About Mount Saint Joseph · Saint Louis, Michigan
Mount Saint Joseph Church is the Saint Louis, Michigan worship site of Nativity of the Lord Parish of Alma and St. Louis, a unified Catholic community in the Diocese of Saginaw that also includes St. Mary Church in neighboring Alma. Weekend Masses are celebrated at Mount Saint Joseph on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, and the church grounds feature a social hall used for parish events and a volunteer-tended garden whose harvest is donated to the poor. The parish identifies its mission as the Great Commission from Matthew 28:19–20 — 'make disciples of all nations' — and frames itself as a Christ-centered stewardship community that welcomes, worships, teaches, serves and evangelizes.
- Patron
- Saint Joseph
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
Why belong here
Mount Saint Joseph offers a small-town Catholic home in Saint Louis, Michigan, where weekend Mass is celebrated Saturday evening and Sunday morning, with Reconciliation before the vigil Mass. Parishioners can grow in prayer through Sunday rosary, weekday Christian Meditation, and Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction, while children are served by the parish's St. Mary Catholic School in Alma and a Faith Formation program. The Saint Louis site's social hall and volunteer-tended community garden — whose produce is given to the poor — reflect a parish that lives out stewardship in concrete ways.
Mass times at Mount Saint Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. at Mount Saint Joseph Church
- By request before or after Mass, or by appointment (call parish office)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Benediction at 1:30 p.m.) at St. Mary Chapel, Parish Center, Alma
About Nativity of the Lord Parish
Nativity of the Lord Parish of Alma and St. Louis is a unified Catholic community in the Diocese of Saginaw made up of two worship sites: St. Mary Church in Alma and Mount Saint Joseph Church in Saint Louis. The parish office, rectory, and St. Mary Catholic School are all located on or near Prospect Street in Alma, while Mount Saint Joseph (605 S. Franklin St., Saint Louis) is the home for weekend Masses and several regular devotional gatherings.
- Parish Mission: 'Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.' (Mt 28:19–20)
- Parish Vision: 'Through the hard work, cooperation and commitment of ALL members, Nativity of the Lord will become a Christ-centered stewardship parish that welcomes, worships, teaches, serves and evangelizes.'
Mount Saint Joseph Church — The Saint Louis Site
Mount Saint Joseph is the parish's Saint Louis, Michigan worship site at 605 S. Franklin St. The church grounds include a social hall used for a variety of parish events and a large parcel of land that supports many activities. A signature feature is a community garden tended by dedicated volunteers; the produce it yields is donated to the poor — a tangible expression of the parish's stewardship identity. Weekend Masses (Saturday 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m.) and Saturday Reconciliation are celebrated here.
- Address: 605 S. Franklin St., Saint Louis, MI 48880
- Social hall available for parish events
- Volunteer-tended community garden producing food for the poor
- Large grounds used for a variety of parish activities
Holy Week & Easter
The parish celebrates Holy Week at its Saint Louis worship site. Mount Saint Joseph hosts the Holy Thursday Mass, the Good Friday liturgy followed by Stations of the Cross, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday Mass.
- Holy Thursday — 6:30 p.m. at Mount Saint Joseph Church
- Good Friday — 12:30 p.m. at Mount Saint Joseph, followed by Stations of the Cross
- Easter Vigil — 8:30 p.m. at Mount Saint Joseph Church
- Easter Sunday — 10:00 a.m. at Mount Saint Joseph Church
Faith Formation & St. Mary Catholic School
Faith Formation for children and youth is coordinated by Lisa Seeley ([email protected]). The parish's school, St. Mary Catholic School, is located in Alma (220 W. Downie Street) and is described by the parish as 'committed to academic excellence' and forming 'children into life-long disciples of Christ and responsible stewards of the parish, community, and the world.' St. Mary School recently celebrated students making their First Reconciliation and First Eucharist Sacraments.
- Faith Formation Director: Lisa Seeley — [email protected]
- St. Mary Catholic School — 220 W. Downie St., Alma, MI 48801
- School office: 989-463-4579 — [email protected]
- Sacramental preparation includes First Reconciliation and First Eucharist
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Music Ministry is led by Jean Soucie and supports the liturgy at both worship sites of the parish. Parishioners are invited to share their musical gifts in service of weekend and holy day celebrations.
- Music Ministry contact: Jean Soucie — [email protected]
Parish Leadership & Staff
The parish is served by a Sacramental Minister, Rev. James Carlson ([email protected]), with pastoral leadership coordinated through Deacon Rick Warner, Director of Parish Life. A parochial vicar, Rev. Paul Werley, was also listed in the diocese's 2024 directory. Lay staff include a Business Manager, Secretary, Faith Formation Director, and Music Ministry coordinator. The Parish Pastoral Council is chaired by Zach Durocher and the Finance Council by Jim Grace.
- Rev. James Carlson — Sacramental Minister — [email protected]
- Rev. Paul Werley — Parochial Vicar (per 2024 diocesan directory) — [email protected]
- Deacon Rick Warner — Director of Parish Life — [email protected]
- Reyna Cervantes — Business Manager — [email protected]
- Jean Tedhams — Secretary — [email protected]
- Lisa Seeley — Faith Formation — [email protected]
- Jean Soucie — Music Ministry — [email protected]
- Zach Durocher — Pastoral Council Chair
- Jim Grace — Finance Council Chair
Parish Office & Visiting
While Mount Saint Joseph Church is the Saint Louis worship site, the parish mailing address and main parish office are located across the street from St. Mary Church at 510 Prospect Ave., Alma, MI 48801-1633. The parish office is open Monday from 8:00 a.m. to noon, and Tuesday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visitors and newcomers can register by calling (989) 463-5370 or emailing [email protected].
- Parish mailing address: 510 Prospect Ave., Alma, MI 48801-1633
- Office hours: Mon 8 a.m.–12 p.m.; Tue–Thu 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Phone: (989) 463-5370 — Fax: (989) 463-1369
- Email: [email protected]
Outreach & Community Life
Stewardship and service are at the heart of the parish's identity. The volunteer-tended community garden at the Mount Saint Joseph site grows food that is donated to the poor. The parish also brings Mass and pastoral care to residents of local assisted-living communities in St. Louis and Alma, and supports Faith Formation and the parish school as long-term works of evangelization.
- Community garden at Mount Saint Joseph — produce donated to the poor
- Mass celebrated at Schnepps (St. Louis), Arbor Grove (Alma), and Masonic Pathways (Alma)
- Stewardship vision: welcoming, worshipping, teaching, serving, evangelizing