About St. Joseph · Downingtown, Pennsylvania
St. Joseph Parish is a Roman Catholic community in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, in the Chester County North Deanery of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Founded in 1851, it is one of the largest parishes in the archdiocese, with more than 4,400 families and 14,500 parishioners, and it operates an elementary school (Pre-K through Grade 8), a cemetery on Glenside Road, and a perpetual Adoration Chapel in the Holy Family Center. The current church on Manor Avenue was solemnly dedicated by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput on June 15, 2013, replacing the 1971 church and incorporating stained-glass windows salvaged from closed Philadelphia parishes. The parish is staffed by a pastor, two parochial vicars, and two permanent deacons, and runs a wide range of ministries from PREP religious education and Pre-Cana marriage prep to Fiat Families, Legion of Mary, and youth and eldercare programs.
- Established
- 1851
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Christopher B. Rogers
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia (Deanery: Chester County North)
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a large, active Catholic community with one of the most generous Mass schedules in Chester County — six Sunday Masses plus a livestreamed 10:30 AM Mass, daily 7:00 and 9:00 AM weekday Masses, and perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the Holy Family Center. Families with school-age children can enroll at the parish's own Pre-K-through-8 Catholic school, staffed by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and adults can grow through PREP religious education, Pre-Cana marriage preparation, Fiat Families for young couples, Legion of Mary, men's Bible study, and a prayer shawl ministry. The parish also welcomes those needing the Sacrament of Reconciliation three times a week and operates a St. Vincent de Paul-style eldercare outreach — all on a single, walkable campus in the heart of Downingtown.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Wednesday: 6:30 AM
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM
- Wednesday: 6:30 PM
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration in the Holy Family Center, 332 Manor Avenue — open any time
Parish Identity & History
St. Joseph Parish was founded in January 1851 and has served the Downingtown community continuously for more than 170 years. The parish grew into the second-largest in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, prompting a major capital project: a new 30,000-square-foot church dedicated by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput on June 15, 2013. Stained-glass windows salvaged from closed Philadelphia churches and a bell tower built for the 150th anniversary give the present-day campus a layered sense of Catholic heritage in Chester County.
- Founded: January 1851
- Deanery: Chester County North, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- New church dedicated June 15, 2013
- Saved stained-glass windows from closed Philadelphia parishes
- Bell tower from the 150th anniversary preserved on grounds
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Christopher B. Rogers, supported by Parochial Vicars Rev. Alexander B. Cross and Rev. Stephen A. Moerman, and Permanent Deacons Matthew D. Coyne and Michael P. Murtha. A wider pastoral team includes Deacon Ed Shiappa (Parish Ministry Coordinator), Rev. Andrew J. Auletta, and Rev. Louis J. Monica (School Minister at Bishop Shanahan High School). Lay staff direct religious education, music, communications, youth ministry, facilities, and parish business operations.
- Rev. Christopher B. Rogers — Pastor (also an Archdiocesan Missionary of Mercy)
- Rev. Alexander B. Cross — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Stephen A. Moerman — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Matthew D. Coyne
- Deacon Michael P. Murtha
- Deacon Ed Shiappa — Parish Ministry Coordinator
- Rev. Andrew J. Auletta
- Rev. Louis J. Monica — Bishop Shanahan High School
- Kathleen Greco — Director of Religious Education
- Allan Anderson — Business Manager
- Paul Futer — Music Director
- Anne Metz — Youth Ministry Coordinator
- Kelly Ennis — St. Joseph Eldercare Program
- Mary Beth Mostyn — Communications Coordinator
- Mary Ann Korpics — Assistant to the DRE
- Darrin Preston — Facilities Manager
- Carol Orphanos — Bookkeeper
- Joyce Castaldi — Parish Secretary
- Dodie Milano — Receptionist
- Janet Schramm — Evening/Weekend Receptionist
Faith Formation & Religious Education (PREP)
The Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) provides sacramental preparation and ongoing catechesis for children not enrolled in the parish school. The published PREP Family Handbook requires that candidates for Penance, Eucharist, and Confirmation complete at least two years of religious education immediately preceding the reception of each sacrament. Class cancellations due to weather follow the Downingtown Area School District and are announced on KYW 1060 AM.
