The Vatican announced on this Feast of St. Joseph the Worker that Pope Francis has approved the addition of seven new invocations to the Litany of St. Joseph.
A note from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments explained:
… on the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, published the Apostolic Letter Patris corde, with the aim «to increase our love for this great saint, to encourage us to implore his intercession and to imitate his virtues and his zeal».
In this light it appeared opportune to update the Litany in honour of Saint Joseph, approved by the Apostolic See in 1909 (cf. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 1 [1909] 290-292), by integrating seven new invocations drawn from the interventions of the Popes who have reflected on aspects of the figure of the Patron of the Universal Church. They are as follows:
«Custos Redemptoris» (cf. Saint John Paul II, Ap. Exhort. Redemptoris custos);
«Serve Christi» (cf. Saint Paul VI, Homily of 19.3.1966, quoted in Redemptoris custos n. 8 and Patris corde n. 1);
«Minister salutis» (Saint John Chrysostom, quoted in Redemptoris custos, n. 8);
«Fulcimen in difficultatibus» (cf. Francis, Ap. Let. Patris corde, prologue);
«Patrone exsulum, afflictorum, pauperum» (Patris corde, n. 5).
These can be rendered in English, based on the citations from the papal documents, as follows:
Guardian of the Redeemer
Servant of Christ
Minister of Salvation
Guide in times of trouble
Protector of exiles
Protector of the afflicted
Protector of the poor
Here is the full litany with the new invocations, in Latin.
And today we celebrate...