About St. Joseph · Fairhaven, Massachusetts
St. Joseph Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, entrusted to the pastoral care of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.) — the religious community that founded the parish in 1905. The parish's mission statement reads: 'A Catholic Community Called by God to Love, Witness, Evangelize & Serve.' St. Joseph is part of the Diocese of Fall River, runs a K-8 Catholic school (St. Joseph School) on its campus, and offers daily and weekend Mass, the Sacraments, faith formation for children and adults, youth ministry, a bereavement ministry, and outreach through the parish. The church building is wheelchair accessible and the parish actively welcomes new parishioners.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Fr. Maiki Kamauoha, ss.cc. (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a welcoming, multi-generational Catholic community rooted in the charism of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with a strong parish school, an active faith formation program for children and adults, daily and weekend Mass, regular confession, and a real sense of family. The parish is small enough that parishioners know one another, yet it runs a wide range of ministries — youth ministry, a bereavement ministry that hosts an annual All Souls Memorial Mass, lector and music ministries, a parish business directory, and outreach to the homebound — making it easy to get involved.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45 – 4:15 p.m.
- By appointment any time (call the parish office)
- Seasonal Penance Services as announced
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Joseph Parish describes itself as 'A Catholic Community Called by God to Love, Witness, Evangelize & Serve.' Its pastoral care has been entrusted since its founding to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.) — the same religious community that established the parish in 1905 as one of its earliest American missions. The parish is led by Fr. Maiki Kamauoha, ss.cc. (Parish Administrator), assisted by Deacon Douglas Medeiros (Pastoral Assistant), and is part of the Diocese of Fall River. The parish welcomes new parishioners and invites anyone interested in joining to call the church office.
- Parish Administrator: Fr. Maiki Kamauoha, ss.cc.
- Pastoral Assistant: Rev. Deacon Douglas Medeiros
- Music Director: Ms. Ruth Monty
- Secretary / Bookkeeper: Ms. Catherine Barboza
- Director of Faith Formation: Mrs. Melissa DeTerra
- Diocese: Fall River
History of St. Joseph Parish
The Catholic presence in Fairhaven began on May 21, 1905, when the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts celebrated the first Catholic Mass in town at Phoenix Hall — just days after five SS.CC. missionaries from the Belgian Province arrived in Boston. Within a year, the original St. Joseph's Church on the southwest corner of Spring and Adams streets was dedicated (February 11, 1906). As the congregation grew, a larger replacement church was built on the northwest corner of Spring and Adams and dedicated on May 3, 1925; this remains the current St. Joseph's Church, and the parish school was later built alongside it on Spring Street. Throughout its history, St. Joseph has remained in the care of the SS.CC. Fathers, who are known locally for the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart devotion and for their pastoral work throughout the SouthCoast.
- 1905 — First Catholic Mass in Fairhaven (Phoenix Hall, May 21)
- 1906 — Original St. Joseph's Church dedicated (Feb. 11, SW corner of Spring & Adams)
- 1925 — Current St. Joseph's Church dedicated (May 3, NW corner of Spring & Adams)
- Pastoral care entrusted to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's Faith Formation program serves children and adults, and is directed by Mrs. Melissa DeTerra (phone 508-287-2640; Faith Formation Office located near the parish office in the church basement). The parish also runs an Adult Faith Formation program, which is where RCIA / adult inquiry classes are typically housed. A Youth Ministry program is also active at the parish, and is listed as a top-level page on the parish website.
- Director of Faith Formation: Mrs. Melissa DeTerra
- Faith Formation Office: 508-287-2640 (located near the parish office)
- Children's Faith Formation (K-8)
- Adult Faith Formation (including inquiry / RCIA)
- Youth Ministry
St. Joseph School
St. Joseph School is the parish's K-8 Catholic elementary school, located right on the parish campus at 100 Spring Street, Fairhaven. According to the parish site and Diocese of Fall River, the school is dedicated to 'proclaiming the love of God as found in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary' and provides a faith-based, nurturing, and academically rigorous education. The current administrative team includes Principal Mrs. Tara Frost, Assistant Principal Mrs. Krystie Medeiros, Secretary Mrs. Justyna Duzynski, Bookkeeper Mrs. Renee Sullivan, and Campus Minister Sr. Muriel Lebeau, ss.cc. (Earlier principals include Heidi Kuliga, who was appointed under pastor Fr. Stephen Banjare.)
