About Saint Joseph · Jasper, Indiana
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jasper, Indiana is the mother church of Dubois County, founded in 1837 by Croatian-born missionary Father Joseph Kundek for the German Catholic pioneer settlers of southern Indiana. Worshipping in a small log cabin at first, the parish grew rapidly and now numbers close to 2,000 families, served by a multilingual staff of four priests. Its striking Romanesque Revival sandstone church — built almost entirely by parishioners under their pastor-architect Father Fidelis Maute, O.S.B. — is anchored by a 235-foot bell tower modeled on London's Big Ben and is listed as a historic landmark. The parish is in the Diocese of Evansville and offers daily and weekend Masses in English and Spanish, along with confessions, Eucharistic Adoration, religious education, the St. John Bosco Youth Ministry, and outreach programs serving Jasper and the surrounding communities founded by Father Kundek.
- Established
- 1837
- Patron
- Saint Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. John Brosmer
- Diocese
- Diocese of Evansville
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers daily Mass in both English and Spanish with a generous Sunday schedule — five Sunday Masses plus a Vigil — together with frequent confession times, regular Eucharistic Adoration, a parish school of catechesis, the St. John Bosco Youth Ministry for middle and high schoolers, and an active Evangelization and Outreach commission that runs the Angel Tree gift drive, the annual Turkey Drive for the Community Food Bank, scouting, and a parish prayer line. Rooted in 1837 as the mother parish of Dubois County and housed in one of Indiana's most striking 19th-century churches, the parish is large enough to be vibrant yet close enough to know your neighbor — a tradition celebrated every spring at the Feast of St. Joseph parish picnic and in the parish school's growing enrollment.
Mass times at Saint Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. – 7:50 a.m.
- Wednesday: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
- and by appointment
Adoration times
- 1st Tuesday of the month: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Wednesday: 12:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Adoration schedule may be adjusted for special circumstances on occasion.)
Parish History
Saint Joseph Parish was founded in 1837 by Father Joseph Kundek, a Croatian-born missionary, to serve the German Catholic pioneer settlers of southern Indiana. Within three years the log-cabin congregation had nearly one hundred families, and a brick church (100 × 54 feet) was in use by December 8, 1841. The present sandstone church was begun in 1867 under Father Fidelis Maute, O.S.B., with Bishop de St. Palais laying the cornerstone in 1868; the building was completed and blessed in 1880 and consecrated in 1888. Its 235-foot bell tower — completed in 1904 by Father Basil Heusler, O.S.B. after Big Ben in London — gives the parish its nickname, 'Jasper's faithful watchtower.'
- 1837 — Parish founded by Fr. Joseph Kundek; first church is a log cabin
- 1841 — Brick church (100 × 54 feet) opened on December 8
- 1867 — Foundation of present church begun under Fr. Fidelis Maute, O.S.B.
- 1868 — Cornerstone laid by Bishop Maurice de St. Palais, Vincennes
- 1880 — Church completed and blessed
- 1888 — Church consecrated
- 1898 — Swiss stained-glass windows installed
- 1904 — Bell tower completed (235 ft) under Fr. Basil Heusler, O.S.B.
- 1953–54 — Terrazzo floor and sandstone interior veneer; major plaster-to-sandstone renovation ($200,000)
- 1995 — New organ installed
- Recent — 'Our Time' capital campaign: parish worships in the Kundek Center for 19 months; Bishop Siegel rededicates the church
Architecture and the Church Building
St. Joseph Church is built of locally quarried sandstone laid in a running bond in blocks four to six feet thick. The nave is supported by fourteen columns, each one a single giant timber of yellow poplar from nearby forests and sheathed in plaster, rising sixty-seven feet; the apex of the groined naves is ninety feet above the floor. Total interior dimensions are 82 feet 5 inches by 193 feet 5 inches. Inside, three Italian marble altars sit beneath three large mosaics imported from Austria (Christ the High Priest over the main altar, the Assumption of Mary over the north altar, and the Betrothal of Mary to Joseph over the south altar). Swiss stained glass was installed in 1898; a terrazzo floor went in 1953; sandstone interior veneer and structural reinforcement were completed in 1954; and the most recent restoration closed and reopened the building after nineteen months of work, rededicated by Bishop Siegel. The 235-foot tower, with its four twelve-ton bells, is the visible landmark of Jasper.
