About St. Joseph · Gulfport, Mississippi
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 12290 DePew Road in Gulfport, Mississippi, belonging to the Diocese of Biloxi. Founded in 1966 according to GCatholic's records, the parish serves the north Gulfport community along the Mississippi Gulf Coast with a notably active sacramental life — daily weekday Masses, two Sunday Masses, regular confession, and weekly Eucharistic Adoration. Under the pastoral care of Fr. Joseph Uko, with Deacon Karl Koberger and parish administrator Michele Stoner, the parish operates a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, a CYO youth ministry, a Knights of Columbus council, and the St. Joseph Ladies' Guild, which is especially known for the elaborate St. Joseph's Day altar tradition celebrated each March.
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Joseph Uko
- Diocese
- Diocese of Biloxi
Why belong here
St. Joseph Catholic Church offers daily Mass Monday through Friday at 7:00 AM and two Sunday Masses (7:30 and 10:30 AM) — a rare rhythm on the Gulf Coast that lets working families and retirees pray together most mornings of the week. Wednesday's Communion Service is followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the parish offers Saturday confession plus a powerful first-Friday Adoration from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The parish lives out the Gospel concretely through its St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry (open Mondays and Thursdays), the CYO youth ministry for teens, the Knights of Columbus, and the Ladies' Guild that builds the beloved St. Joseph's Day altar each March — a warm, family-friendly Catholic community on DePew Road.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Also by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM (following the 7:00 AM Communion Service)
- First Friday 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Joseph Uko, with Deacon Karl Koberger assisting in liturgical and pastoral ministry. Michele Stoner serves as Office Administrator and is the main point of contact for parish registration, the commemorative brick program, and general inquiries. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday from 8:00 AM to noon (the office closes for lunch Monday through Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 PM).
- Fr. Joseph Uko — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Karl Koberger ([email protected])
- Michele Stoner — Office Administrator ([email protected])
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8 AM–4 PM; Fri 8 AM–12 PM
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a Religious Education program for children and youth in grades K–12, with online registration linked from the official website. CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) is the high-school youth ministry and meets Sunday evenings at 5:00 PM from September through May. It gives teens an opportunity to pray, meet other Catholic young people across the Diocese of Biloxi, and be involved in parish and community life. Amanda Lizana serves as the CYO Coordinator.
- Religious Education for grades K–12
- CYO Youth Ministry — Sundays 5:00 PM, Sept–May
- Coordinator: Amanda Lizana
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Joseph Catholic Church hosts several parish organizations that animate the community's spiritual, charitable, and social life. Together they cover faith formation, men's fellowship, women's heritage and outreach, and direct service to the poor.
- CYO / Youth Ministry (Coordinator: Amanda Lizana)
- Knights of Columbus — Catholic men's organization founded 1882 by Fr. Michael J. McGivney; charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism. Contact: Dennise Nowell, 228-860-4002
- St. Joseph Ladies' Guild — builds the annual St. Joseph's Day Altar
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry — see Outreach section
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The parish operates a St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry at 12290 DePew Road for residents of zip codes 39503 and 39574. The pantry distributes food on Mondays and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Households must present a Social Security card for each member of the household, a current Mississippi photo ID, and paper proof of current address. The pantry does not provide financial or utility assistance — it serves as a direct food-distribution ministry only.
- Location: 12290 DePew Road, Gulfport, MS 39503
- Hours: Mondays & Thursdays 10:00–11:00 AM
- Serves zip codes 39503 and 39574
- Bring Social Security cards, MS photo ID, and proof of residence
- No financial or utility assistance — food distribution only
The St. Joseph's Day Altar Tradition
Each March 19, the St. Joseph Ladies' Guild constructs an elaborate St. Joseph's Day Altar in the church, a Sicilian folk-Catholic tradition. According to legend, during a severe famine centuries ago, the people of Sicily prayed to St. Joseph for rain; when the drought broke, they prepared altars of bread, cookies, and offerings in gratitude — a tradition the parish continues today. Barbara Sowell, longtime president of the Ladies' Guild, has organized the altar annually. The altar is open for public viewing after an 8:00 AM Mass and remains available until 1:00 PM, and the church collects non-perishable food and monetary donations for the parish St. Vincent de Paul Society during the display.
- Held annually on or around March 19
- Built by the St. Joseph Ladies' Guild
- Open for public viewing after the 8:00 AM Mass until 1:00 PM
- Donations benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Society food pantry
- President: Barbara Sowell
Commemorative Brick Program
St. Joseph Catholic Church offers a Commemorative Brick fundraiser to support parish projects. Parishioners and supporters can purchase custom-engraved bricks honoring a parent, spouse, child, grandchild, or special person, or marking a wedding, anniversary, graduation, First Communion, birth, or in-memory tribute. Orders can be placed online through the brick vendor or by printable form turned in to the parish office / placed in the collection basket. Questions are directed to Michele Stoner at the parish office.
- Online ordering: donate.brickmarkers.com/stjos
- Printable order form available; checks accepted
- Contact: Michele Stoner, 228-832-3244, [email protected]
Communications & Online Giving
The parish maintains an active online presence through several channels linked from its website, including a YouTube channel that streams Masses and liturgies, a Facebook community page called 'St. Joseph Friends,' and a Flocknote parish text-and-email system. Parish registration, K–12 Religious Education registration, and electronic giving through WeShare are all available through the official website. Links to the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, the USCCB, and the Vatican are also provided for catechetical resources.
- St. Joseph YouTube Channel (livestreamed Masses & liturgies)
- St. Joseph Friends Facebook Page
- Flocknote — parish text & email system
- Electronic Giving via WeShare
- Online parish registration
- Religious Education registration K–12
Diocese of Biloxi
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Biloxi, the Roman Catholic diocese covering the southern Mississippi Gulf Coast region. The Diocese of Biloxi's parish finder lists St. Joseph as an active parish in the Gulfport deanery, alongside the neighboring St. Therese of Lisieux in Gulfport (also founded in 1932, historically a Josephite parish) and other parishes across the Mississippi Sound.
- Diocese: Diocese of Biloxi
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Region: Mississippi Gulf Coast