Joes Faith
The boy from North Lanarkshire on the way to Canonisation.
Joseph Wilson, affectionately known as Joe, was a young man whose life of quiet faith and kindness continues to inspire people across Scotland and far beyond. Born on 12 December 1994 in Bellshill and raised in Newarthill, Joe lived an outwardly ordinary teenage life. What set him apart was how deeply and consistently he lived his faith.
Joe was a gifted student and a natural servant of others. While attending Taylor High School, he achieved A grades in five Highers and received the Head Teacher’s Award in 2011 for both achievement and character. Despite this, he remained humble. Teachers and peers recall how he sought out those standing alone and gave his time freely to help others, often at the expense of his own lunch or free time.
Raised in the Catholic faith, Joe developed a strong relationship with God from an early age. As a teenager, he regularly read at Mass, volunteered at Children’s Liturgy, and made prayer part of his daily routine. His personal diary reveals a faith lived with joy rather than obligation. After attending the Papal visit to Bellahouston Park in 2010, he wrote,
“Our gentle and humble Pope Benedict is a model of Jesus. My faith is growing and I have experienced so much joy today.”
Joe died suddenly at the age of 17 due to an undiagnosed heart condition. In the years following his death, his diary reflections were compiled into a booklet titled Joe’s Words. These simple prayers and reflections have since reached thousands of people across the world.
Over the past decade, devotion to Joe has grown steadily. Many people now pray through his intercession, with numerous testimonies emerging from those who believe their prayers have been answered. This growing movement has drawn international attention and has recently reached a significant milestone, with the Scottish bishops approving his Cause for Sainthood to proceed to the next stage, awaiting consideration by the Vatican.
Joe Wilson’s life continues to point others towards faith lived through humility, prayer, and everyday kindness. His story reminds us that holiness is possible in ordinary life, rooted in love of God and love of others.
To learn more about Joe’s life, read his writings, and explore how devotion to him continues to grow, visit
By Louise Lawlor Devaney
Joes Words
Joes Prayer:
God our Father
in the life of Joe Wilson
You showed us that you call the young
to persevere in prayer and virtue.
He desired to make himself a ‘nobody’,
to put himself and his own desires last,
in order that he could serve you
by helping those around him;
and through Your gift of faith
he radiated hope and joy
in the midst of an imperfect world.
Now that he has returned home to You,
we ask that You will grant the prayers we make
through his intercession.
May he inspire us all,
but especially the young,
to be joyful and humble
followers of Your way.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen