About St. Joseph · Danville, Pennsylvania
St. Joseph Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Danville, Pennsylvania, situated in the Diocese of Harrisburg and located in the heart of Montour County. Its roots trace to 1806, when traveling priests — including Saint John Neumann — visited the small Catholic community drawn to Danville by the iron industry and canal-building. The parish was formally established in the 1840s with its first church blessed in 1845, and the present historic church was dedicated by Bishop Jeremiah F. Shanahan on July 25, 1869, making it one of the oldest parishes in the diocese. Today St. Joseph serves the Danville area from its landmark Center Street location, with a Mass schedule of seven services per week, a vibrant faith formation program, and a parish-affiliated elementary school that has educated local students since 1890.
- Established
- 1845
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Kenneth C. Roth
- Diocese
- Diocese of Harrisburg
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a historic parish with deep roots in Danville — its 1869 church and 1880 bell tower are local landmarks — yet it remains a living, active community. Parishioners can worship at one of seven weekly Masses (including Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses), bring children to the parish-affiliated St. Joseph School (serving ages PreK-3 through grade 3 and growing), enroll in Faith Formation K-8, and join dozens of ministries ranging from OCIA and Youth Ministry to the Prayer Shawl Ministry, Prison Ministry at Camp Lewisburg, Mission Trips, and the Servants of Light Charismatic Prayer Group. Confession is available twice weekly, and the parish welcomes involvement through its Pastoral Council, Peace and Social Justice Committee, Respect Life Ministry, and many other groups.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM
- Saturday 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Parish Overview
St. Joseph Parish serves Catholics in Danville and the surrounding Montour County area as part of the Diocese of Harrisburg. The historic Center Street church has been a centerpiece of the community since 1869, with weekend Masses on Saturday evening and twice on Sunday, plus weekday Masses Tuesday through Friday. The parish also runs a PreK-3 through grade 3 elementary school, a Faith Formation program, and an extensive network of ministries for all ages.
Parish History
Catholic life in Danville traces back to 1806, when traveling priests, including Saint John Neumann, visited the small community. A small chapel was built in the 1830s for Irish canal workers and later lost. A permanent church on the corner of Center and Pine Streets was blessed in 1845, and the parish was officially established. The present church was constructed in 1868 and dedicated on July 25, 1869 by Bishop Jeremiah F. Shanahan — making it one of the largest parishes at the founding of the Diocese of Harrisburg.
Saint Hubert Parish and Saint James Mission
Two mission communities were absorbed into St. Joseph Parish over the decades. Saint Hubert's, serving German-descent Catholics, was dedicated on Bloom Street on June 26, 1864, and was dissolved in 1959; a Saint Hubert Chapel was added to St. Joseph Church in 1990 in its memory. Saint James Mission in Exchange, fourteen miles north, was built in 1888, expanded in 1909, and closed in 1952; a Saint James annex was added to the parish school in 2003.
The Church Building and 2012 Renovation
The most distinctive feature of the parish is its 90-foot bell tower topped by a four-sided clock. The 1880 bell, restored in 2003, continues to toll Mass times and the hours of the workday. In 2012 the church underwent a comprehensive renovation that added new doors, organ, sound system and lighting, refurbished the marble, pews, floors and the mural of Christ's crucifixion, and installed a new presidential chair in the sanctuary.
Parish Staff
St. Joseph Parish is led by Father Kenneth C. Roth and supported by a dedicated lay staff who keep the parish running day to day.
- Pastor: Rev. Kenneth C. Roth
- Parish Office Administrator: Melissa Willoughby
- Faith Formation Coordinator: Ron Toczek
- Bookkeeper: Ha Vu
- Youth Leader: Calista Slodysko
- Pastoral Musician: David Thielman
St. Joseph School
The parish has operated a Catholic school since 1890. Today St. Joseph School serves students in PreK-3 through third grade and draws enrollment from 15 school districts, 17 cities, and 15 parishes across the Diocese of Harrisburg. Recent growth has added Kindergarten (2019), PreK-4 (2020) and PreK-3 (2021), making it one of the fastest-growing private schools in Central Pennsylvania. Students prepare for and receive the Sacraments of Penance and First Holy Communion in second grade.
- Serving PreK-3 through Grade 3
- Academics plus Art, Music, PhysEd, Health, STEM, Spanish
- Service projects integrated throughout the year
- All teachers are certified
- On-site chef preparing school lunches
- Extracurricular activities including STEAM Club and Chess Club
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious Education at St. Joseph covers grades K through 8 and is coordinated by Ron Toczek. The parish also offers a Pre-school Program for ages 3 through 5 and ongoing Adult Bible Studies.
