About Shrine of Saint Joseph · Stirling, New Jersey
The Shrine of Saint Joseph is a Catholic shrine and mission site nestled in the Watchung Mountains of Stirling, New Jersey, owned and operated by the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinity Missions). Founded in 1924 by Father Thomas Augustine Judge, C.M. — an Irish-American Vincentian priest who also founded the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity in 1909 — the Shrine was envisioned as a sacred place of renewal, healing, and hope for Catholic laity, who Fr. Judge believed were all called to be missionaries in their everyday lives. Set above the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, the campus welcomes daily Mass in English and Spanish, perpetual devotion to Saint Joseph, confession, adoration, and serves as a mission center for spiritual formation in the Diocese of Paterson.
- Established
- 1924
- Patron
- Saint Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Seraphim Molina, S.T. (Director)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Paterson
Why belong here
The Shrine of Saint Joseph offers a rare combination: it is a working Catholic shrine with daily Mass in English and Spanish, daily confession, weekday adoration, and a weekly Sunday devotion to Saint Joseph — set on a quiet, mountainous campus with outdoor grottos, Stations of the Cross, and views over the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Because it is run by the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, its whole charism is the formation of lay people as missionaries in their everyday lives, making it an ideal place for retreatants, prayer groups, and families seeking spiritual renewal rather than just another Sunday obligation. It is also one of the official Jubilee Churches designated for the Holy Year 2025.
Mass times at Shrine of Saint Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Daily 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM (English & Spanish), Hope Room on the lower level near the Gift Shop
Adoration times
- Monday 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- Tuesday 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- Wednesday 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
About the Shrine of Saint Joseph
The Shrine of Saint Joseph is a Catholic shrine and mission site of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinity Missions), nestled in the Watchung Mountains of Stirling, New Jersey. It was founded in 1924 by Father Thomas Augustine Judge, C.M., a Vincentian priest and founder of Trinity Missions, as a sacred place where the laity could encounter God's presence, be renewed in faith, and be sent forth to live the missionary spirit in their daily lives. The Shrine continues today as a place of pilgrimage, prayer, healing, and spiritual formation under the direction of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, in the Diocese of Paterson.
- Type: Catholic Shrine (pilgrimage and mission site)
- Operated by: Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinity Missions)
- Diocese: Paterson
- Address: 1050 Long Hill Road, Stirling, NJ 07980
History of the Shrine
Established in 1924 by the Rev. Thomas Augustine Judge, C.M., the Shrine was placed under the patronage of Saint Joseph because, as the Shrine's own history states, this saint offers particular inspiration for the laity who struggle to preserve the vitality of their faith in a societal environment unsupportive of Gospel values. The earliest chapel was a barn converted in 1928, and Saint Joseph devotions have been held every Sunday since that year without interruption. The present stone chapel complex replaced the wooden barn-chapel in 1975, the same year the Sister Servants of Jesus arrived from Poland. A new mission plan was launched in 2014, and the Oratory of Saint Joseph was completed in Spring 2022.
- 1924 — Shrine established by Fr. Thomas Augustine Judge, C.M.
- 1928 — Barn converted into rustic chapel; Sunday devotions to Saint Joseph begun
- 1970 — Old wooden residence building replaced
- 1975 — Present stone Chapel complex built; Sister Servants of Jesus arrive from Poland
- 2014 — New mission plan inaugurated
- Spring 2022 — Oratory to Saint Joseph completed
Devotion to Saint Joseph
The Shrine offers devotion to its patron, Saint Joseph, every Sunday at 3:00 PM in the Chapel — a tradition begun in 1928 and continued without interruption to this day. Special devotions are also offered throughout the liturgical year; the Shrine's calendar lists each one.
