An extremely cultured and religious man, a bookseller by profession, he was the owner of a religious bookshop in Barcelona. He made a trip to Rome and upon his return devoted himself to spreading the worship of Saint Joseph. In 1866 he founded the Associació Espiritual de Devots de Sant Josep (Spiritual Association of the Devotees of Saint Joseph) with a view to disseminating worship of this saint. To this end he wanted to build a temple in Barcelona in honour of the saint and the Christian family.

In 1882 he bought a plot of land and set in train the work of constructing the building. He commissioned the architect Francesc Villar to take charge of the project and the latter started to erect the temple in Neo-Classical style. As a result of disagreements with Villar, Bocabella asked A. Gaudí, who had been recommended by another architect Joan Martorell, who was a member of the Works Board, to direct the works. A. Gaudí finished the part begun by F. Villar, the crypt, and put forward a new plan for the Temple of the Sagrada Família (1882; unfinished), which was accepted. In 1891 work on the new project began with the Nativity Façade.