By Mary Frances McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 10/14/04)

He can protect you from drowning, fire, sudden death and the enemy. No, he’s not Superman, he’s the earthly father of Our Lord.

St. Joseph is the patron saint of many things — the universal Church, fathers, carpenters, social justice and a peaceful, happy death.

Being named after him, Joseph Evers, a member of St. John Parish in McLean, has always had a particular devotion to St. Joseph. He began praying a prayer for protection to the saint many years ago and over time he began to realize the power of this prayer.

Evers was vacationing in Puerto Rico with his wife about 12 years ago when the two of them were caught in a rip tide while wading in the ocean. Being poor swimmers, it was all Evers could do to hold on to his wife and fight with all his energy to not be dragged out to sea. Later, he remembered one of St. Joseph’s promises — "whoever shall read this prayer … shall never die a sudden death or be drowned."

After the events of Sept. 11, 2001, "it fully hit me," Evers said. Those who read, hear or even simply carry the card with them are promised protection from sudden death, drowning, poison, fire, the enemy and will be kept safe in battle. With terrorism alert levels rising, anthrax scares and more and more troops being deployed overseas, Evers saw this prayer to St. Joseph as a perfect anti-terrorism prayer.

The pediatrician started handing out copies of St. Joseph’s prayer to patients and their parents at his practice.

"With faith, this thing really works," Evers said about the prayer. Since he began sharing the prayer, stories have been coming back to him of the many ways St. Joseph has touched people’s lives. From near misses in car accidents, to helping parents having trouble connecting with their children, many people, some of them even falling away from the Church before receiving this prayer, are thanking St. Joseph for his protection, and thanking Evers for teaching them about this saint.

A mother of one of his patients called Evers and asked if he could make copies of the prayer to send with a friend of hers down to an Air Force base in Florida where troops were being deployed to Iraq. Evers printed and hand-laminated as many cards as he could for this first shipment.

Soon after, he asked a fellow parishioner, Kate Britton Giaimo, for help with the printing. Giaimo and her husband are in the restaurant industry and had ties with a printer in Maryland. The printer agreed to print the prayer cards at cost, and a picture of St. Joseph was added to the reverse side of the card. Two weeks after they went to the printer, Evers and Giaimo had another 15,000 cards printed. They sent 13,000 to Navy Capt. Phillip E. Gwaltney, command chaplain at Camp MacDill Air Force Base in Florida who said, "Get me more."

To get the resources to do this, Giaimo and Evers approached their pastor, Father Edward Hathaway, and with his permission formed a St. Joseph’s Workers group. They passed out prayer cards and collected prayers after Masses one weekend in June and raised enough money to print another 20,000 cards.

Their goal is to get the prayer cards to military troops, firemen, policemen, emergency workers and pilots and their friends and families.

"This prayer is for anyone in harm’s way," Evers said, "and today, there is no one who isn’t."

To receive a prayer card, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Dr. Joseph Evers, 6711 Whittier Ave., McLean, Va. 22101. For more than one card include enough postage to cover return mailing.

To make a tax-deductible contribution toward the printing of more cards, send a check to St. John Church, 6420 Linway Terrace, McLean, Va. 22101. Write "St. Joseph’s Workers" on the memo line. Each 15 cents collected will pay for one prayer card.

St. Joseph’s Prayer for Protection

O, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, so that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. O, St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach Him while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us.