About St. Joseph Church (St. Damien of Molokai Parish) · Poquonock, Connecticut
St. Joseph Church is one of two church buildings that make up St. Damien of Molokai Parish, a Catholic community in Windsor, Connecticut — historically rooted in the Poquonock village in the northwest part of town. The parish itself was formed in 2017 by merging the former St. Joseph Parish (founded 1892) and St. Gabriel Parish (1921), with St. Gertrude Parish added in 2020, consolidating all of Windsor's Catholics under one unified parish served by the Archdiocese of Hartford. St. Joseph sits at 1747 Poquonock Avenue and continues to celebrate Mass alongside St. Gabriel Church in Windsor Center.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- St. Joseph (parish church); parish-wide patron is St. Damien of Molokai
- Rector
- Father Joseph Moonnanappallil (Pastor since June 30, 2025)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Hartford
Why belong here
St. Damien of Molokai Parish welcomes all Catholics and visitors to a unified community rooted in more than a century of faith in Windsor. Across its two church campuses — the historic St. Joseph in Poquonock and St. Gabriel in Windsor Center — parishioners find active liturgical ministries (lectors, extraordinary ministers, altar servers, hospitality), music programs for adults and youth, faith formation for every age, Knights of Columbus and Legion of Mary groups, and outreach through Helping Hands, Prayer Shawl, Rosary Makers, and Social Action. A Prayer Wall on the parish website lets anyone post intentions that are lifted up at Mass and by fellow visitors.
Mass times at St. Joseph Church (St. Damien of Molokai Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Monday – Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Adoration Chapel at St. Joseph)
- Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Adoration Chapel at St. Joseph)
- First Friday Holy Hour (parish-wide devotion; see parish announcements)
Welcome to St. Damien of Molokai Parish
St. Damien of Molokai Parish is the unified Catholic parish serving the entire town of Windsor, Connecticut. Formed in 2017 and enlarged in 2020, it now operates across two historic church campuses: St. Gabriel Church in Windsor Center (which also houses the Parish Office) and St. Joseph Church in the Poquonock village. Father Joseph Moonnanappallil, ordained in India in 1992 and incardinated in the Archdiocese of Hartford in 2023, has served as Pastor since June 30, 2025. The parish describes its mission as serving Jesus Christ by loving God and each other, spreading the Good News, and making new disciples in the community.
Our Two Churches and the Parish Office
Although they are now one parish family, each campus retains its own distinct identity, congregation and schedule. St. Gabriel Church (379 Broad Street) hosts the Parish Office and is the administrative center. St. Joseph Church (1747 Poquonock Avenue) is the historic Poquonock church. Together they offer a full schedule of weekend Vigil Masses, Sunday Masses, daily Masses, and ongoing Adoration.
St. Joseph Church – Poquonock
The 1892 Gothic-style red-brick church in the Poquonock village of Windsor. It retains its original stained-glass windows, a mural of the Crucified Christ with skull and crossbones over the main altar, and a pipe organ in the loft. Mass is celebrated here on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. (Vigil), Sundays at 9:30 a.m., and weekdays (Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri) at 7:30 a.m. The Adoration Chapel at St. Joseph is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
St. Gabriel Church – Windsor Center
St. Gabriel Church, the second campus of the parish, hosts Mass on Saturdays at 5:15 p.m. (Vigil) and Sundays at 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., along with weekday daily Masses shared with St. Joseph.
A Shared History
Catholic life in Windsor dates back to 1827, when the first Catholic Mass was offered for Irish canal workers. St. Mary's Church in Windsor Locks became the mother parish, with St. Joseph in Poquonock begun as its mission in 1886 and made independent in 1892, and St. Gabriel established in 1921 after serving as a mission for decades. On June 29, 2017, Archbishop Leonard P. Blair decreed the merger of St. Joseph and St. Gabriel into St. Damien of Molokai Parish; in October 2020 St. Gertrude Parish joined as well, uniting all of Windsor's Catholics under one banner.
