St. Josemaria Escrivá

St. Josemaria Escrivá, Patron of Ordinary People and Activities

Saint Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, was a priest deeply committed to the cause of helping ordinary Christians find God in their daily lives. Born in 1902 in Barbastro, Spain, he felt the call to priesthood early in his life. He was ordained in 1925 and soon began to develop his vision of Christian life being fully compatible with ordinary occupations.
For those seeking employment or professional guidance, praying the novena to Saint Josemaría Escrivá can be a source of spiritual strength and inspiration. This novena is a nine-day period of prayer asking for his intercession not just to find a job, but to find meaning and purpose in one’s work. I invite you to join in this powerful prayer, to seek not only work but also to discover a deeper invitation to encounter the grace of God in and through our jobs.
Let us turn to Saint Josemaría, asking for his prayers and guidance in our daily labors and challenges.

A Prayer to Do Your Job Well

A Prayer to Do Your Job Well
May our Lord God help me see my job as a path to holiness and a service to others, where God my Father awaits me at every moment, asking me, in each situation, to imitate Jesus when he worked as a carpenter in Nazareth.

A Prayer to Find a Job

A Prayer to Find a Job
May our Lord God guide me in the effort to seek work and bless me, enabling me to obtain honest, dignified and steady employment; and then help me to see my job as a path to holiness and a service to others, where God my Father awaits me at every moment, asking me, in each situation, to imitate Jesus when he worked as a carpenter in Nazareth.

A Prayer for Families

A Prayer for Families
O God our Loving Father, Creator of all things, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, into the home of Mary and Joseph forming the Holy Family of Nazareth; inspire us by their example to imitate their selfless charity in our family life. Through the intercession of St Josemaria, help our families to be united in the heart of Christ, enjoying a loving communion with each other, recognizing and upholding the sacredness of marriage, generously welcoming the gift of life, and valuing the inestimable gift of each family member. Help us to dedicate ourselves in generous service to our families and to reflect the love that Christ had for Mary and Joseph, making our family a true domestic Church with Christ at its center. Teach us to find Christ in the crosses that occur in family life and help us to find joy in them and unite them to him. Watch over and protect our family so that each member will be faithful to the Gospel and never stray from the path of holiness. We ask you, through the intercession of St Josemaria, to grant us the favor of... You may now mention your intention for this prayer.  
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, we give our hearts and souls to you. Amen

A Prayer for Engaged Couples

A Prayer for Engaged Couples
Lord Jesus Christ, help us to appreciate how great the calling to marriage is, as we together prepare for the great sacrament. Grant that we might seek to reflect the love that You have for Your Church by our sincere and sacrificing love for each other. May we be pure in our hearts, chaste in our bodies, and generous in our service to one another, so that our love for each other may truly imitate the love with which You laid down Your life for Your bride, the Church. Amen.

A Prayer for Married Couples

A Prayer for Married Couples
Lord Jesus Christ, You have elevated the covenant of marriage between man and woman to the dignity of a sacrament, making of our relationship a true pathway to holiness. Help us never to lose sight of the holiness of our bond. You will that husband and wife should image Your own spousal relationship with the Church. May we always reflect the beauty of that relationship by the holiness of our lives and our fidelity to each other. Amen

A Prayer to ask for the Intercession of St. Josemaria Escriva

A Prayer to ask for the Intercession of St. Josemaria Escrivá
O God, through the mediation of Mary our Mother, you granted your priest Saint Josemaria countless graces, choosing him as a most faithful instrument to found Opus Dei, a way of sanctification in daily work and in the fulfillment of the Christian’s ordinary duties.
Grant that I too may learn to turn all the circumstances and events of my life into occasions of loving you and serving the Church, the Pope and all souls with joy and simplicity, lighting up the pathways of this earth with faith and love.
Deign to grant me, through the intercession of Saint Josemaria, the favor of…. you may now mention your intentions for this prayer.
St. Josemaria Escriva, Pray for us! Amen.