About St. Joseph · Corydon, Indiana
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis located at 312 E. High Street in Corydon, Indiana — the historic town that served as Indiana's first state capital. Founded in 1896, the parish now serves about 520 households in Harrison County and operates alongside its twin parish, St. Mary in Lanesville, under the shared name 'The Catholic Community of St. Mary & St. Joseph' (catholic-community.org). The parish is led by Father Kyle Rodden and is anchored by St. Joseph Catholic School (PK-8), which Father Rodden calls 'our largest ministry.' St. Joseph is known locally for its very active St. Vincent de Paul Society, daily Eucharistic Adoration, and its long tradition of forming young Catholics in southern Indiana.
- Established
- 1896
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Kyle Rodden
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Parish #065, Harrison County)
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a historic, growing parish in the heart of Corydon, Indiana, where about 520 households worship at a single site just steps from the town's first-capitol historic district. Daily and Sunday Masses, weekly confession times at both the Saturday afternoon and Friday afternoon slots, and almost-round-the-clock Eucharistic Adoration (doors open 7 a.m.–9 p.m. on many days) make it a true center of prayer. The parish runs its own PK-8 school — described by Father Kyle Rodden as 'our largest ministry' — alongside active St. Vincent de Paul outreach, multiple Bible studies, a women's fellowship (Blessed Is She), a Knights of Columbus council, and middle-school youth ministry. It is a community where deep-rooted local Catholic families and newcomers worship side by side.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM (at St. Mary, Lanesville)
- Thursday: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (at St. Mary, Lanesville)
- Friday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM (at St. Joseph, Corydon)
- Saturday: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (at St. Joseph, Corydon)
- After the 8 AM First Saturday Mass (followed by rosary and confession opportunity every month)
Adoration times
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM (at St. Joseph)
- Wednesday: 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM (at St. Mary, Lanesville) and 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (at St. Joseph)
- Friday: 8:15 AM – 1:30 PM with the school (at St. Joseph)
- Adoration chapel doors are open from approximately 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM most days; check Adoration Pro for the live schedule
- Monthly 'Holy Hour Happy Hour' – Mass at 6:15 PM, Holy Hour at 7:00 PM, fellowship at 8:00 PM (rotates between St. Mary and St. Joseph)
About St. Joseph Catholic Church
St. Joseph Catholic Church has served the Catholics of Corydon and Harrison County, Indiana, since its founding in 1896. The parish sits in the historic downtown of Corydon — Indiana's first state capital — and today shares pastoral staff, a website, and a sacramental schedule with its sister parish, St. Mary in Lanesville, under the banner 'The Catholic Community of St. Mary & St. Joseph.' With about 520 registered families and a church that seats roughly 450, St. Joseph combines deep historical roots with a notably young and growing family demographic.
- Founded 1896
- 520 households, church capacity ~450
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis — Parish #065
- Located 0.2 miles from the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site
History of the Parish
St. Joseph was established in 1896 in Corydon, the former capital of Indiana. The parish's founding was supported by leading local Catholics, including hardware merchant and banker J.J. Bulleit, who arrived in Corydon in 1882 and was identified in National Register documentation as 'influential in establishing St. Joseph's Catholic Church and Cemetery.' The parish celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2021. In recent years it has grown by attracting both commuters to Louisville and newcomers from across the country, while the parish school has expanded back to a full PK-8 program.
- 1896 — parish founded
- 1882 — Bulleit family arrives; J.J. Bulleit later instrumental in establishing the parish and cemetery
- 2021 — 125th anniversary
- 2021–2022 — grades 7 and 8 restored at the parish school; preschool expanded
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Joseph is led by Father Kyle Rodden, pastor, and is supported by two permanent deacons and a full lay staff. The Catholic Community of St. Mary & St. Joseph shares its staff between the two worship sites in Corydon and Lanesville.
- Pastor: Rev. Kyle Rodden
- Deacons: Richard Cooper, Timothy Elder
- Executive Assistant to the Pastor: Brian Schunemann
- Parish Secretary: Dawn Lewis
- Business Manager: Catherine Donovan
- Facility Manager: Brian Combs
- Director of Communications: Makayla McCarty
- Youth Minister: Katie Warren
- Director of Evangelization and Discipleship: Benjamin Reinhart
- Director of Music Ministry: Sarah Breslin
Faith Formation & Bible Studies
The parish offers multiple ongoing Scripture study and faith-sharing groups that meet throughout the week at both worship sites. Programs include a Sunday morning study, a Thursday morning Little Rock Scripture Study, a Tuesday morning women's Bible study using the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, and men's faith-sharing groups.
