INTRODUCTION

Why is this Promise called the Saint Joseph Promise? What can Saint Joseph do about pressure on teenagers to be unchaste, and what does the Saint know about adolescents? Good questions.

Saint Joseph was the foster father of Jesus and the legal husband of Mary. Although Mary and Joseph were truly married, Mary conceived the Savior, not through the loving union of parents, but through the loving power of the Holy Spirit.  Mary so loved God that she was inspired at a young age to dedicate all to God in a special manner, to vow her virginity to God as her way of saying to her Creator, "I love You!" Men and women who dedicate their all to God in this special manner are called virgins."

St. Joseph was not the natural father of Jesus as his blood did not flow in the veins of Christ. Although we rightly say that Saint Joseph was truly the husband of Mary, he was not the natural father of Jesus. But as Mary's true husband, he acted like a father toward her Child, providing Him and her all that a father provides: protection, food, clothing, shelter. Thus, we call Saint Joseph the foster father of Jesus. Let us never fear the mysteries in our Faith which only Heaven will unravel for our edification.

Today in the Church we hear a lot about conscience. We hear that conscience will always guide you; and if your conscience tells you something is OK, then it must be OK. But in reality that does not always hold true.

Jesus says "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven." If your conscience were sufficient to keep you straight and narrow, there would never be sins to forgive. We need more than just our conscience. God did not send Moses down the mountain with ten suggestions. God gave Moses TEN COMMANDMENTS, because God knows that conscience alone is insufficient. Nor did God suggest that we pick out the Commandments we like nor  just those that appeal to us. All ten of the Commandments are truly commandments and we are bound to obey them.

With that established, it males a lot of sense to get a little help. We all need it! Teenagers today have it the roughest, and getting some heavenly help in these tough growing years can reap success later on. When growing up young adults have their human heroes or a hall of fame od ideal models to follow. St. Joseph may no longer be well known to some of today's teenagers, but because of his state in life he is a sure model to follow. For purity, for family, for direction, go to Saint Joseph. The foster father of Jesus lived a life of chastity, so he knows and understands the struggle. He was the one person closest to Jesus and Mary, the Mother of God, so he is powerful. If power is needed to fight the fire, and it is, GO TO ST. JOSEPH.

St. Joseph can rightfully be called the Patron Saint of Teenagers. Why?

1. Because Saint Joseph took the promise of virginity when he was likely still a relatively young man. Most artistic images of St. Joseph portray him as an old man, but we know he worked to support the Holy Family, so while he was probably a bit older than Mary who was but a teen when she consented to be the Mother of God, Joseph would have been still young enough to work and provide the physical security for his family.

2. Because Saint Joseph was rewarded with what could be called the happiest and most perfect marriage that ever took place in this world -- the hope and aspiration of most teenagers. This married bless was but one of the many rewards granted to St. Joseph for his life of virginity.

3. Because in the Holy Family St. Joseph resembled us most closely as he was truly a human being like us in all ways. We can imitate his noble, challenging ways. Jesus is the incarnation, our God made man, our Messiah. mary is the spotless creature, the one human being without even the stain of sin, Original and actual. But it was St. Joseph who filled the human role of guardian, provider and protector, sacrificing his own needs and desires to accomplish it.

Any teenager or young single, adult can go to St. Joseph to learn to follow Jesus, and to live a life as rich in sanctity and contentment as St. Joseph.
 

THE SAINT JOSEPH PROMISE LETTER

Dear Saint Joseph,

You probably know about me, but I do not know as much about you as perhaps I should. However, you must have been special to be selected as the foster father of Our Lord Jesus and His Mother's husband.

I want to make what is called the St. Joseph Promise, that I recently read about, and which Promise I am making for this intention:

I wish to be happy, very happy, whenever I should marry. I mean that I want to be happy all my married life. My parents have a good marriage, but some of classmates' parents do not. My parents may not always talk about their happiness, so I am presuming that they are happy or at least content.

But I want to be really happy and I guess that I am asking for a kind of reward in return for my making this Promise. I am still a teenager and like most kids my age I find it difficult to put my feelings in words, especially to my parents, whom I know love me more than anything else in this world. It is that I get embarrassed, but here goes . . .