- Family Faith Formation for Grades K-8 — Ron Toczek
- Pre-school Program ages 3-5 (currently inactive) — Mary Zenyuh
- Adult Bible Studies — Holly Billet
Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA)
For those seeking to learn about or enter the Catholic Church, the parish offers OCIA. Sessions include Scripture, presentations on faith topics, and group discussion and faith sharing. Contact Ginny Haney for more information.
Youth and Young Adult Ministries
Youth Ministry is offered for children in 6th through 8th grades and for High School students, led by Calista Slodysko. The Young Adult Ministry — for those beyond high school through their thirties — provides social and spiritual opportunities especially around college breaks (currently inactive).
Prayer, Devotion and Spiritual Life
The parish supports a rich devotional life through lay-led prayer groups and devotional ministries.
- Parish Rosary Group — Fridays at 6:30 PM (Pete Taylor)
- Servants of Light Charismatic Prayer Group — weekly afternoon and evening sessions (Nancy O'Rourke)
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — shawls blessed and given to those in need (Kathi Kennedy)
- Ranger Rosary Group — rosaries for service members (currently inactive)
- Spiritual Direction by appointment (Susan Gregonis)
- Natural Family Planning and Fertility Care (Kim Burke)
Outreach, Charity and Social Justice
Outreach is a major part of parish life, coordinated through the Peace and Social Justice Committee and a variety of direct-service ministries.
- Peace and Social Justice Committee (Genie Hannon, Linda Marks)
- Prison Ministry — visits Camp Lewisburg (Irene Minang)
- North Secure Treatment Unit Outreach — Scripture reflections with teens (Irene Minang)
- Mission Trips — annual service trips to Catholic organizations serving the materially poor (Genie Hannon)
- Respect Life Ministry (Angela Rickabaugh)
- Meal Train Ministry — meals during illness, new baby, bereavement or crisis
- Mental Health Support Group — third Monday at 5 PM (Andrew & Ellen Matragrano)
- Ministry for Persons with Disabilities (Andrew Matragrano)
Liturgical Ministries and Parish Life
Many parishioners serve at Mass and in parish life. Liturgical roles include greeters, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, sacristans, and the Music Ministry, which coordinates cantors and instrumentalists. Parish leadership is provided through the elected Pastoral Council, which advises the pastor.
- Greeters — Tom Costlow
- Lectors — Andrew Matragrano
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — contact Fr. Roth
- Sacristans — contact Fr. Roth
- Music Ministry — currently vacant
- Pastoral Council — contact Fr. Roth
- Parish Festival (annual) — Margie Brouse
Adult Faith and Fellowship Groups
Adult parishioners have several options for faith enrichment and fellowship, from Bible study and women's ministry to a monthly book club.
- Adult Bible Studies (Holly Billet)
- Women's Ministry — meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday in the Parish Library (Angela Rickabaugh)
- Men's Group — discussion of Sunday Scriptures (currently inactive)
- Well-Read Mom Book Club — meets monthly around a yearly theme (Jenna Bennett)
- St. Giuseppe Moscatti Society — for doctors, nurses and medical professionals
Vocations and Pastoral Council
The Vocation Ministry Team meets monthly to help foster vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life in the parish, led by Joan Keehan. The Pastoral Council is an advisory body that discusses parish life with the pastor and makes recommendations, consisting of elected, appointed and staff members.
Sacraments
St. Joseph Parish celebrates all the usual Catholic sacraments. Confession is heard on Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons. First Penance and First Holy Communion are prepared within the St. Joseph School curriculum in second grade. Adults seeking Baptism or full communion enter through OCIA.
Visit, Contact and Location
The parish church is at 68 Center Street in downtown Danville, Pennsylvania. The parish office can be reached by phone at (570) 275-2512 or by email at [email protected]. On-site amenities include parking, restrooms, and a social hall.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Thomas McGovern1873-1888
Served as pastor; later appointed the second Bishop of Harrisburg.
- Father Timothy Marcoe
Pastor at the time of the 150th anniversary celebration in July 2019; led the parish's 'Day of the Lord' renewal year.
- Father Kenneth C. Rothfrom June 16 (announced 2019)
Came to St. Joseph Danville after serving as administrator of St. Joseph Parish in Mechanicsburg.