- Sunday Morning Bible Study — 9:15–10:45 AM, St. Mary Parish Life Center (uses FORMED and 'Opening the Word')
- Thursday Morning Bible Study — 9:15–10:15 AM (fall/winter), St. Mary Parish Life Center; studying Acts of the Apostles
- Tuesday Morning Women's Bible Study — 10:30 AM–12:00 PM, St. Joseph Fr. Pius Room; studying Genesis
- Men's Faith Sharing Group — 1st Sundays, 6:30 PM (Oct–May), St. Mary Parish Life Center
- Men's Lenten Prayer Breakfasts — Saturdays in Lent, rotating local churches
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
The parish runs an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for adults seeking to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. Team members volunteer as sponsors and walk alongside those in formation, meeting on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at St. Joseph.
- OCIA team — Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM at St. Joseph
- Sponsor program for catechumens and candidates
Youth Ministry
St. Joseph's youth ministry is led by Youth Minister Katie Warren and focuses on middle-schoolers in grades 6–8. Weekly gatherings, monthly drop-ins at the school, a summer program, and a vocation retreat for girls form the core of the year, with additional monthly events hosted by the deanery.
- Middle School Youth Ministry — grades 6–8
- Weekly Gathering: Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM in the St. Joseph Parish Hall Gym (during the school year)
- Middle School Drop-in: 1st Tuesday of each month, 3:00–4:30 PM, St. Joseph Catholic School
- Summer Daze — Tuesdays in June
- 'Graced' Vocation Retreat for Girls — August
- Deanery Middle School Monthly Events with parish-van transportation
St. Joseph Catholic School (PK-8)
Located at 512 N. Mulberry Street in Corydon, St. Joseph Catholic School serves as the parish's largest ministry, in the words of Father Kyle Rodden. The school offers preschool through 8th grade with 76 students enrolled and is led by Principal Kevin Rice. After dropping grades 7–8 for roughly two decades, the school restored a seventh-grade class in 2021 and an eighth-grade class in 2022, while adding new preschool classes for 3- and 4-year-olds. Daily worship is built into school life: Mass, Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, or the rosary is offered each day, and Fridays close with song, Benediction and reposition of the Blessed Sacrament before dismissal. Students in grades 2–8 who have made their first confession may receive the sacrament of reconciliation once a month.
- St. Joseph Catholic School (PK-8)
- Principal: Kevin Rice — [email protected]; 812-738-4549
- 512 N. Mulberry St., Corydon, IN 47112
- 76 students enrolled
- Grades 7 and 8 restored in 2021–2022
- Daily Mass / Morning Prayer / rosary; monthly confession for grades 2–8; Friday Benediction
Outreach & Service
Outreach to the wider Harrison County community is led by the parish's very active St. Vincent de Paul Society, which Father Rodden says 'tries to meet every need that comes to the door' — including rent help, utilities, food and other assistance, especially for lower-income families in the county. The Knights of Columbus (Pope John Paul II Council #1808, based in Lanesville) also serves the Catholic parishes of Harrison County through faith, family and community programs.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — parish-based outreach to the poor of Harrison County
- Knights of Columbus — Pope John Paul II Council #1808 (Lanesville); 2nd Tuesdays at 6 PM
- Service & Advocacy ministry category
Fellowship & Parish Life
Beyond Mass and Confession, the parish offers a wide range of fellowship and small-group opportunities — from a women's fellowship and the monthly 'Holy Hour Happy Hour' to the parish's signature Carpenter Cafe program.
- Blessed Is She — women's ministry, 2nd Saturdays 9–11 AM, St. Joseph Theology Classroom
- Carpenter Cafe — parish fellowship and dialogue program
- Ageless Angels — senior ministry
- Prayer List — parish-wide prayer intentions
- Life in the Spirit Seminar
- Marian Movement of Priests cenacle
Sacraments
St. Joseph celebrates all seven sacraments. Sacramental preparation for children is woven into the parish school and OCIA programs; couples should contact the parish office for marriage preparation. A dedicated Sacramental Emergency line is answered around the clock.
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion & First Reconciliation (grades 2–8 may receive reconciliation monthly)
- Confirmation
- Matrimony / Marriage (contact the parish office)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Sacramental Emergency: 812-738-2717
Visit, Contact & Practical Info
St. Joseph Catholic Church is at 312 E. High Street, Corydon, IN 47112. The parish office is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM and Thursday from 12:00 to 5:00 PM. Mass and confession times are split between this site and St. Mary Catholic Church, 2500 St. Mary's Dr., Lanesville — both share a single website at catholic-community.org and a single Catholic-community Facebook page. Sacramental emergencies are handled 24/7 at 812-738-2717.
- Address: 312 E. High St., Corydon, IN 47112-1299
- Office phone: 812-738-2742
- Fax: 812-738-2718
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: catholic-community.org
- Sacramental Emergency: 812-738-2717
- Office hours: Tue & Wed 8:00 AM–1:00 PM; Thu 12:00–5:00 PM
- Sister site: St. Mary Catholic Church, 2500 St. Mary's Dr., Lanesville, IN 47136