their Lord.

    3. Now to thee no gift refusing,
    Jesus stoops to hear thy prayer;
    Then, dear saint, from thy fair dwelling,
    Give to us a father's care.
    Thanked by 1Earl_Grey
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 850
    I've forgotten who wrote Joseph Be Our Guide and Pattern (Worship III).


    Written by Muriel Newton-White. Copyright 1972 Canadian Catholic Conference

    There were more verses than included in W3. I used that hymn in my last parish because there were no Joseph Hymns in Gather. I wrote CCC and got permission and we affixed it to the inside cover of our hymnal and sang it twice a year. However since it's not included with OneLicense I'm not using it this year.

    There are a lot of silly Joseph hymn texts. I'd be interested in learning some more "strong ones" as well for use with either feast.

    Noel, is that your own text? Sounds more suited for March 19. Perhaps you could add a saw and hammer or plane and lathe verse as well? :)

    Kathy, don't you have any originals?
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,588
    Believe that is Quinn's...I'd never attempt to write words! My books, if they have any value, have it only because I write and then others fix, repair, chop away at it and so on. I've actually had books translated into Japanese, Portuguese and German....probably by people who were afraid I would try it myself and wanted to save others the agony.
    Thanked by 1Earl_Grey
  • Felipe Gasper
    Posts: 804
    http://www.theanglocatholic.com/2011/03/hymns-for-st-josephs-day/

    I used the “Holy Joseph, intercessor” one a few years back to PLEADING SAVIOUR, borrowing the last verse from “Sing of Mary” and tweaking its wording to fit Joseph rather than Mary.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    A more general hymn in honour of St Joseph is "Great St Joseph, Son of David"
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen veromary
  • Fr. Jim Chepponis
    Posts: 217
    There are two hymns about St. Joseph in the Worship IV hymnal. The one that seems appropriate for the May 1 memorial of St. Joseph the Worker is "Come Now and Praise the Humble Saint," #874. This text by George W. Williams was also in Worship III. However, a new second stanza was written for Worship IV by Ron Krisman, mentioning St. Joseph by name, which the original text did not.

    The other St. Joseph hymn text in Worship IV was commissioned for the hymnal. Written by Delores Dufner, "Saint Joseph, Mary's Faithful Spouse," #873, would probably be more appropriate for the March 19 solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary.

    Another text is "Jesus, Our Divine Companion," #800, written by Henry van Dyke. Although this is not a hymn about St. Joseph, it references Jesus as the carpenter of Nazareth, and asks the Lord's blessings on all workers.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,299
    Kathy, don't you have any originals? 

    Yes, there is a text in my CanticaNOVA collection. It's more of a March 19th text.

    I'm not in a rhyming mood at the moment or I would write one for ya.

    Try Joseph Be Our Guide and Pattern to Lauda Anima!
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 833
    "St Joseph was a Quiet Man," written by David Riley, can be found in the Summit Choirbook for St. Joseph the Worker (#308). There it is set to the tune FOREST GREEN (CM), but could also work for CMD melodies such as KINGSFOLD.
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 850
    Try Joseph Be Our Guide and Pattern to Lauda Anima!


    Great tune, but I actually used to use the tune REGENT SQUARE. In the Parish we also sometimes used it on the Feast of the Holy Family. I have it all notated as such one with selected verses for March 19 and another for May 1, but unfortunately I'm not at liberty to share it.

    Another general "labor" hymn is Those Who Love and Those Who Labor, though it's not Joseph specific either.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,588
    Nice mention of Quinn.
  • oldhymnsoldhymns
    Posts: 160
    The hymn Noel refers to was actually composed by the Sisters of Notre Dame (de Namur) of Liverpool, England, and first appeared in their publication "Convent Hymns and Music" in 1891. It later found its way into several other hymnals including the 1918 St. Basil's. There are actually four additional verses:

    Dear St. Joseph, kind and loving,
    Stretch to us a helping hand;
    Guide us through life's toils and sorrows
    Safely to the distant land.

    In the strife of life be near us,
    And in death, oh, hover nigh,
    Let our souls on thy sweet bosom
    To their home of gladness fly.

    Thou hast known a pilgrim's sorrows,
    But thy day of toil is o'er;
    Help us while we journey onward
    Lead us to the peaceful shore.

    Hail St. Joseph, just and holy,
    Loving children breathe thy name;
    Here below, through toil and danger,
    Love and care from thee we claim.

    I first became familiar with the hymn several years ago when I purchased a cassette, "The Hymns We Used to Sing," at Westminster Cathedral Bookshop, which contained this hymn. It is produced by the British province of the Redemptionists and contains an informative narrative as each of the hymns are introduced.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Don9of11
  • Andrew Motyka
    Posts: 932
    I know they're meant to be office hymns, but I find many of the hymns in the Mundelein Psalter's Proper of Saints to be excellent. Their* example for St. Joseph the Worker is no exception.

    *Nuns at St. Cecilia's Abbey, G.B.
    Thanked by 1ghmus7
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,296
    There's a nice one in the St. Michael hymnal, #736. Saint Joseph was a quiet man... by David Riley. Refers to the 'worker' aspect.
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,352
    Sorry to disagree with you, ghmus7, but the text you cite is quite the piece of doggerel verse:
    Saint Joseph was a quiet man who made things out of wood;
    He worked with love to guide his hand, and what he made was good.

    The remaining 6 lines are no better.
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 384
    Te Joseph celebrant.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen scholista veromary
  • Ralph BednarzRalph Bednarz
    Posts: 484
    I set up these two and will use them this year. Joseph, whose glory fills the Church 11.11.11.5. Nocte Surgentes - Sarum
    http://gregorianchant.weebly.com/uploads/3/2/5/1/3251252/joseph_chant_4_verses.pdf

    and " Holy Joseph intercessor 8.7.8.7.8.7.8.7 http://gregorianchant.weebly.com/uploads/3/2/5/1/3251252/joseph__g_maj_tradional_melody_r.pdf
    There are alternate version posted here. http://gregorianchant.weebly.com/index.html
    Thanked by 1Gaudium
  • Chrism
    Posts: 761
    There are also the 1956 Office hymns, translations by I don't know whom, available at Divinum Officium:

    Joseph, thou father, thou workman most holy,
    Happy while hidden in Nazareth's shade
    Hearts overflowing and voices raised high,
    This night we praise thee.

    Royally born, yet frugally living,
    Quietly, equably thou bearest thy lot;
    Toil worn, thy hands for love of thy blest ones,
    Willingly labor.

    Workman thou art, and mirror of workmen,
    Many the lessons of life hast thou given,
    Showing how toil, how the sweat of the workshop
    Blessed becometh.

    Look on the hungry and troubled with pity,
    Rein thou the greedy, fomenters of strife
    Proper the members of Christ's Mystic Body
    With thy protection.

    God, who art one and three-fold in being,
    Father and Maker of all of the living,
    Make us to imitate Joseph our father,
    Living and dying. Amen.


    and

    O dawn announcing the sun
    Beginning the month of flowering;
    The workman's resounding hammer
    Salutes the home at Nazareth.

    Hail, head of the household
    Beneath whom is the supreme Artificer;
    Who, bedewed with salty sweat,
    Exercises his father's trade.

    He was placed on a high seat
    nearest to his Noble Spouse;
    be near now to all thy clients
    who are troubled by indigency.

    Strength and strife be absent!
    and all defrauding of wages;
    May copious nourishment of food
    be limited only by moderation.

    O Trinity, O Unity,
    by the prayers of Joseph;
    Direct in peace
    all our steps and our path.
    Amen.
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