St. Joseph

Our Mission & Identity

St. Joseph Catholic Church's mission is rooted in the First Letter of Peter: 'You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light' (1 Peter 2:9). The parish frames itself as a 'Tower of Faith in the West End and Cumminsville,' calling parishioners to be a light in the world through both worship and outreach to the poor and neglected of the city. Its congregation is now drawn from across Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, while the parish itself remains rooted in the West End.

History of St. Joseph Catholic Church

St. Joseph was founded in March 1846 on a 96-by-200-foot lot at Linn and Laurel Streets in Cincinnati's West End, as one of three parishes (along with St. Mary's and St. John the Baptist) that grew out of Holy Trinity — the first German-speaking Catholic parish in the United States, established in 1834 by Archbishop John D. Purcell. The combined church-and-school building was dedicated December 20, 1846. In 1898 Father William Scholl oversaw a Golden Jubilee renovation that brought seventeen stained-glass windows from Innsbruck, Austria; oak pews; European bells; a hand-carved altar and Stations of the Cross; and Bavarian murals by William Lemprecht. The original church stood 112 years before being razed in 1965 due to urban renewal; the current, smaller church at 745 Ezzard Charles Drive was dedicated that same year.

• 1846 — Parish founded at Linn and Laurel Streets, Cincinnati's West End
• 1847 — St. Joseph Catholic School begins (the oldest Catholic school in Cincinnati)
• 1896–1921 — Father William Scholl serves as the 'building priest'
• 1898 — Golden Jubilee celebrated November 20
• 1949 — Father Clement J. Busemeyer, O.F.M. begins his term; parish $60,000 in debt
• 1956 — Father Clarence Rivers ordained; placed at St. Joseph as associate pastor
• 1964 — Father Rivers premieres 'God Is Love' at the National Liturgical Conference
• 1965 — Original church razed for urban renewal; smaller current church dedicated

Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes

St. Joseph is part of the Our Lady of Guadalupe (OLG) Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Under OLG, priests serve multiple parishes: Fr. Rudy (Pastor) keeps office hours at St. Boniface and St. Therese Little Flower; Fr. Miguel Torres serves as Parochial Vicar / Director of Evangelization at Holy Family and St. Leo; and Fr. Samuel Yacob serves as Parochial Vicar / Director of Worship at St. Joseph and St. Leo.

• St. Boniface
• St. Therese Little Flower, Mt. Airy — 5560 Kirby Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45239
• Holy Family, Price Hill — 814 Hawthorne Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45205
• St. Leo, North Fairmount — 2573 St. Leo Pl, Cincinnati, OH 45225
• St. Joseph, West End — 745 Ezzard Charles Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45203

Liturgical Ministries

Parishioners are invited to serve in one of several liturgical ministries that make the Sunday Mass a 'life-giving celebration.' Each role comes with its own training and formation. The Music Ministry, currently led by Mrs. Shon Hubble, continues the African American Catholic liturgical tradition rooted in Father Clarence Rivers' pioneering work.

• Acolyte (Server) — assists the priest throughout the celebration of the Liturgy; training required; contact Father Rey or Deacon Edwards
• Announcer — welcomes the people and makes announcements before Mass; training provided; business attire
• Lector — proclaims the Word of God at Mass; training and preliminary assessment required
• Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion — must be 18+, confirmed Catholic, and (if married) in a Church-recognized marriage; ongoing training
• Usher — ministers of hospitality who greet, seat, hand out bulletins, and take up the collection
• Music Ministry (Choir / Musician) — leads sung prayer; contact Mrs. Shon Hubble in the parish office

Parish Outreach, Fellowship & Volunteer Life

St. Joseph has a deep culture of volunteer service. Outreach ministries include St. Vincent de Paul, Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary, Rachel's Angels, the SJCS Alumni Association, the Produce Pantry, and the Caregiver's Group. Fellowship is built through long-standing traditions such as Fellowship Sunday (4th Sunday), the Senior Luncheon (2nd Sunday), Thanksgiving Basket, Seder Meal, Fish Fry, and the Parish Cookout. The parish also runs Bereavement, Funeral Greeter, and Funeral Lunch ministries, and is supported by active Finance, Parish Council, and Revitalization committees.

• St. Vincent de Paul Conference — Gwen Dukes, President
• Knights of Peter Claver — Robert Harris, Grand Knight (513-807-8501)
• KPC Ladies Auxiliary — Gayle Burton, Grand Lady (513-301-8151)
• Parish Council — Lee Wilson, President (2025); Dionne Johnson, Chair (2026)
• Finance Committee — Bill Jefferson and Lester Freeman
• Revitalization Committee — Bill Jefferson and Bob Sanker
• St. Joseph Catholic School Alumni Association — Joan Smith Beason (513-641-0763) and Joyce Edwards (513-281-0727)

Sacraments at St. Joseph

St. Joseph offers the full range of Catholic sacraments. Parents wishing to baptize an infant should call the parish office or use the church website. Marriages are scheduled through the church website. The Anointing of the Sick is available to anyone in the hospital or facing surgery — call the parish office or notify through the website. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is offered for those becoming Catholic. Confirmation preparation is parish-based and typically takes place every two years for baptized Catholics who have already received Reconciliation and First Eucharist and are at least 12 years old; in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Confirmation is conferred between ages 12 and 16. Confession is heard Tuesdays and Thursdays as listed above.

• Baptism
• Confirmation (parish-based preparation, ages 12–16)
• Reconciliation (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
• First Eucharist
• Marriage (Matrimony)
• Anointing of the Sick
• RCIA for adults

Parish Staff & Leadership

The parish is staffed by Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) and supported by a dedicated lay team and council leadership. As of the most recent (March 2026) bulletin, Rev. Louis Okot, MCCJ, is the new pastor. Earlier bulletins list Rev. Rodolfo 'Rudy' Coaquira-Hilaje, MCCJ, as pastor, along with parochial vicars Rev. Gianluca Rosa, MCCJ, Rev. Samuel Yacob, MCCJ, and Rev. Miguel Torres, MCCJ.

• Rev. Louis Okot, MCCJ — Pastor (welcomed March 8)
• Rev. Rodolfo Coaquira-Hilaje, MCCJ ('Father Rudy') — Pastor / Pastor of OLG Family of Parishes
• Rev. Gianluca Rosa, MCCJ — Parochial Vicar
• Rev. Samuel Yacob, MCCJ — Parochial Vicar / Director of Worship, OLG Family of Parishes
• Rev. Miguel Torres, MCCJ — Parochial Vicar / Director of Evangelization, OLG Family of Parishes
• Deacon Dennis Edwards
• Mrs. Shon Hubble — Music Minister
• Ms. Mary Roberson — Business Manager (ext. 13)
• Mrs. Jean Brown — Receptionist (ext. 10)
• Mrs. Gwen Dukes — President, St. Vincent de Paul Conference
• Mr. Robert Harris — Grand Knight, Knights of Peter Claver
• Mrs. Gayle Burton — Grand Lady, KPC Ladies Auxiliary

Joining the Parish & Supporting St. Joseph

New parishioners can register by visiting the parish office in the building next to the church, completing the online registration form on the website, or printing the PDF and mailing it to the parish office or placing it in the collection basket. The parish's homepage publicly notes that St. Joseph is currently in financial distress and working to revitalize, reorganize, and bring back a full school presence; donations are invited through the 'Donate Now' button on the home page.

• Register online via the parish website
• Register in person at the parish office
• Print and mail the registration form to 745 Ezzard Charles Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45203
• Donate online through the 'Donate Now' button on the homepage