I PROMISE NOT TO TAKE PART IN, OR TO ENJOY THE PRIVILEGES OF MARRIAGE, UNTIL I MYSELF HAVE RECEIVED THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE, THROUGH THE KINDNESS OF GOD AND THE BLESSING OF HOLY MOTHER CHURCH. I INTEND THAT MY GIFT TO MY WIFE/HUSBAND ON OUR WEDDING DAY WILL BE MY VIRGINITY AND MY PROMISE OF CHASTITY IN MARRIAGE, THAT IS TO USE THE CONJUGAL PRIVILEGE IN ACCORD WITH THE WILL OF GOD, FREE OF CONTRACEPTION AND THE USE OF MY SPOUSE FOR MY OWN GRATIFICATION. I PROMISE THAT GOD WILL GIVE US THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN HE WANTS TO BLESS US WITH AND TO BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW THAT HE ALONE KNOWS HOW MANY CHILDREN WE SHOULD HAVE. 

If this is not worded as correctly as I could have said, Saint Joseph, surely you know how to put it together before presenting my promise to the Lord. Please give my promise to Jesus in the form of a prayer that my marriage will always be pleasing to Him and ever blessed with happiness. Dear St. Joseph, I wish to abstain from all sexual acts, including sinful kissing, now and in the future and I ask your help and strength that i most surely need. I take you as my special Patron in this Promised endeavor.

This is my Saint Joseph Promise.

May it be pleasing to you and to Jesus and to your Spouse, the Blessed Virgin Mary!

Thank you,
[Your Name]

P.S.

Please, St. Joseph, ask Jesus and Mary to remain ever in my thoughts along with you so that I will conquer the temptation of masturbation so deliberately promoted in the media and elsewhere today . . . I long to be be pure in thought, word, and body, always. And remind me when I need it and forget that I should spend time in the company of like-intended young people and encourage others to make the promise also.

A DAILY PRAYER OF PETITION TO ST. JOSEPH

BELOVED Saint Joseph, adopt me as thy child.
Take care of my salvation and watch over me day and night, preserve from the occasion of sin, and obtain for me purity of soul and body!

Through thy intercession with Jesus, grant me a spirit of sacrifice, of humility, of self-denial, a great love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and a tender love for Mary, my Mother.

Saint Joseph, be with me living, be with me dying, and obtain for me a favorable judgment from Jesus, my merciful Savior.

I PROMISE NOT TO TAKE PART IN, OR TO ENJOY THE PRIVILEGES OF MARRIAGE, UNTIL I MYSELF HAVE RECEIVED THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE, THROUGH THE KINDNESS OF GOD AND THE BLESSING OF HOLY MOTHER CHURCH. THROUGH MY OWN WEAKNESS I HAVE ALREADY FAILED IN MY DUTY TO REMAIN CHASTE BEFORE MARRIAGE, BUT I HAVE REPENTED; NOW I INTEND THAT MY GIFT TO MY WIFE/HUSBAND ON OUR WEDDING DAY WILL BE MY REPENTANCE OF THIS SIN, AND AS A PLEDGE OF MY REPENTANCE,  MY PROMISE OF CHASTITY IN MARRIAGE, THAT IS TO USE THE CONJUGAL PRIVILEGE IN ACCORD WITH THE WILL OF GOD, FREE OF CONTRACEPTION AND THE USE OF MY SPOUSE FOR MY OWN GRATIFICATION. I PROMISE THAT GOD WILL GIVE US THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN HE WANTS TO BLESS US WITH AND TO BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW THAT HE ALONE KNOWS HOW MANY CHILDREN WE SHOULD HAVE.

A Boy Sweetheart's Daily Prayer O St. Joseph, Model of justice, and therefore of husbands, I beseech Thee to direct me in my choice of a future wife. Grant me especially wisdom and deliberation in this choice. Make both my friendship and courtship especially chaste, unselfish, prudent, thrifty, and cheerful. Be my companion in single as well as in wedded life.

For a Happy and Successful
Friendship and Courtship

1. Receive our Lord in Holy Communion every Sunday for strength to be and act like a Christlike man/lady.

2. Pray to the Blessed Mother every day for grace to grow in faith, and in prayerfulness/to respect and protect her daughters.

3. Imitate Christ the Gentleman Who was so unselfish at home and abroad/Imitate Mary the Virgin in her modesty, in the sweetness of her charity, her womanly way.

4. Be rich in masculine interests and grow in the art of conversation and of being interesting/Be rich in womanly interests and womanly skills, cooking, sewing, nursing, and homemaking.

5. Learn to make decisions for yourself. Learn to save and be a pleasant companion/Try to grow up. Learn to save. Know when to speak and when to keep silent.

6. Strive for an esteem of the Sacrament of Marriage and of your God-given calling as a husband and father/God-given calling as wife and mother in building a Catholic marriage and a Catholic home.