About St. Joseph · Fullerton, Maryland
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fullerton, Maryland is a vibrant Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Baltimore located at 8420 Belair Road, serving some 4,500 families from many cultures and backgrounds. Founded in 1850 by twenty-four families of mostly German and Irish origin, the parish today operates a large campus that includes the church, parish center, parish cemetery, a Blue Ribbon school, soccer fields, and a prayer labyrinth with Stations of the Cross. The parish's stated mission is to strengthen marriage and family through the sacramental life of the Church and to cultivate a shared commitment to conversion, discipleship, and evangelization.
- Established
- 1850
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Canisius Tah
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
St. Joseph Fullerton is a family-centered parish of roughly 4,500 households with five Sunday Masses, an active youth ministry, a Blue Ribbon parish school, and a network of 20+ ministries that include Eucharistic Adoration, Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, a parish cemetery, and international outreach in Uganda, Pakistan, Colombia, India and the Philippines. The parish's own mission statement — to strengthen marriage and family through the sacramental life and a shared commitment to conversion, discipleship and evangelization — shapes everything from its Lenten fish fries to its year-round faith formation for K–8, youth, young adults and adults in OCIA.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM in the Church
Adoration times
- Monday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM in the Parish Chapel (at the back of the Church building)
Parish History
St. Joseph was founded in 1850 by twenty-four families of mostly German origin with a few Irish immigrants. Redemptorist priests from Baltimore served the community in its earliest years, and Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos laid the cornerstone of the first church on Bucks School House Road. A parish school soon followed and moved to its current location in 1869; the parish's original Belair Road chapel was replaced by a larger church whose footprint now lies beneath the current parking lot.
- 1850 — parish founded by 24 families of German (and some Irish) heritage
- Cornerstone of first church laid by Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos on Bucks School House Road
- 1869 — school moved to its current location; girls then admitted
- 1968 — Father Burggraff Council #6021 of the Knights of Columbus instituted
- 1971 — present church dedicated December 14 after previous church was destroyed by fire
- 1877 — school founded by the Sisters of St. Francis
- 2011 — parish cemetery expanded
- 2016 — St. Joseph School named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
Clergy, Staff and Parish Leadership
The parish is currently led by Fr. Canisius Tah (Pastor) and Fr. Jamie Lancelotta (Associate Pastor), with Deacon Tim Maloney assisting. Day-to-day operations are supported by an Office Manager, Business Manager, Facilities Manager, Director of Religious Education & Youth Ministry, Director of Cemetery Management/Funeral Coordinator, an Administrative Assistant / VIRTUS Coordinator, and an Administrative Coordinator for Confirmation. Music ministry is shared by Dr. Ernie Barretta (Director of Liturgical Music) and Dave Schafer (Director of Contemporary Music), and the parish school is led by Principal Chrissie Ashby and Assistant Principal Kathi Trimble.
- Pastor: Fr. Canisius Tah
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Jamie Lancelotta
- Deacon Tim Maloney
- Office Manager: Connie Savage
- Business Manager: Norma Wagner
- Facilities Manager: Andrew Stauffer; Allyson O'Neill (Facilities)
- Director of Religious Ed (K-8) & Youth Ministry: Sherrie Palmateer
- Director of Cemetery Management / Funeral Coordinator: Barbara Mosco
- Director of Liturgical Music: Dr. Ernie Barretta
- Director of Contemporary Music: Dave Schafer
- School Principal: Chrissie Ashby; Assistant Principal: Kathi Trimble
- Administrative Assistant / VIRTUS Coordinator: Erica Stemski
- Confirmation Coordinator (volunteer): Rick Urbanski
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Religious Education is offered to students entering Kindergarten through 8th grade, with both an in-person Wednesday evening class (7:00–8:00 PM in the school) and a Home Study option; tuition is $80 for one parishioner child or $130 for two or more, and $130 / $180 for non-parishioners. Youth Ministry (led by Sherrie Palmateer) hosts monthly 'Fun Fridays' at the Gribbin Center and off-site outings (Urban Air Adventure, corn mazes, snow tubing) along with monthly service projects. The parish also supports Young Adult ministry, Online Learning, the Hillbilly Thomists men's group, and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those becoming Catholic.
- Religious Ed K–8 — Wednesdays 7:00–8:00 PM in the school; Home Study option
- Tuition: Parishioner $80 (1 child) / $130 (2+); Non-parishioner $130 / $180
- Youth Ministry nights at the Gribbin Center with monthly Fun Fridays and service projects
- Young Adult Ministry
- Online Learning resources
- Hillbilly Thomists (men's group)
- OCIA / Adult Sacraments
School — St. Joseph School–Fullerton
St. Joseph School–Fullerton was founded in 1877 by the Sisters of St. Francis and continues to operate a preschool, kindergarten, elementary and middle school program on the parish campus. The school was named a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education and has been repeatedly recognized as a Top Workplace. Admissions give priority to currently registered, active parishioners of St. Joseph Fullerton; the school office can be reached at (410) 256-8026.