- Weekly and monthly class tracks
- Two-year preparation required for Penance, Eucharist, Confirmation
- In-person dismissal policy for K–Level 2 children
- Weather closings follow Downingtown Area School District (KYW 1060 AM)
Marriage Preparation — Pre-Cana
St. Joseph Parish runs its own Pre-Cana program, named for the wedding feast at Cana in John 2:1–12. The program is facilitated by six to ten married couples and is offered twice a year for engaged couples preparing for Catholic marriage.
- Spring session: March 13 & 14, 2026
- Autumn session: October 23 & 24, 2026
- Facilitated by 6–10 married couples
- Coordinator: Deacon Michael Murtha
Young Couples — Fiat Families
Fiat Families is a young-couples ministry designed for married couples with young children who feel caught between Young Adult groups and other established ministries. The group meets twice a month in gender-specific gatherings (wives on the second Tuesday, husbands on the fourth Tuesday, 7:30–9:00 PM) so each spouse can build community while the other stays home with the kids.
- Two gatherings per month (alternating wives/husbands)
- Evening meetings 7:30–9:00 PM
- Begins and ends in prayer; emphasis on community first
- Designed for married couples with young children
Parish Groups & Devotions
The parish supports a wide range of ongoing groups for prayer, study, fellowship, and outreach. Several meet weekly at the parish campus; others, like the prayer shawl ministry, gather on Thursday mornings to knit and pray for those in need.
- Legion of Mary — Tuesdays 7:00–9:00 PM
- Men's Bible Study — Thursdays 6:00 AM
- Prayer Shawl Meeting — Thursdays 9:30–11:30 AM
- Beloved! — Tuesdays 7:00–8:30 PM
- Youth Ministry (Anne Metz, coordinator)
- St. Joseph Eldercare Program (Kelly Ennis)
St. Joseph Catholic School
Founded by the parish and located on the same Manor Avenue campus, St. Joseph Catholic School provides academic instruction from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade. The school motto — 'Grounded in Faith, Giving through Service, Growing in Knowledge' — reflects its Christ-centered mission. Religious faculty include the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who also maintain their convent on parish grounds, alongside lay teachers.
- Pre-K through Grade 8
- Principal: Sister Lisa Ann Golden, I.H.M.
- Address: 340 Manor Avenue, Downingtown, PA 19335
- Phone: 610-269-8999
- Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on faculty and in residence
Music & Liturgy
Music ministry at St. Joseph is coordinated by Music Director Paul Futer. The new church's daily Mass chapel and larger nave provide flexible spaces for the parish's multiple Sunday Masses, and the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass is livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
- Music Director: Paul Futer
- Six Sunday Masses accommodate choir and musician scheduling
- Livestream of the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass
- Daily Mass chapel for weekday liturgies
Campus, Cemetery & Facilities
The parish campus is centered on Manor Avenue in the historic borough of Downingtown and includes the new church (338 Manor Avenue), the rectory (332 Manor Avenue), the Holy Family Center (which houses the perpetual Adoration Chapel), the parish school (340 Manor Avenue), and the IHM convent. A parish cemetery is maintained on Glenside Road, Downingtown 19335. Parking was expanded when the 1971 church was demolished in summer 2013.
- Church: 338 Manor Avenue
- Rectory: 332 Manor Avenue, 19335-2543
- Holy Family Center (Adoration Chapel)
- School: 340 Manor Avenue
- Cemetery: Glenside Road, Downingtown 19335
- Parking expanded post-2013
Visit, Contact & Accessibility
The parish office is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (closed Saturday). The office closes for lunch from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM on weekdays. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia parish profile confirms that the church and meeting room are accessible, and an accessible restroom is available.
- Phone: 610-269-8294
- Fax: 610-269-2487
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon 8–7, Tue 8–4, Wed 8–7, Thu 8–4, Fri 8–4, Sun 9–1:30 (closed 12–1 weekdays for lunch)
- Accessible church, meeting room, and restroom
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Joseph C. McLoone
Pastor during the 2007–2013 new-church project; presided as pastor at the June 15, 2013 Solemn Dedication by Archbishop Chaput.
- Rev. Christopher B. Rogers
Current pastor per the Archdiocese of Philadelphia parish page; also named a Missionary of Mercy by the Archdiocese.