About St. Joseph · Cottleville, Missouri
St. Joseph Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Cottleville, Missouri, part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, serving the St. Charles County community from its campus at 1355 Motherhead Road in St. Charles (zip 63304). The parish's mission is to help each person encounter and follow Jesus Christ, and it describes itself as 'a Catholic Community Alive in Christ and On Fire for Mission.' It runs a parish school (St. Joseph Catholic School) and a Parish School of Religion (PSR), offers daily and Sunday Masses plus a daily Adoration Chapel, and is staffed by a pastor, two associate pastors, two permanent deacons, and lay faith formation and youth ministry staff.
- Established
- 1874
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Brian Fischer
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers the full rhythm of Catholic parish life — four Sunday Masses (7:00 am, 8:45 am, 10:30 am, 12:15 pm), a Saturday Vigil, and daily Mass Monday through Saturday — alongside a daily Adoration Chapel and regular Reconciliation. The parish grounds include a parish school, a Parish School of Religion for public-school children, a preschool housed in the 2019 Parish Hall, Bible studies and adult faith formation, and a Columbarium Wall in the cemetery, all on one Motherhead Road campus. Rooted in Cottleville since 1874, it combines small-town heritage with a robust school and youth ministry program staffed by two associate pastors and two permanent deacons.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm (and by appointment)
- Tuesday 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Friday 7:00 am – 7:45 am
Adoration times
- Monday 8:30 am through Tuesday 6:15 am
- Tuesday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Wednesday 8:30 am through Thursday 6:15 am
- Thursday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday 8:30 am through Saturday 7:45 am
- Saturday 12:00 am (24-hour?)
- Adoration Chapel Access Mon 8:30 am – Tues 6:15 am, Tues 8:30 am – Tues 5:00 pm, Wed 8:30 am – Thurs 6:15 am, Thurs 8:30 am – Thurs 5:00 pm, Fri 8:30 am – Sat 7:45 am
Parish History
St. Joseph Parish traces its origin to 1864, when roughly 35 Catholic families in the Cottleville area began organizing for worship. The first church — a two-story wood-frame building with the church upstairs and priest's quarters below — was dedicated on August 23, 1874 by Fr. Ferdinand Bormeier, OSB, after five local founders raised over $2,000 in pledges. A brick church followed in 1925, the current (third) church was dedicated by Archbishop Rigali on October 24, 1999, and the 1961 church was renovated into today's Parish Center.
- Founded 1874; current church dedicated October 24, 1999
- Five Parish Founders: John Buse Sr., Anton Hoester, Francis Menne, George Pfaft, Bernard Mennemeyer
- First resident priest: Fr. Joseph Riesdorff (1876)
- Longest-serving pastor: Fr. William Pezold (1932–1977, 45 years)
Parish Staff & Clergy
The pastoral team is led by Fr. Brian Fischer as Pastor, with Fr. Joshua Deters and Fr. Joseph Martin serving as Associate Pastors. Two Permanent Deacons — Deacon Thomas Burke and Deacon William Smith — assist with sacramental and parish life. Sara Huelsing is Director of Faith Formation (ext. 712) and there is a Director of Youth Ministry on staff.
- Rev. Brian Fischer — Pastor ([email protected], ext. 711)
- Rev. Josh Deters — Associate Pastor ([email protected], ext. 765)
- Rev. Joseph Martin — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Thomas Burke — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon William Smith — Permanent Deacon
- Sara Huelsing — Director of Faith Formation
Faith Formation
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) provides K–8 religious education for parish children enrolled in public school, meeting Monday evenings 5:30–6:45 pm. The program uses the 'Finding God' catechetical series from Sophia Institute and prepares students for Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and RCIC.
- Grades K–8, Monday evenings 5:30–6:45 pm
- Sacramental prep: Reconciliation & First Communion (Grade 2), Confirmation (Grade 8)
- RCIC for children needing Sacraments of Initiation
- Director: Sara Huelsing ([email protected], ext. 712)
Adult Faith Formation
Bible Studies and other adult faith formation opportunities are offered through the parish, supporting lifelong faith development in the tradition of Catechesi Tradendae.