South Lawn Crucifix
On the south lawn stands a stone crucifix whose origin lies in a vow made by German immigrants during their Atlantic crossing. Stonecutter George Bauman promised that if the storm-tossed ship landed safely he would erect a stone cross wherever the settlers made their home. The original was completed in 1848, destroyed in a storm in 1928, and replaced by the present figure in 1932.
Our Time Restoration
The 'Our Time' capital campaign financed the most extensive repairs in the church's history. While the work was underway, the parish celebrated daily Mass in the Kundek Center, the parish's gymnasium/multi-purpose building, for nineteen months. Bishop Joseph M. Siegel of the Diocese of Evansville rededicated the church with concelebrated Mass, thanking parishioners and recognizing the pastors and associates who served during the project: Father Ray Brenner, Father Eugene Schmitt, Father Andrew Thomas, Father John Brosmer, Father Bill Traylor, Father Homero Rodriguez and Benedictine Father Christian Raab, along with lay leaders Alan Hoffman and Dan Fritch.
Clergy and Parish Staff
St. Joseph is led by Pastor Father John Brosmer and served by three associate pastors — Father Homero Rodriguez, Father Keith Hart and Benedictine Father Christian Raab — along with a large lay staff that runs faith formation, music, youth ministry, finance, communications, and outreach.
- Fr. John Brosmer — Pastor
- Fr. Homero Rodriguez — Associate Pastor
- Fr. Keith Hart — Associate Pastor
- Fr. Christian Raab, O.S.B. — Associate Pastor
- Patrick Gehlhausen — Maintenance Supervisor
- Tammy Mehringer — Finance Coordinator
- Melanie Baker — Financial Assistant
- Grace Mehringer — Parish Catechetical Leader (PCL)
- Catherine Berghoff — Director of Bosco Youth Ministry
- Rose Rasche — Homebound and Bereavement
- Julie Stone — Bulletin Editor
- Tracie Ihle — Director of Communications
- Paige Kendall — Director of Music Ministry
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Grace Mehringer serves as the Parish Catechetical Leader, coordinating the parish's sacramental preparation (including First Reconciliation) and ongoing religious education for parish children. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered at the Sunday 9:30 a.m. Mass for preschool through Grade 1.
- Parish Catechetical Leader: Grace Mehringer
- First Reconciliation Class
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (Preschool–Grade 1 at the 9:30 Sunday Mass)
- Wild Goose Holy Spirit series — three weekly small-group sessions
St. John Bosco Youth Ministry
St. John Bosco Youth Ministry serves the middle-school and high-school youth of St. Joseph Parish under Director Catherine Berghoff. Activities include Sunday and weekday gatherings, retreats (such as TEC retreats), service projects, outings, and seasonal events like the high-school 'Muffins at Midwest Café' mornings and a fall bonfire at St. Mary Ireland.
- Director: Catherine Berghoff ([email protected])
- Open to middle-school and high-school youth
- Outings, retreats (TEC), service events, parish-sports nights
Music Ministry and Liturgy
The parish's music ministry is led by Director Paige Kendall and supported by a parish organ (a new instrument was built in 1995). The historic church's exceptional acoustics — with a nave ceiling ninety feet high and a sanctuary built for chant and congregational singing — have made music a long-standing hallmark of St. Joseph liturgy.
