About St. Joseph · Greenville, Mississippi
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in historic downtown Greenville, Mississippi, in the heart of the Mississippi River Delta. The parish is dedicated under the patronage of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and its most major apostolate is Saint Joseph Catholic School, which combines Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary (Pre-K3 through Grade 6) and Saint Joseph School (Grades 7-12). The community describes itself as a welcoming, Eucharistic family bound together in prayer, charity, the Gospel, and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Liturgical life centers on a Sunday Solemn Mass, daily weekday Masses, a devout Adoration schedule, and the long heritage of a Dutch-Gothic sanctuary built in 1908.
- Established
- 1858
- Patron
- Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. José de Jesús Sánchez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jackson (Mississippi)
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers the rare combination of a small-town Catholic family atmosphere with the full sacramental and devotional life of a historic parish. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Thursday at 12:10 pm and Friday morning, the Sunday Solemn Mass at 10:30 is supported by the Parish Choir, and a strong Adoration schedule (Tuesday 7:30 am–6:00 pm and Friday 8:00 am–noon) gives parishioners a regular hour with the Blessed Sacrament. A long list of active ministries—Youth Ministry, RCIA, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Monica's Prison Ministry, Acolytes, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Sacristans, Ushers, Fellowship and Bereavement Committee, Finance Council, and more—means newcomers of any age, talent, or background can plug in quickly. Families with children benefit from the parish's integrated Saint Joseph Catholic School, which has served Pre-K3 through Grade 12 on the same campus since 1888.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Times available — please contact the parish office at 662-335-5251 for the current confession schedule
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 12:30 pm – 6:00 pm (in the church; on school days in the Adoration Chapel)
- Tuesday: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
About St. Joseph Parish
Saint Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in historic downtown Greenville, Mississippi, in the heart of the Mississippi River Delta. The parish is dedicated under the patronage of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and its most major apostolate is Saint Joseph Catholic School, which combines Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary (Pre-K3 through Grade 6) and Saint Joseph School (Grades 7-12). The community describes itself as a welcoming, Eucharistic family, seeking to know, love, and serve God in this life through prayer, charity, the Gospel, and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist—so that together they may live with Him in eternity.
- Located in the Mississippi River Delta region along the western edge of Mississippi
- Faith, Family, Tradition motto
- Pastoral Motto: 'Worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth'
Our History
The parish was organized in 1858 by traveling missionary priests, who first celebrated Mass in the home of Lewis Caffall. After the Civil War destroyed the original townsite, a new Greenville was laid out in 1866 and Father Mayes was appointed in April 1867 as the first resident parish priest. A frame Victorian Gothic church was dedicated by Bishop Elder on Thanksgiving Day 1875 at 412 Main Street. The present Dutch Gothic sanctuary was designed by Father Paul Korstenbroek, a Dutch nobleman-architect from Haarlem, built 1907-1908, and dedicated November 23, 1908. It houses Emil Frei stained glass, hand-carved German altars, and a bell cast by Henry N. Hooper of Boston. Major renovations came in the 1980s, again in 2007-2008 through the Reilly estate, and finally through a bequest from the estate of Salvadore Sarullo that replaced the slate roof and comprehensively updated the interior and exterior.
- 1858 — congregation organized under patronage of St. Joseph; first Masses in the Lewis Caffall home
- 1867 — Father Mayes named first resident parish priest
- 1875 — frame Victorian Gothic church dedicated on Thanksgiving Day by Bishop Elder
- 1886 — Father Korstenbroek arrives; school and convent of St. Rose of Lima built (Sisters of Mercy staff it)
- 1907-1908 — present Dutch Gothic sanctuary designed and built by Father Korstenbroek and architect Theodore Brune; dedicated Thanksgiving Day 1908
- 1915 — lightning strikes the steeple; records prior to 1875 destroyed
- 1980s, 2007-2008, and Sarullo-funded renovations restore and update the building
Parish Staff
The parish staff combines clergy, administrative, and maintenance roles to serve both the church and Saint Joseph Catholic School. Day-to-day operations are coordinated through the parish office.
- Pastor — Rev. José de Jesús Sánchez
- Office Manager — Rayetta Serio ([email protected])
- Accountant — Clara Mandolini
- Director of Youth Ministry — Robert Smith
- Maintenance and Grounds
Devotions & Other Services
Beyond the Mass schedule and Adoration, the parish keeps a robust devotional life. The Rosary is prayed Mondays at 11:30 am and before every Sunday Mass, and Stations of the Cross are held Friday evenings at 5:30 pm in the church throughout Lent (volunteers are needed to carry the cross and candles).
Sacraments
In keeping with Catholic tradition, St. Joseph celebrates all seven sacraments instituted by and through the life of Jesus Christ: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. The parish's Sacramental Preparation programs—RCIA for adults and ongoing formation for children—prepare candidates to receive these sacraments worthily. Contact the parish office for more information on celebration and preparation.
- Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist
- Sacraments of Healing: Penance, Anointing of the Sick
- Sacraments of Vocation: Holy Orders, Matrimony
Parish Life & Ministries
Parish life at St. Joseph is built around liturgical, social-justice, and fellowship ministries, so that every parishioner can use their gifts to glorify God and serve others. Liturgical ministries include choir, lectors, acolytes, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, sacristans, and ushers; social-justice work includes visiting the homebound, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and St. Monica's Prison Ministry; and other activities include Youth Ministry and the annual parish fair.
