About Saint Joseph · Blackwell, Oklahoma
Saint Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Blackwell, Oklahoma, situated in the north-central part of the state in Kay County, just south of the Kansas border. It belongs to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and shares its pastor with the mission parish of St. Joseph in nearby Tonkawa, making the two communities a single pastoral family. The parish offers a traditional weekly schedule of weekend vigil, Sunday, and weekday Masses, along with Saturday confessions, in keeping with its small-town, family-sized character.
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Balaswamy Bathini
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Why belong here
Saint Joseph offers the steady rhythm of a small-town Catholic parish: a Saturday Vigil Mass, a Sunday morning Mass, two weekday Masses, and Saturday confessions, all under one pastor who also serves the neighboring Tonkawa mission. As part of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, parishioners have access to the sacraments, religious education, and the wider diocesan community, while worshiping in an intimate, multigenerational setting typical of Kay County's historic Catholic families.
Mass times at Saint Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:20 PM
Parish Identity
Saint Joseph Catholic Church is the Catholic parish serving Blackwell, Oklahoma, in Kay County. It is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and is paired with the mission parish of St. Joseph in Tonkawa, both served by one priest. The parish's address is 315 West Blackwell Avenue, and its mailing address in directory listings also appears as '3rd and Bridge, Blackwell, OK 74631.'
- Patron: St. Joseph
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
- Parish phone: (580) 363-0441
- Address: 315 W Blackwell Ave., Blackwell, OK 74631
History of the Parish
Catholic life in the Blackwell area took root with the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in 1893. Early Masses in this part of Kay County were said by visiting priests from Ponca City and Blackwell and by Benedictine missionaries from Sacred Heart Abbey (now St. Gregory's Abbey in Shawnee), who traveled on horseback, by buggy, or by rail. Over the decades the Blackwell and Tonkawa parishes have repeatedly functioned as missions of one another and have been served by a single priest, with shared facilities including religious education classrooms and a chapel in the Tonkawa rectory.
- Catholic families arrived with the 1893 Cherokee Outlet land run.
- Early Masses were offered by Benedictine missionaries from Sacred Heart Abbey (now St. Gregory's Abbey, Shawnee).
- Blackwell and Tonkawa have alternated as parish and mission over the decades.
Parish Staff & Clergy
The current pastor is Father Balaswamy Bathini, who also serves as pastor of the mission parish of St. Joseph in Tonkawa. The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City priests directory lists him under both assignments. Father Balaswamy officiated at a parish memorial Mass for a longtime Blackwell parishioner in December 2023, confirming his ongoing role.
- Pastor: Rev. Balaswamy Bathini (also pastor of St. Joseph, Tonkawa)
Sacraments & Devotions
Daily and Sunday Masses, the Vigil Mass, and regular Saturday confessions form the backbone of sacramental life at St. Joseph. As is customary in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, parishioners can arrange baptisms, marriages, anointing of the sick, and first Communion and confirmation preparation through the parish office; specific contact details are listed in the Archdiocese's parish directory under the St. Joseph, Blackwell entry.
- Mass and Confession as listed above
- Sacraments arranged through the parish office
Connection to St. Joseph, Tonkawa
St. Joseph in Blackwell is the parish church, and St. Joseph in Tonkawa is its mission. The Archdiocese lists Tonkawa under Blackwell's pastoral care. The historic Tonkawa rectory has served over the years as a Mission House for four priests doing missionary work, and today houses a chapel, religious education classrooms, the Religious Education Director's office, and an office and small apartment for the pastor's use — a layout that reflects how closely the two communities share one priest and one Catholic life.
- Mission parish: St. Joseph, Tonkawa
- Tonkawa rectory includes chapel, RE classrooms, DRE office, and pastor's apartment
- Shared single-pastor model between Blackwell and Tonkawa
Visiting & Contact
Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish by phone at (580) 363-0441 and write or visit at 315 West Blackwell Avenue, Blackwell, OK 74631. The parish does not maintain its own standalone website; it is listed and searchable through the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City's online Parish Finder.
- Phone: (580) 363-0441
- Address: 315 W Blackwell Ave., Blackwell, OK 74631
- Listed via Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Parish Finder (archokc.org/parishfinder)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Martin E. Reid1975–1988
- Father Joseph Burger1988–2001
- Father Larok-Obwona Martin2001–2014
- Father Benjamin Saw Kyaw Lwin2014–2020
Also listed as 'Father Benjamin Lwin' in parish centennial record; served both Blackwell and Tonkawa.
- Father Balaswamy Bathini2020–present
Current pastor; serves St. Joseph, Blackwell and St. Joseph, Tonkawa as one pastoral team.