- Founded 1877 by the Sisters of St. Francis
- 2016 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
- Offers Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary and Middle School
- School office: 410-256-8026
- Admissions priority to active registered parishioners of St. Joseph Fullerton
Outreach, Charity and International Missions
Outreach is a core part of parish life and ranges from local soup-kitchen service to international relief. A group of parishioners volunteers at Catholic Charities Our Daily Bread and at Beans & Bread in Fell's Point (Fridays, 10:30 AM–1:30 PM, 402 S. Bond Street). The St. Vincent de Paul Society Conference — meeting the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM — provides direct, short-term practical assistance (rent, utilities, food) to anyone in need. The parish also funds international relief through five partnerships administered by an Outreach Committee chaired by Glenda Habeych.
- Our Daily Bread — fourth Saturday of each month, 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
- Beans & Bread (Fell's Point) — Fridays, 10:30 AM–1:30 PM; casserole collection first Friday of the month
- St. Vincent de Paul Society Conference — meets first Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the Parish Center lower room
- Evangelization Team — apologetic/catechetical group welcoming visitors and supporting parish ministries
- International Outreach partnerships: Deoria (India), Cartagena (Colombia), Uganda, Karachi (Pakistan), Filipino Relief
- Recent Filipino Relief campaign raised $18,000 for San Mateo Parish in Isabela, Philippines
Parish Organizations
The parish hosts more than a dozen formal organizations that serve its social, charitable and cultural life. Father Burggraff Council #6021 of the Knights of Columbus — formally instituted January 31, 1968 and meeting at 4110 1/2 Pine Hill Road in Perry Hall since May 19, 1977 — is one of the most visible, with roughly 132 Brother Knights. Other groups include the African Catholic Community, Couples for Christ, Scouts, the Athletic Association, Hospitality Ministry, and a Safety and Security Ministry.
- Knights of Columbus — Fr. Burggraff Council #6021 (instituted 1968; ~132 members)
- African Catholic Community
- Couples for Christ
- Athletic Association and Soccer Fields on campus
- Scouts (Boy Scouts / Cub Scouts)
- Hospitality Ministry
- Safety and Security Ministry
- Prayer Network — daily prayer for parish petitions
Care and Support Ministries
A network of support ministries accompanies parishioners through life's difficult moments. Pastoral Ministers bring Holy Communion to the homebound, the elderly, and the sick, and conduct Communion services at assisted-living facilities including Brightview White Marsh, Brightview Perry Hall, and Catholic Charities Senior Housing on Fitch Avenue. Grief Ministry runs fall and spring support groups plus an annual November memorial prayer service; Caregivers Support (410-529-2540) assists those caring for loved ones; and Arimathea is a new ministry of retirees and work-from-home volunteers who help set up, serve at, and clean up after funeral liturgies.
- Pastoral Ministers — Communion visits to the homebound; assisted-living sites include Brightview White Marsh, Brightview Perry Hall, and Catholic Charities Senior Housing on Fitch Avenue
- Grief Ministry — fall and spring support groups; annual memorial prayer service in November; lending library
- Caregivers Support — phone line 410-529-2540
- Arimathea — funeral ministry; contact Barb Mosco at the Parish Office
Funerals, Cemetery and Music
The parish maintains an on-site cemetery dating to the 1850s and expanded in summer 2011. Most families purchase grave lots in advance as part of pre-planning; a Certificate of Ownership is issued when paid in full, and ownership is registered in the parish records. Barbara Mosco serves as Director of Cemetery Management and Funeral Coordinator. The Music Ministry combines traditional liturgical music under Dr. Ernie Barretta with a contemporary program led by Dave Schafer, supporting the Adult Choir at the 8:30 AM Mass and contemporary music at the 4:30 PM Vigil.
- Parish cemetery dates to the 1850s; expanded summer 2011
- Director of Cemetery Management / Funeral Coordinator: Barbara Mosco
- Lots purchased by appointment with Barbara Mosco
- Christian burial Mass precedes burial; cemetery of family choice also permitted
- Liturgical Music: Dr. Ernie Barretta
- Contemporary Music: Dave Schafer (4:30 PM Vigil)
Join Our Parish
New parishioners are invited to register online through the parish website or via a downloadable PDF form; registration captures family contact information, sacraments already received, marital status, school enrollment, and envelope preferences. The parish's mission statement — to strengthen marriage and family through the sacramental life of the Church and to cultivate conversion, discipleship and evangelization — frames everything from Mass to ministry. New families are especially invited to register for Flocknote communications and to explore the many ministries listed above.
- Online New Parishioner Registration (multi-step form) available at stjoefullerton.org/connect/join-our-parish
- Downloadable PDF registration form
- Flocknote parish communication and bulletin subscription
- Give Online for parish support
Contact, Address and Office Hours
St. Joseph Church is located at 8420 Belair Road, Baltimore, MD 21236 (Fullerton area), with the parish office open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM (closed 12:30–1:00 PM for lunch). The main parish phone line is (410) 256-1630, with fax (410) 529-2990, and the parish email is [email protected].
- Address: 8420 Belair Road, Baltimore, MD 21236
- Phone: (410) 256-1630
- Fax: (410) 529-2990
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–4:00 PM (closed 12:30–1:00 PM)
- School office: 410-256-8026