- 1827 – First Catholic Mass offered for Irish canal workers in Windsor
- 1886 – St. Joseph mission begun from St. Mary's, Windsor Locks
- 1892 – St. Joseph becomes an independent parish
- 1900 – Lithuanian immigrants join St. Joseph's as a spiritual home
- 1921 – St. Gabriel Parish established in Windsor Center
- 1947 – St. Gertrude Parish founded
- June 29, 2017 – Merger creates St. Damien of Molokai Parish
- October 2020 – St. Gertrude subsumed into St. Damien of Molokai
Meet Our Pastor
Father Joseph Moonnanappallil became the second pastor of St. Damien of Molokai Parish on June 30, 2025. A native of Kerala, India, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Palai in 1992 and came to the United States in 2007 with the support of then-Archbishop Henry J. Mansell. After serving in various Hartford Archdiocese parishes, he was incardinated in Hartford on February 2, 2023. His message on the parish website invites visitors to familiarize themselves with the community through the parish webpages and to join in the celebration of the Mass.
Ministries of the Mass
Liturgical ministries form the backbone of parish worship. Lay faithful serve as Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors, Hospitality ministers (Greeters and Ushers), and in the broader Liturgy Ministry. Volunteers care for the parish through Buildings & Grounds and lead the Funerals ministry that supports grieving families.
- Altar Servers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors (Readers)
- Hospitality (Greeters/Ushers)
- Liturgy Ministry
- Buildings & Grounds
- Funerals ministry
Faith Formation and Music
St. Damien of Molokai Parish offers a full life-long faith formation program for children, youth, and adults, paired with parish music programs that enhance the liturgy.
- Adult Faith Formation
- Bible Study
- Legion of Mary
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Youth Faith Formation (Religious Education Office at St. Gabriel School, 77 Bloomfield Avenue)
- Adult Choir
- Youth choir
Youth Faith Formation & Family Life
The Religious Education Office is located at St. Gabriel School, 77 Bloomfield Avenue, and is staffed by Director of Faith Formation Ms. Victoria Ascherman ([email protected], 860-683-0366) and Faith Formation Assistant Ms. Sharon Danforth ([email protected]). The program is committed to helping parents and guardians form their children's faith, reinforcing what is taught and shared at home in the light of the Gospel.
Parish Life and Outreach
Beyond the liturgy, the parish cultivates community and service through a rich network of lay groups. Helping Hands members use their talents of knitting, crocheting and sewing. The Prayer Shawl ministry creates shawls for the sick, bereaved and elderly. Rosary Makers craft and distribute hand-made rosaries to people who have never owned one. Social Action and Social Ministry attend to the needs of others. The Knights of Columbus and Legion of Mary provide longstanding Catholic fraternal and devotional fellowship.
- Helping Hands (knitting, crocheting, sewing)
- Prayer Shawl
- Rosary Makers
- Social Action
- Social Ministry
- Knights of Columbus
- Legion of Mary
- Homebound ministry
Sacraments
Information about preparing for and receiving the sacraments can be obtained through the Rectory Office. The parish coordinates Baptism, Marriage preparation, Funeral liturgies, Communion to the Homebound, and the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for those entering the Catholic Church. Youth Faith Formation provides catechesis for children preparing for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation.
Devotions
The parish sustains a strong Eucharistic Adoration schedule at the St. Joseph Adoration Chapel and gathers for a First Friday Holy Hour devotion. The Rosary Makers, Legion of Mary, and Prayer Shawl groups extend Marian and devotional life beyond the Mass schedule.
- Daily Eucharistic Adoration (Mon–Thu 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) at St. Joseph
- First Friday Holy Hour
- Legion of Mary
- Prayer Shawl
- Rosary Makers
Contact & Office Hours
The Rectory Office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The parish can be reached by phone at 860-688-4905, by fax at 860-688-2638, and by email at [email protected]. The parish office is located at St. Gabriel Church, 379 Broad Street, Windsor, CT 06095. Faith Formation contacts are [email protected] (Director) and [email protected] (Assistant).
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John P. Melnick2017 – founding pastor
Led St. Joseph and St. Gabriel parishes into the 2017 merger that created St. Damien of Molokai Parish.
- Father Joseph Moonnanappallil2025 – present
Born in Kerala, India; ordained 1992 for the Diocese of Palai; arrived in the U.S. in 2007; incardinated in the Archdiocese of Hartford on February 2, 2023; became Pastor of St. Damien of Molokai Parish on June 30, 2025.