About St. Joseph · Forest City, Pennsylvania
St. Joseph Church in Forest City, Pennsylvania is a Roman Catholic worship site of Ascension Parish in the Diocese of Scranton. The church building was originally constructed in 1904 by the Slovenian immigrant community of Forest City under the leadership of Rev. J. Tomsic. In November 2010, St. Joseph was consolidated into the newly established Ascension Parish, which now serves the spiritual needs of about 460 families across Forest City, Vandling, Richmondale, and Browndale. Today St. Joseph functions as one of three worship sites of Ascension Parish, hosting the Saturday Vigil Mass, the 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, and weekday Masses on Mondays and Wednesdays.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Arun Lakra
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers a small-town Catholic community with deep roots in the Slovenian heritage of Forest City, while today being part of the larger, active Ascension Parish. Worshippers can take part in weekday and Sunday Masses at this historic 1904 church, the Sanctuary Course for Catholics addressing mental health, a weekly adult Bible study, RCIA as needed, a parish St. Vincent de Paul Fund for neighbors in need, and an active Altar & Rosary Society — all supported by a Parish Pastoral Council and Stewardship Council that welcome new involvement.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 8:00 – 8:20 a.m.
- Wednesday 8:00 – 8:20 a.m.
- Saturday 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
- Saturday 20 minutes before all Masses
- By appointment — call the parish office
About Ascension Parish & St. Joseph
St. Joseph Church is one of three worship sites of Ascension Parish, a Catholic community established in 2010 by the Diocese of Scranton. Ascension Parish serves about 460 families across Forest City and surrounding communities including Vandling, Richmondale, and Browndale. Although new as a legal entity, Ascension Parish carries forward the faith traditions of five once-separate Forest City parishes: Sacred Heart of Jesus (Polish), St. Agnes (Territorial), St. Anthony (Lithuanian), St. Joseph (Slovenian), and St. Michael (Slovak). The parish's core values are Celebration, Tradition, Hope, Charity, and Resilience, and its mission statement commits the community to worship, prayer, fellowship, and sharing the Gospel.
- Parish office: 612 Hudson Street, Forest City, PA 18421
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (closed 12–1 p.m.)
- After-hours emergencies: 570-785-7856
- Phone: (570) 785-3838
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: apskdp.org
History of St. Joseph
St. Joseph's history is the history of Slovenian Catholic life in Forest City. Slovenian immigrants began arriving in 1886 to work the anthracite mines, and by 1893 they had organized the fraternal St. Joseph's Lodge. Before they had their own church, Slovenian faithful attended St. Rose's in Carbondale, then St. Agnes' or St. Anthony's in Forest City. In 1904, with the adult Slovenian population near 300, the community built St. Joseph Church under Rev. J. Tomsic at a cost of $12,000. The church became the religious and social center of the colony; the 'Little Nightingale' singing society furnished music for Masses, and several KSKJ fraternal lodges — including the Society of St. Joseph #12 — organized parish life. In November 2010, St. Joseph was consolidated, alongside St. Agnes, St. Anthony, Sacred Heart, and St. Michael, into the newly created Ascension Parish.
- Founded: 1904
- Original pastor/builder: Rev. J. Tomsic
- Construction cost: $12,000 (not counting equipment and land)
- Fraternal society: Society of St. Joseph #12 (KSKJ)
- Singing society: Little Nightingale (Mali Slavec)
- Closed as independent parish: November 2010
Sacraments
Ascension Parish at St. Joseph Church celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Parents seeking Baptism are asked to choose godparents who are practicing Catholics and to present a certificate of eligibility from their own parish. First Communion is celebrated yearly in May, and Confirmation is held annually at St. Joseph Church in conjunction with St. Katharine Drexel Parish. Couples preparing for marriage, those seeking Anointing of the Sick, those interested in Natural Family Planning, and adults in RCIA are asked to contact the parish office for formation.
- Baptism — godparents must be practicing Catholics with certificate of eligibility
- First Communion — yearly in May
- Confirmation — annually at St. Joseph Church
- Marriage — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact parish office
- Natural Family Planning — contact parish office
- RCIA — as needed
Parish Staff & Clergy
Ascension Parish is led by Rev. Arun Lakra of the Heralds of Good News (HGN) missionary society, who was appointed Parish Administrator on July 19, 2022. He is assisted by Deacon Carl S. Albright. The lay staff includes a business manager, administrative secretary, Director of Religious Education, Music Director, and a website manager, who together serve both Ascension Parish and St. Katharine Drexel Parish.
- Rev. Arun Lakra — Pastor (appointed July 19, 2022)
- Deacon Carl S. Albright
- Jill Bailer — Business Manager
- Linda Bezek — Administrative Secretary
- Danielle O'Neill — Director of Religious Education
- Sue Debella — Music Director (Ascension Parish)
- Gerard O'Neill — Building and Grounds Coordinator (St. Juliana)
- Jordyn Bailer — Website Manager
Religious Education & Faith Formation
Faith formation for the parish's children and adults is coordinated by Director of Religious Education Danielle O'Neill, who can be reached at 570-642-1190 or [email protected]. In addition to the CCD program, the parish offers a weekly adult Bible study and the Sanctuary Course for Catholics, an eight-part small-group program addressing mental health through the lens of faith.
- CCD / Religious Education (Danielle O'Neill)
- Adult Bible Study (weekly)
- Sanctuary Course for Catholics — third Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at St. James Hall
- RCIA — for those preparing to enter the Church
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry at St. Joseph is led by Music Director Sue Debella. A professional musician directs the choir at St. Joseph Church, which sings at every Sunday Mass throughout the year — a fitting continuation of the Slovenian 'Little Nightingale' singing society that served the parish from its earliest years.
- Music Director: Sue Debella
- Choir at St. Joseph Church — sings every Sunday year-round
Outreach & Parish Life
Ascension Parish is deeply committed to charity and community life. The parish St. Vincent de Paul Fund, administered by the pastor, provides assistance to neighbors in need. Salvation Army uses Sacred Heart Hall once a month for community food distribution, and again in December to store and distribute Christmas gifts. Parishioners are active in the diocesan Men's and Women's Conferences, and a new Parish Stewardship Council works alongside the Pastoral and Finance Councils to plan parish life.
- St. Vincent de Paul Fund
- Salvation Army food distribution at Sacred Heart Hall (monthly and December)
- Diocesan Men's and Women's Conferences
- Parish Pastoral Council (active, with pastoral plan in development)
- Parish Finance Council (quarterly)
- Parish Stewardship Council (newly formed)
- Altar & Rosary Society
- Grief Support Group (monthly)
- Marriage Support and Enrichment
Contact & Visit
Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed at St. Joseph Church and at the Ascension Parish office in Forest City. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. An after-hours emergency line is available for sacramental emergencies.
- Parish Office: 612 Hudson Street, Forest City, PA 18421
- St. Joseph Church: 739 Delaware Street, Forest City, PA 18421
- Phone: (570) 785-3838
- After-hours emergencies: 570-785-7856
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://apskdp.org/