About St. Joseph · Beaumont, Texas
St. Joseph Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in downtown Beaumont, Texas, at 1115 Orange Street, within the Diocese of Beaumont. Founded in 1905 as a national parish for Sicilian Italian immigrants, it grew from humble beginnings — Masses first celebrated in a St. Anthony school classroom by Father William Lee — into a brick church on the corner of Orange and Milam, only to be destroyed by the great hurricane of August 1915 and rebuilt the same year. After decades as an Italian-American parish, St. Joseph transitioned into a Vietnamese-American national parish during the wave of Vietnamese resettlement in Southeast Texas in the 1970s and 1980s, and today offers Mass in both English and Vietnamese. The parish holds a unique place in the Diocese of Beaumont as home of several diocesan 'firsts,' including the first priest, the first diocesan priest, the first religious sister, and the first bishop all born or raised in the diocese.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Khue Bui
- Diocese
- Diocese of Beaumont
Why belong here
St. Joseph is one of Beaumont's historic Catholic parishes — a close-knit bilingual community where English and Vietnamese Catholics worship side by side. The parish offers daily Mass Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 a.m., a Saturday Vigil Mass preceded by the Rosary, two Sunday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction, and Saturday Confessions. With roots tracing to the Sicilian immigrants of 1905 and a vibrant Vietnamese Catholic presence today, St. Joseph is a place where generations of Southeast Texas Catholics have found a home.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Adoration times
- Saturday: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM (with Benediction, following the 4:30 PM Mass)
Parish Identity & Heritage
St. Joseph Parish is one of the oldest Catholic communities in Beaumont, founded in 1905 as a national parish for Sicilian Italian immigrants at the invitation of Father William Lee and under Bishop Nicholas Gallagher. The parish sits a few blocks from St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica on Orange Street, on the corner of Orange and Milam. Today it serves a bilingual English-Vietnamese community and is pastored by Rev. Khue Bui as part of the Diocese of Beaumont (Bishop David L. Toups).
A History of 'Firsts' for the Diocese
Few parishes in Southeast Texas can match St. Joseph's record of vocations. According to the Diocese of Beaumont's 60-year parish history, the parish is home to four historic 'firsts': the first priest born in the diocese (Frank Liberto, a parish founder); the first Beaumont resident ordained for the diocesan priesthood (John Tortorice, December 17, 1938); the first woman from Beaumont to enter a religious order (Mary Quartararo, who took the name Sister Acquin); and the first native of the diocese to be ordained a bishop (Joseph Fiorenza, ordained a bishop in 1979 for San Angelo, later Bishop of Galveston-Houston in 1984).
- Frank Liberto — first priest born in the Diocese of Beaumont; parish founder
- John Tortorice — first Beaumont diocesan priest (ordained Dec. 17, 1938)
- Mary Quartararo (Sister Acquin) — first Beaumont woman to enter religious life
- Joseph Fiorenza — first native of the diocese to be ordained a bishop (1979)
From Italian to Vietnamese National Parish
St. Joseph began in 1905 as an Italian-American national parish, anchored by lay societies such as the San Salvatore Society, the League of the Sacred Heart, and the St. Joseph Altar Society. After decades serving Beaumont's Italian community, the parish transitioned into a Vietnamese-American parish during the wave of Vietnamese immigration to Southeast Texas in the 1970s and 1980s, and now celebrates Mass in both English and Vietnamese.
- San Salvatore Society
- League of the Sacred Heart
- St. Joseph Altar Society
The 1915 Hurricane & Rebuilding
In August 1915 the original St. Joseph church was destroyed by a hurricane that struck Southeast Texas. The Italian-American community rebuilt quickly, and the cornerstone of the present brick church was laid in late 1915 — the building that still stands at 1115 Orange Street today.
Devotions & Other Services
The most distinctive devotional tradition at St. Joseph is the praying of the Holy Rosary before the Saturday Vigil Mass. Vietnamese-language devotions continue to be central to parish life alongside English Mass and sacraments.
- Holy Rosary before the Saturday 4:30 PM Vigil Mass
- Vietnamese-language Mass on Sundays (10:00 AM) and weekdays (Tue–Thu 8:00 AM)
- Holy Day Vigil Mass in Vietnamese (6:30 PM)
Parish Ministries & Societies
St. Joseph's three historic lay societies — born from its Italian-immigrant roots — remain the most documented parish organizations: the San Salvatore Society, the League of the Sacred Heart, and the St. Joseph Altar Society. A fuller list of contemporary ministries is not published online; parishioners are encouraged to contact the parish office for current opportunities.
- San Salvatore Society
- League of the Sacred Heart
- St. Joseph Altar Society
Clergy & Diocesan Leadership
St. Joseph is currently pastored by Rev. Khue Bui. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Beaumont, whose current ordinary is Most Rev. David L. Toups, S.Th.D., the sixth Bishop of Beaumont, appointed by Pope Francis on June 9, 2020 and installed on August 21, 2020 at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica.
- Pastor: Rev. Khue Bui
- Diocese: Diocese of Beaumont
- Bishop: Most Rev. David L. Toups, S.Th.D. (since 2020)
Visit, Contact & Location
St. Joseph is located at 1115 Orange Street, Beaumont, TX 77701, in the downtown historic core just a few blocks from St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica. The parish office can be reached by phone at (409) 835-5662 or by email at [email protected]. Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to call ahead to confirm current Mass and confession schedules.
- Address: 1115 Orange Street, Beaumont, TX 77701
- Phone: (409) 835-5662
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish office hours — call to confirm
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father William Leepre-1905
Celebrated Mass for Italian immigrants at St. Anthony school and encouraged the community to establish St. Joseph.
- Frank Liberto
One of the founders of the parish; first person born in the Diocese of Beaumont to be ordained a priest.
- Rev. Khue Buicurrent
Current pastor, leading the parish as a bilingual English-Vietnamese community.