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o thee,  O  blessed  Joseph,  we  have  recourse in our  affliction  and,  after  imploring  the help of  thy  most  holy  spouse,  we  confidently invoke thy  patronage  also. By that  affection which united  thee  to  the  immaculate  virgin Mother of  God,  and  by  the  fatherly  love  with which thou  didst  embrace  the  infant  Jesus, look down,  we  beseech  thee,  with  gracious eyes on  the  precious  inheritance  which  Jesus Christ purchased  by  His  blood,  and  help  us in  our  necessities  by  thy  powerful  intercession. Protect, O  most  provident  guardian  of  the Holy Family,  the  elect  children  of  Jesus Christ; ward  off  from  us,  O  most  loving father, every  contagion  of  error  and  corrupting influence;  be  propitious  to  us  from  heaven, O most  powerful  protector,  in  this  our  struggle with the  powers  of  darkness;  and  as  thou  didst once rescue  the  child  Jesus  from  the  greatest peril to  His  life,  so  now  defend  God's  holy Church from  the  snares  of  the  enemy  and  from all adversity. Finally, shield  every  one  of  us with  thy  patronage,  that,  imitating  thy  example and  strengthened  by  thy  help,  we  may