- Weekly Sunday 3:00 PM Saint Joseph Devotion in the Chapel
- Ongoing since 1928
- Special devotions throughout the liturgical year (check calendar)
The Oratory of Saint Joseph
Completed in Spring 2022, the new Oratory to Saint Joseph is dedicated to the life of the Shrine's patron and gives all visitors — including groups and individuals — a new way to appreciate Saint Joseph. The oratory features a mosaic depicting significant moments in Saint Joseph's life, and presents him as the ideal example of a leader faithful to the call God entrusted to him, particularly helpful for families.
- Completed Spring 2022
- Features mosaic depicting moments in Saint Joseph's life
- Open to groups and individual pilgrims
Campus & Facilities
The Shrine campus is set on a hilltop in the Watchung Mountains overlooking the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and includes the main Chapel, the new Oratory of Saint Joseph, an Auditorium for large events, a Gift Shop on the lower level, multiple outdoor grottos for reflective prayer, outdoor Stations of the Cross, the Tower of Remembrance (9/11 official peace site), and the new Eternal Peace Garden & Columbarium. Trinity House, a few minutes from the main campus, is the restored former Saint Joseph Villa used for retreats and spiritual programs.
- Main Chapel (stone complex, 1975)
- Oratory of Saint Joseph (2022)
- Auditorium for large events
- Gift Shop (lower level)
- Outdoor grottos and Stations of the Cross
- Tower of Remembrance — 9/11 official peace site
- Eternal Peace Garden & Columbarium
- Trinity House — retreat house
Eternal Peace Garden & Columbarium
The Shrine of Saint Joseph's new Columbarium, nestled in the serene Eternal Peace Garden with views of the Watchung Mountains, offers a sacred and peaceful setting for the in-ground cremation remembrance of loved ones — a Catholic burial option right on the Shrine grounds.
- New on-campus columbarium
- Views of the Watchung Mountains
- Catholic in-ground cremation remembrance
Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity
The Shrine is one of the many mission sites of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity (also called Trinity Missions), a Catholic community of priests and brothers established by Fr. Thomas A. Judge in 1909. The Shrine exists to continue Fr. Judge's founding vision: a sacred place where all are welcomed and equipped to live their faith as missionaries in the world, animated by Catholic social teaching and the charism of 'every Catholic an apostle.'
- Founded by Fr. Thomas A. Judge in 1909 in Brooklyn, NY
- Congregation of priests and brothers
- Charism: formation of laity as missionaries in everyday life
Founder: Father Thomas Augustine Judge, C.M.
Thomas Augustine Judge was born on August 23, 1868, in South Boston, the fifth of eight children of Irish immigrants. After his father's sudden death in 1887, he worked multiple jobs and finished his education by attending night classes. He entered St. Vincent's Seminary in Germantown, became a member of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) in 1895, and was ordained on April 11, 1899. He founded the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity on April 11, 1909, in Brooklyn, along with five women. He died on November 23, 1933, and is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
- Born August 23, 1868, South Boston
- Ordained April 11, 1899 (Vincentian / Congregation of the Mission)
- Founded Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity: April 11, 1909, Brooklyn
- Died November 23, 1933
- Buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
Pilgrimage Experience & Visiting
The Shrine welcomes groups and individual pilgrims of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures for retreat, reflection, and prayer. In addition to the campus itself, the Shrine's peaceful setting in the Watchung Mountains offers a prayerful respite from ordinary schedules for private or communal reflection and prayer, including the daily celebration of Mass and the sacraments.
- Open to individual pilgrims and groups
- Quiet prayerful setting on the Watchung Mountains
- Daily Mass, confession, and adoration
- Outdoor Stations of the Cross and grottos
Gift Shop
A Gift Shop on the lower level of the Shrine offers religious items for purchase and is open daily, serving both pilgrims and visitors.
- Monday–Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Contact
The Shrine can be reached by phone, email, or in person. Reservations, business office, and program/marketing contacts are listed below.
- Address: 1050 Long Hill Road, Stirling, NJ 07980
- Phone: (908) 647-0208
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.shrineofsaintjoseph.com