About St. Joseph Catholic Church · Commerce, Texas
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small, mission-minded parish serving Commerce, Texas, a college town in Hunt County in northeast Texas, since 1895. It is the easternmost parish in the Catholic Diocese of Dallas and enjoys a close relationship with Texas A&M University-Commerce, whose Catholic Student Organization is a vital part of parish life. About 200 families make up the congregation, gathering primarily for a single Sunday Mass and a full weekly schedule of weekday Masses and confessions. Worship takes place in a striking tornado-resistant Monolithic Dome sanctuary dedicated in 2008 and joined to the original 1955 church — now a fellowship hall — by an arched breezeway.
- Established
- 1895
- Patron
- St. Joseph (named in honor of Bishop Joseph P. Lynch)
- Rector
- Rev. Marcus Chidozie (Pastoral Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dallas
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a tight-knit, diverse Catholic community of roughly 200 families in the heart of the Texas A&M University-Commerce campus area — small enough that 'everyone knows everyone else' on Sundays, but active enough to offer daily Mass, regular Confession, Eucharistic Adoration, Faith Formation (CCD) for children, a vibrant Catholic Student Organization partnership with the university, and a Knights of Columbus council. The parish's recently paid-off Monolithic Dome sanctuary is a one-of-a-kind worship space that blends tornado-resistant modern engineering with the warmth of its 1955-era brick hall, and the community's track record of paying off a major building project a year early through the pandemic speaks to its resilience and generosity.
Mass times at St. Joseph Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:00–6:30 PM
- Saturday 4:30–5:00 PM
- Other times by appointment
Adoration times
- Adoration has been discontinued until further notice; a date will be set in the Fall to resume (previously Thursdays 6:00–7:00 PM).
Parish History
The Catholic presence in Commerce dates to 1895, when the mission was first established as St. Peter Catholic Church and tended from McKinney as one of several 'stations' (alongside Greenville, McKinney, Sulphur Springs and Wolfe City) by missionary priests of the new Diocese of Dallas. The parish was renamed St. Joseph Catholic Church in honor of the patron saint of Bishop Joseph P. Lynch, the third bishop of Dallas who served from 1911 to 1954 and oversaw the building of 150 churches across the diocese. A new church building was constructed on the present Monroe Street site in 1955.
- 1895: Parish founded as St. Peter Catholic Church
- Renamed St. Joseph Catholic Church in honor of Bishop Joseph P. Lynch
- 1955: New church building constructed on present site
- 1996: Father Stanley Corcoran assigned as pastor; begins push for larger sanctuary
- 2003: Father George P. Monaghan becomes pastor
- October 2008: New Monolithic Dome sanctuary dedicated by Bishop Kevin J. Farrell
- May 7 (recent): Mortgage-burning ceremony after the parish paid off its $400,000 building loan a year early
The Monolithic Dome Sanctuary
After years of outgrowing the 1955 church, the parish under Father George P. Monaghan built one of northeast Texas's most distinctive houses of worship: a Monolithic Dome sanctuary dedicated by Bishop Kevin J. Farrell in October 2008. The dome measures 88 feet in diameter with an 11-foot stemwall and a total height of 29 feet, enclosing roughly 6,000 square feet of interior space and seating about 400 worshippers. Architect Rick Crandall of Crandall Design Group in Mesa, Arizona, drew up the concept after a member of the diocesan building commission spotted it in a Monolithic brochure; the design is finished with cut-face block in warm, tannish brick tones that visually tie it to the older church.
- Diameter: 88 feet; stemwall height: 11 feet; total height: 29 feet
- Interior: ~6,000 sq ft; seating: ~400 worshippers
- Architect: Rick Crandall, Crandall Design Group (Mesa, AZ)
- Builder: Monolithic Constructors, Inc. (with KDW Construction Management)
- Tornado/disaster-resistant (FEMA 'near-absolute protection') and energy-efficient
The Old Church and the Arched Breezeway
When the new dome was completed, the 1955 church was not demolished but converted into the parish fellowship hall. The two buildings were deliberately joined at the same floor level by a 56' × 24' covered walkway/patio with three arched openings whose curve echoes the dome, allowing older and disabled parishioners to move between buildings without steps — and letting visitors 'sit out here and just enjoy nature' in any weather, as Father Monaghan put it.