- Parish Choir (10:30 am Sunday High Mass, Sept–Corpus Christi)
- Youth Ministry
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Stations of the Cross (Friday evenings in Lent)
- Flowers and Grounds Committee
- Offertory Counters
- Finance Council
- Ushers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Sacristans
- Lectors
- Acolytes (any Catholic who has made First Holy Communion may join)
- Fellowship and Bereavement Committee
- Saint Vincent de Paul Society (food and clothing assistance)
- St. Monica's Prison Ministry
- Adoration hour volunteers
Faith Formation & Youth
The Youth Ministry program is designed to foster maturity in the Catholic faith as disciples of Jesus Christ are formed and prepared to answer a call to vocation. The program maintains an active presence on Instagram and Facebook @st.joseph_catholic_youth. Adult formation is provided through the RCIA process for those preparing to receive Catholic sacraments.
Outreach & Social Justice
St. Vincent de Paul members seek to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the marginalized through food and clothing assistance—volunteers are always needed. St. Monica's Prison Ministry brings the faith to the incarcerated in the Delta. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion may also be commissioned to bring Communion to homebound and hospitalized parishioners.
Saint Joseph Catholic School
Saint Joseph Catholic School is the parish's most major apostolate and serves as a single Pre-K3-through-Grade-12 institution on the parish campus. The school is organized into two divisions: Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary (Pre-K3 through Grade 6) and Saint Joseph School (Grades 7-12). Since 1888 it has committed itself to an authentically Catholic mission, providing excellence in scholarship to a well-balanced and diverse student body, and meaningful service to the broader Greenville community. (Information drawn from the parish website and stjoeirish.org.)
- Founded 1888
- Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary: Pre-K3 – Grade 6
- Saint Joseph School: Grades 7–12
- Authentically Catholic mission with academic excellence and community service
Architecture, Art & Heritage
The sanctuary at 412 Main Street is one of the architectural treasures of the Mississippi Delta. Designed in true Dutch Gothic style by Father Paul Korstenbroek with cues from his native cathedral in Haarlem and built 1907-1908, it features the original pews, German hand-carved high altar and two side altars, Emil Frei (Munich) stained-glass windows in the intricate Munich-Pictorial Style, and a 550-pound bronze bell cast by Henry N. Hooper of Boston. The rose window from the original 1874 frame church was preserved and incorporated into the 1908 sanctuary. A marble relief in the building was gifted by William Alexander Percy in honor of his mother. The 1980s renovations, the 2007-2008 Reilly estate renovation, and the later Salvadore Sarullo estate-funded restoration (new slate roof, flooring, lighting, sound, brickwork, altar extensions, and a cry room) keep the building alive while preserving its heritage.
- Dutch Gothic sanctuary designed by Father Paul Korstenbroek
- Emil Frei (Munich) stained glass in Munich-Pictorial Style
- 550-lb bronze bell cast by Henry N. Hooper of Boston (Paul Revere bell-casting lineage)
- Hand-carved German high altar and two side altars
- Rose window preserved from the 1874 frame church
- Marble relief gifted by William Alexander Percy in honor of his mother
- Sarullo-funded restoration: roof, flooring, lighting, sound, brickwork, altar extensions, cry room
Newcomers & Parish Registration
Whether a visitor, someone seeking a new parish home, a returning Catholic, or someone exploring the Catholic Church, St. Joseph welcomes all. The website's newcomers page walks visitors through the church's location (412 Main Street, Greenville, MS 38701), Mass times, and the steps to register as a parishioner or to begin inquiry into the Catholic faith. There are four welcoming pathways identified for visitors: register as a parishioner, return to the Catholic faith, learn about Catholicism, or become Catholic.
- 412 Main Street, Greenville, MS 38701
- Mass times clearly listed for Saturday, Sunday, and weekdays
- Four newcomer pathways: register, returning Catholic, learn about Catholicism, become Catholic
Visit Us — Contact & Location
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Joseph by phone at 662-335-5251 or by email at [email protected]. The parish office is located at 412 Main Street, Greenville, MS 38701. An interactive map with driving directions is available on the parish's contact page.
- Phone: 662-335-5251
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 412 Main Street, Greenville, MS 38701
- Interactive map available on the parish's Find Us / Contact page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Mayes1867 – November 1868
First resident parish priest along the river from Friars Point to Mayersville, appointed by Bishop Elder.
- Father Joseph Queland1876 – 1877
Of St. Patrick's in Lake Providence, LA; administered St. Joseph's during a shortage of priests in the Natchez and Little Rock dioceses.
- Father F. Gasulpy1878 –
Appointed by the Natchez Diocese to take over the parish.
- Rev. Canon Paul John Korstenbroek1886 – 1920
Dutch nobleman and architect-priest from Haarlem; built the school and convent of St. Rose of Lima (with the Sisters of Mercy) and designed the present Dutch Gothic church, completed 1908, using his entire $42,000 paternal inheritance.