- Address: 100 Spring Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719
- Phone: (508) 996-1983; Fax: (508) 996-1998
- Website: http://www.saintjosephschool.org
- Facebook: Stjosephschoolfairhaven
- Principal: Mrs. Tara Frost
- Assistant Principal: Mrs. Krystie Medeiros
- Campus Minister: Sr. Muriel Lebeau, ss.cc.
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Beyond the Mass and sacraments, St. Joseph runs a wide range of ministries designed to build community and serve the broader Fairhaven area. The Bereavement Ministry hosts an annual Memorial Mass on All Souls Day (Nov. 2) for parishioners who have lost a loved one in the past year, with a photo board displayed in church and a buffet luncheon in Damien Hall afterward. The Lector Ministry is actively recruiting new lectors (especially for the 4:30 p.m. Mass — training provided). Other initiatives include a Men's Retreat, a Parish Business Directory connecting parishioners to one another's businesses and services, and a Gold & Silver Fundraiser that has raised thousands of dollars for the parish building fund.
- Bereavement Ministry — hosts the 13th Annual Memorial Mass on All Souls Day
- Lector Ministry — currently recruiting for the 4:30 p.m. Mass
- Music Ministry (Ms. Ruth Monty, Director)
- Parish Business Directory Initiative
- Men's Retreat
- Gold & Silver Fundraiser (building fund)
- Outreach to homebound / sick (through the office)
Devotions & Sacred Hearts Spirituality
Because St. Joseph has been in the care of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary since its founding, the parish's devotional life is marked by the SS.CC. charism. The parish bulletin explicitly references the 'Enthronement of the Sacred Heart' as a regular devotion. Historically, the SS.CC. Fathers established the National Center of the Enthronement in the United States at the Academy of the Sacred Hearts in North Fairhaven, and later published the country's first Enthronement magazine, Social Reign. The parish also celebrates an annual Memorial Mass for the deceased Pope (e.g., a Memorial Mass for Pope Francis was held on April 26, 2025).
- Enthronement of the Sacred Heart (regular devotion, listed in the parish bulletin)
- Pastoral care by the SS.CC. (Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary) since 1905
- Memorial Masses for deceased Popes and other special intentions
- Seasonal Penance Services during Advent and Lent
Visiting, Registering & Getting Involved
New parishioners are warmly welcomed at St. Joseph. Registration forms are available at the parish office and on the parish website, and the bulletin encourages new families to complete and return them with a phone number and email address. The parish invites anyone interested in joining or getting involved (as a lector, in youth ministry, in the Bereavement Ministry, etc.) to call the church office. Travelers can also find Mass times on the road through CatholicMassTime.org, linked from the parish homepage.
- New parishioner registration: forms available at the office and on the parish website
- Office hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Phone: (508) 994-9714
- Office is located in the church basement; Pastor's office on the 2nd floor next to the elevator
- Church is wheelchair accessible
Contact, Location & Practical Info
St. Joseph Parish is located in the heart of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, on Spring Street at the corner of Adams, sharing its campus with St. Joseph School. The parish office is in the church basement, the pastor's office is on the second floor (with elevator access), and the church itself is wheelchair accessible. The parish's mailing address, phone, fax, and email are all listed on the parish website and in the weekly bulletin.
- Address: 74 Spring Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719 (parish office); school at 100 Spring Street
- Phone: (508) 994-9714
- Fax: (508) 979-4659
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Website: http://stjosephparishfairhaven.weebly.com/
- Facebook: Stjosephfairhaven
- Diocese: Diocese of Fall River (https://www.fallriverdiocese.org/parish/st-joseph-2/)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Stephen Banjare
Served as pastor of St. Joseph Parish (mentioned in diocesan announcement of new school principal)