- Old 1955 church repurposed as Parish Hall
- 56' × 24' covered arched breezeway connects the two
- Floors matched across both buildings for barrier-free access
Clergy and Staff
St. Joseph is served by a small but devoted pastoral team. The current pastor/pastoral administrator is Rev. Marcus Chidozie, who can be reached directly at his office number (903-246-3426). He is assisted by Deacon Joe Webber, who is regularly seen alongside the pastor at parish celebrations such as the mortgage-burning Mass. Day-to-day parish administration and CCD/Faith Formation inquiries are handled through the office administrative assistant.
- Rev. Marcus Chidozie — Pastor / Pastoral Administrator
- Deacon Joe Webber
- Parish office: 903-886-7135; fax: 903-886-8034
- Administrative assistant: [email protected]
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation classes (CCD) for children are held on Sundays from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. To enroll their children, parents must be registered members of the parish. Inquiries and the annual CCD calendar are handled through the parish office ([email protected]). The parish also previously listed a part-time Grades 9–12 Teacher/Sponsor position and an Administrative Assistant position.
- CCD classes: Sundays 10:30–11:30 AM
- Parents must be registered parishioners
- Contact: [email protected]
- Annual CCD calendar posted on the parish website
Catholic Student Organization of TAMU-Commerce
St. Joseph describes its relationship with Texas A&M University-Commerce as 'unique and wonderful.' The Catholic Student Organization of TAMU-C is considered a vital part of the parish family, and the parish hosts diocesan livestreams of Masses (via facebook.com/dallascath, youtube.com/dallascath, and cathdal.org) so that students and others unable to attend in person can still participate in the life of the wider Church.
- Parish serves as the Catholic home for many TAMU-C faculty, staff and students
- Catholic Student Organization of TAMU-C integrated into parish life
- Diocesan livestreams via facebook.com/dallascath, youtube.com/dallascath, www.cathdal.org
Knights of Columbus and Parish Life
St. Joseph hosts Knights of Columbus Council #16202 and Alfred N. Nicolas Assembly #2139, with Father Marcus Chidozie serving as Council Chaplain. The council has hosted visible parish-wide events such as the Silver Rose pro-life rosary service. Parishioners emphasize that the small size of the community, its diversity, and the single Sunday Mass foster unusually close bonds: 'Everyone knows everyone else. You see everyone every Sunday.'
- Knights of Columbus Council #16202 / Alfred N. Nicolas Assembly #2139
- Father Marcus Chidozie, Council Chaplain
- Silver Rose pro-life rosary service held at the parish
- Parish Council and Finance Committee active in parish governance
A 'Small, but Mighty' Milestone
The defining recent chapter in the parish's story is the May 7 mortgage-burning ceremony. After securing a $400,000 loan to build the dome sanctuary and renovate the parish campus, parishioners under Father Marcus Chidozie paid off every dollar — a year ahead of schedule and through the COVID-19 pandemic. The note-burning after Mass, led by Father Marcus, Deacon Joe Webber, finance-committee chair Denise Morgan and longtime council member Rich Lawrence, marked a moment of rare jubilation for a parish that calls itself, simply, 'small, but mighty.'
- $400,000 building mortgage paid off a year early
- Note-burning ceremony on May 7 after Mass
- Mortgage paid despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its financial aftermath
- Pastor Father Marcus Chidozie: 'We are small, but mighty.'
Visit, Contact, and Stay Connected
St. Joseph welcomes visitors and new parishioners. Parish information folders are kept in the foyer of the church for newcomers. The parish posts weekly bulletins and announcements on its website, and is also active on Facebook. The pastor can be reached directly at 903-246-3426, with the parish office at 903-886-7135 (fax 903-886-8034).
- Parish website: www.stjoetx.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/StJosephofCommerce/
- Office: 903-886-7135; Pastor: 903-246-3426
- Address: 2207 Monroe Street, Commerce, TX 75428
- Bulletin submissions: [email protected]
- Parish information folders available in the church foyer
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Stanley Corcoran1996–2003
Assigned as pastor in 1996; began the campaign for a new sanctuary.
- Father George P. Monaghan2003–
Succeeded Father Corcoran in 2003; oversaw design and construction of the Monolithic Dome sanctuary, dedicated October 2008. Discovered the dome concept while driving past Monolithic's factory and revived a set of architect Rick Crandall's concept drawings found at the back of a closet.
- Father Marcus Chidozie
Current pastor/Pastoral Administrator. Led the May 7 mortgage-burning ceremony marking the parish's debt-free milestone; serves as chaplain of Knights of Columbus Council #16202.