Prayer to Saint Cajetan for Employment
O glorious Saint Cajetan, who didst renounce all worldly possessions to serve God and thy neighbour, and who didst ever show a tender compassion for the poor and the afflicted; behold, I come before thee in my present necessity. Thou who art invoked as the Patron of those who seek employment, look with favour upon me, who am in need of work.
Through thy powerful intercession, I beseech thee to obtain for me a suitable and honest employment, whereby I may provide for myself and my family, use my God-given talents for the good of society, and give glory to our Heavenly Father.
Do not abandon me in this time of trial. Grant that, through diligence and patience, I may find the means to live a life of dignity, free from the anxieties of want. I ask this in the confidence that thou wilt hear my prayer and present it to the Lord our God. Amen.
Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.
Saint Cajetan, pray for us.
Prayer to Saint Joseph the Worker
O glorious Saint Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labour, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance for the expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations; to work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honour to employ and develop by means of labour the gifts received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, never shrinking from weariness and trials; to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, and of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch, Saint Joseph. Such shall be my watchword in life and in death. Amen.
(Adapted from a prayer by Pope St. Pius X)
Saint Joseph the Worker, pray for us.
Contexte Historique
Saint Cajetan (Gaetano dei Conti di Thiene, 1480-1547) was an Italian Catholic priest who dedicated his life to reform within the Church and to serving the poor and sick. He is known for establishing ‘montes pietatis,’ or charitable pawnshops, to provide loans to the needy without interest, offering a just alternative to usurious lenders. Because of his profound trust in Divine Providence and his work to provide for the material needs of the people, he is venerated as the patron saint of the unemployed and job-seekers. Devotion to Saint Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, as a patron of workers is also a long-standing tradition, honouring the dignity of labour through his humble life as a carpenter.