- Bible Studies
- Lifelong faith formation for adults of all ages
St. Joseph Catholic School
St. Joseph Catholic School is a parish school under the direction of the Precious Blood Sisters of O'Fallon (historically) and now served by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia from Nashville (since 2007). It was founded in 1932 by beloved pastor Fr. William Pezold, with classes beginning in September 1932 with 38 pupils. The current school building was erected in 1970, with a gymnasium and a Library/Learning Center, Chapel, art room, music room, school and PSR offices, and a teacher's lounge added later.
- Founded 1932 by Fr. William Pezold
- Current school building erected 1970 (adjacent to the 1938 original)
- Served by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia since 2007
- Address: 1351 Motherhead Rd., St. Charles, MO 63304
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Joseph has a wide range of lay organizations and ministries, many founded under Fr. Maguire in the 1970s and continuing today. They support youth, outreach to the poor, spiritual devotion, fellowship, and parish fundraising traditions.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Legion of Mary
- Holy Name Society
- Christian Mothers
- Athletic Association
- Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies
- Quilting 'Bees'
- Parish Picnic and Fall Festival
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments. Sacramental preparation for children is offered through the PSR program; adult inquiries should contact the Parish Office.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion (Grade 2)
- Confirmation (Grade 8)
- RCIC for children
- Reconciliation: see confession times
- Matrimony — contact Parish Office
- Anointing of the Sick and Funerals — contact Parish Office
Facilities & Cemetery
The parish campus at 1355 Motherhead Rd. includes the current church (1999), the Parish Center (the renovated 1961 colonial-style church), the Parish Hall (2019, which houses the preschool), the school buildings (1938 and 1970) with gymnasium and Library/Learning Center, and the parish cemetery featuring a Columbarium Wall added in 2010. The original two 1877 bells — St. Joseph and John the Baptist — hang in the steeple of the current church.
- Parish Hall built 2019 (preschool)
- Columbarium Wall added to cemetery in 2010
- Parish Center: renovated 1961 church
Visit, Contact & Connect
Newcomers are warmly welcomed. The parish office can be reached at (636) 441-0055 or [email protected], and the school at (636) 441-0055 / [email protected]. Office hours are Mon/Tues/Thurs 8:00 am – 7:00 pm, Wed 9:00 am – 7:00 pm, Fri 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (closed weekends). Church access is Mon–Fri 6:00 am – 2:00 pm. Assistive Listening is available at Mass. The parish maintains a Facebook page and a Flocknote account for email and text updates.
- Parish phone: (636) 441-0055; fax (636) 926-7341
- School phone: (636) 441-0055; fax (636) 441-9932
- Flocknote email & text updates
- Parish Facebook page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Wapelhorstto January 1865 (transferred to Wisconsin)
Priest from St. Peters who organized the early Cottleville Catholics and held Masses in a farmhouse.
- Fr. Henry DeimelMarch–June 1873
Sent to organize the parish; repaired a farmhouse for worship and began sacramental registers.
- Fr. Eberhardt Gahr, OSBJuly–August 1873
Benedictine monk; collected pledges but fell ill with malaria.
- Fr. Ferdinand Bormeier, OSB1874
Dedicated the first church on August 23, 1874.
- Fr. Joseph Riesdorff1876–1886
First resident priest; fluent in German; purchased the two bells still in the current steeple.
- Fr. Hundhausenlater 19th c.
Elderly retired priest who revived services after a closure; brought German Holy Week customs including Tenebrae and Corpus Christi processions.
- Fr. Julius (Julias) Schultzto December 1909
Served nine years; parish then closed until November 1910.
- Fr. Herman Strieweto 1925 (15 years)
Built the 1925 brick church.
- Fr. Range1925–early 1930s (~7 years)
Built the six-room rectory in 1926.
- Fr. William Pezold1932–1977 (45 years)
Longest-tenured pastor; founded the parish school in 1932/1938 with the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood; died in office at age 84.
- Fr. Maguire1970–1976
Modernized school; launched first Kindergarten in 1971; many parish organizations founded under him.
- Fr. Griesedeck1976–1988
Served 12 years; died of cancer at 57; witnessed rural-to-suburban transition.
- Msgr. Whited1988–
Oversaw construction of the current (1999) church, school addition, and renovation of the 1961 church into the Parish Center.
- Fr. James CallahanAugust 2004–
Appointed by Archbishop Burke; promoted tithing/stewardship; brought Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia to the school in 2007.
- Rev. Brian Fischercurrent
Current pastor.