- Director of Music Ministry: Paige Kendall
- Parish organ built in 1995
- Italian marble altars and Austrian mosaics provide visual focal points
Evangelization, Outreach and Community Life
The Evangelization and Outreach Commission coordinates parish-wide efforts to serve neighbors: the Angel Tree gift drive for children and families in Jasper, the annual Turkey Drive for the Community Food Bank (held at 1404 Meridian Road, Jasper), the Parish Prayer Line, and other initiatives. The Community Life Commission and the Latino Liaison help keep the parish's diverse congregation connected.
- Evangelization & Outreach: Lynn Scheu (Commission representative)
- Latino Ministry / Latino Liaison: Yesica Miranda
- Spiritual Life: Patrick Gehlhausen (and Tracy Ihle)
- Angel Tree gift drive (November)
- Annual Turkey Drive for the Community Food Bank (mid-November)
- Parish Prayer Line ([email protected])
- Scouting for boys and girls, K–high school (contact James Schoenbachler)
Sacraments
The parish website lists the Sacrament of Confession with its weekly schedule, and preparation for First Reconciliation. Daily and weekend Masses are the ordinary setting for the Eucharist. The Homebound and Bereavement Ministry (Rose Rasche) brings Communion and pastoral care to the sick and grieving. Couples contact the parish office for marriage preparation, and families register for baptism through the Faith Formation office.
- Confession — Wed 7:30 a.m., Wed 6:00 p.m., Thu 7:00 p.m., Sat 8:30 a.m.; by appointment
- First Reconciliation Class
- Eucharist — daily and weekend Masses (English and Spanish)
- Homebound and Bereavement visits — Rose Rasche
- Marriage and Baptism — contact the Parish Center at (812) 482-1805
Mission Statement and Diocesan Identity
The parish's printed mission statement reads, 'We invite all to Worship, Pray, and Evangelize as we love and serve the Lord.' St. Joseph is part of the Diocese of Evansville under Bishop Joseph M. Siegel; the parish has historically been served by both diocesan and Benedictine priests, the latter through the nearby Saint Meinrad Abbey founded in 1854 by monks Father Kundek invited from Einsiedeln, Switzerland.
- Diocese of Evansville; Bishop Joseph M. Siegel
- Mission: 'We invite all to Worship, Pray, and Evangelize as we love and serve the Lord.'
- Benedictine connection through Saint Meinrad Abbey (founded 1854)
Contact and Parish Center
The parish offices and Parish Center are located at 1029 Kundek Street, Jasper, Indiana 47546 — the same street named for the parish's founder. The phone number is (812) 482-1805, with fax (812) 482-1814. Parish Center business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The bulletin editor is reached at [email protected]; prayer requests go to [email protected].
- Address: 1029 Kundek Street, Jasper, IN 47546
- Phone: (812) 482-1805; Fax: (812) 482-1814
- Parish Center hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
- Web: www.saintjosephjasper.org
- Facebook: St Joe Jasper; Twitter: @stjoejasper
- Bulletin editor: Julie Stone ([email protected])
- Prayer line: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Kundek1837–1857
Croatian-born missionary who founded the parish and, in two decades, founded the parishes at Ferdinand, Fulda, Celestine and Rockport and brought the Sisters of Providence to Jasper.
- Fr. Fidelis Maute, O.S.B.1865–1897
Fourth pastor; served as architect, contractor and foreman of the present sandstone church, which was begun in 1867, completed in 1880 and consecrated in 1888.
- Fr. Basil Heusler, O.S.B.1898–1942
Completed the bell tower in 1904, modeling it after the tower of Big Ben in London; tower stands 235 feet and houses four bells of 12 tons.
- Fr. Ray Brenner
Pastor during the 'Our Time' renovation project preceding the parish's most recent major restoration.
- Fr. Eugene Schmitt
Associate pastor during the recent 'Our Time' renovation.
- Fr. Andrew Thomas
Associate pastor during the recent 'Our Time' renovation.
- Fr. Bill Traylor
Pastor involved in the recent 'Our Time' renovation.
- Fr. John Brosmer
Current pastor; served throughout the conclusion of the 'Our Time' renovation rededicated by Bishop Siegel.