Christ is risen!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
New beginnings often call for a renewed resolve. During Lent, we mortified our flesh and suffered with our Lord in His Passion. We repented and wept for our iniquities. And finally, on Easter Sunday, as our LORD triumphed over death, we too emerged victorious with Him. The immorality that once held us captive has been shattered forever. But the journey doesn’t stop there! Integrating chaste devotion into your life will go a long way in helping you walk the narrow path diligently.
Devotion to St. Joseph, most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary
When I felt the Lord prompting me to speak boldly about chastity, I was doing a devotion to St. Joseph. As I meditated daily on each of his virtues, I was blown away by how much there is to a man who never uttered a word in the Bible. It became increasingly clear that St. Joseph had chosen Chaste for Christ as its patron.
St. Joseph is the patron of chastity—himself chaste, and the guardian of the purity of the Holy Virgin. His titles—Most Obedient, Most Chaste, Guardian of Virgins, and Pillar of Families—reflect why devotion to him is crucial for anyone seeking purity of mind, heart, and body.
You can begin your devotion with the Consecration to St. Joseph. The 33-day consecration offers deep insight into who St. Joseph really was. It beautifully explores each of his titles and shows how he can help you grow in virtue and become more like him.
Prayer to St. Joseph for Purity
O faithful guardian and father of virgins, blessed Joseph, to whom was entrusted the care of Jesus and Mary, the Queen of Virgins, we most humbly supplicate you, by the love you bear for Jesus and Mary, to obtain for us that, being preserved from every stain of sin throughout our lives, we may serve them with unspotted purity of mind and body. Amen!
You can also invoke St Joseph’s help through this prayer, the Memorare to St. Joseph, or the Rosary to St Joseph, which is a beautiful way to contemplate the life of our spiritual father. But that’s not all! There are several novenas to St. Joseph as well. Your task? Choose a daily prayer to consistently invoke his intercession and guidance.
Chaste devotion to St. Joseph only makes sense when you resolve to walk in his footsteps and ultimately adopt his character. You can only do that if you truly know him. Thus, make the effort to discover who the man was whom God the Father chose to represent Him as the earthly father of His only Son. When you know him personally, there’s no turning back. He’ll surely help you slay the dragon of lust every time it rears its filthy head.
Memorare to St. Joseph
Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, my spiritual father, and beg your protection. O foster father of the Redeemer, despise not my petition, but in your goodness hear and answer me.
Marian devotion
Devotion to the Holy Queen helps you connect with her maternal love and seek her intercession and guidance in this perilous world. A powerful way to begin—commended by Church Fathers and saints throughout the ages—is by praying the Rosary.
The Rosary is a meditation on the Word of God. As you open your heart to each mystery, you reflect on the life of Jesus. Slowly, your mornings begin to feel grounded, and your nights more peaceful. Before long, you’ll find yourself drawn to read each mystery directly from Bible. As you do, your life, thoughts, and perceptions begin to transform.
You can strengthen your chaste devotion by doing the Consecration to Jesus through Mary. The 33-day consecration reminds you of your complete dependence on God. The least you can do while on earth is to abandon yourself to His will and be open to His leading—so that your life may bear fruit.
The more you’re drawn to Marian novenas and prayers, the more you’ll realise that Mother Mary is the mother you never knew you needed. You’ll cling to her throughout your chastity journey as if your life depends on her. Because it does!
Devotion to the saints of chastity
There are many saints in the Catholic Church who lived out purity in all its fullness. Is lust consuming you? St. Augustine of Hippo was in that exact place—yet he became a bishop and one of the Church’s greatest theologians.
Are you a young man or woman who has resolved to serve God in purity? Draw inspiration from St. Louis Gonzaga, who consecrated himself to the Holy Virgin at just seven years old, and St. Maria Goretti, who gave her life to preserve her purity.
The Church offers many saints you can invoke for help in this journey. There are novenas and devotional prayers for nearly all of them. Not only that, you can draw profound wisdom from their writings—for example, Confessions by St Augustine of Hippo, which shares his intense battle with lust and how God’s saving grace ultimately set him free.
