About St. Joseph · Howell, Michigan
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Howell, Michigan, located at 440 East Washington Street in the Diocese of Lansing. The parish serves Livingston County with a full sacramental life including daily and weekend Masses in English and Spanish, ongoing Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, faith formation for children and teens, and outreach to the homebound. It is also home to St. Joseph Catholic School (preschool through 8th grade) and Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Currently led by pastor Fr. Gary Koenigsknecht and parochial vicar Fr. Brett Ivey, the parish mission is "to invite and accompany one another to encounter Jesus and grow in love of God and neighbor through a sacramental life."
- Established
- 1888
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Gary Koenigsknecht
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lansing
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers one of the most active sacramental and devotional lives in Livingston County, with daily Mass, three Sunday English Masses plus a Spanish Vigil Mass, and Eucharistic Adoration every Tuesday evening, Friday all day, and Saturday morning. Families are supported by a parish school (PreK-8), a Building the Domestic Church faith formation program with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for young children, Confirmation prep, Totus Tuus summer youth camps, and a Homebound Ministry that brings Holy Communion to the sick. A wide range of prayer groups — Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Flame of Love, Padre Pio Healing Ministry, Band of Brothers men's group, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help devotions — make this a true spiritual home for English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics in Howell.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (after 6:30 PM Mass)
- Friday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Saturday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- By appointment — call the parish office
- Additional seasonal (Lent / Advent) Reconciliation Services in the Livingston Vicariate — see bulletin
Adoration times
- Tuesday 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM (following 6:30 PM Mass; Benediction at 8:30 PM)
- Friday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
About St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Howell, Michigan, within the Diocese of Lansing. Founded in 1888, it has served Livingston County for more than 135 years from its campus at 440 East Washington Street. The parish mission, as stated by the Parish Pastoral Council, is "to invite and accompany one another to encounter Jesus and grow in love of God and neighbor through a sacramental life." The parish is a worshipping community offering Mass in English and Spanish, daily and perpetual-style Eucharistic Adoration, the sacraments, faith formation for all ages, and outreach to the homebound.
- Founded 1888
- Diocese of Lansing
- Parish mission: invite and accompany one another to encounter Jesus
- Bilingual (English / Spanish) Mass schedule
- 440 E. Washington Street, Howell, MI 48843
History
St. Joseph Catholic Church traces its origin to 1888, when the Catholic community in Howell established a parish in the seat of Livingston County. Over more than a century the parish grew from a small congregation into a full Catholic complex that today includes the church, a parish school, faith formation buildings, and the parish-operated Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Photographs held by the Howell Carnegie Library Archives document the parish's mid-20th-century buildings on East Grand River Avenue, including the church itself in 1957 and the parish convent in 1960. The parish school, St. Joseph Catholic School, was founded in 1940 and continues to serve preschool through 8th grade as a faith-centered community.
- 1888 — Parish founded
- 1940 — St. Joseph Catholic School founded
- 1957 — Historic photo of church preserved at Howell Carnegie Library
- 1960 — Historic photo of church and convent preserved at Howell Carnegie Library
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery operated by the parish (Section 36, Livingston County)
Parish Staff
The parish is led by pastor Fr. Gary Koenigsknecht and parochial vicar Fr. Brett Ivey, and is supported by four permanent deacons, a parish business manager, school principal, director of music ministry, director of discipleship ministries, director of liturgical and outreach ministries, communications and events coordinator, parish bookkeeper, parish secretary, facilities/maintenance staff, and the cemetery sexton.
- Pastor: Fr. Gary Koenigsknecht
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Brett Ivey
- Permanent Deacons: Jasen Wright, Ray Kunik, Frank Wines, Eric Pogrmich
- Principal of St. Joseph School: Julie Bonanni (current); Ms. Sandy Ford (per school hiring page)
- Director of Discipleship Ministries: Tim Carpenter
- Director of Music Ministry: Meghan Pope
- Director of Technology: Nick Spaniola
- Director of Liturgical and Outreach Ministries: Sue Miller
- Communications & Events: Michelle Muliett
- Parish Bookkeeper: Julie Pieron
- Parish Secretary: Amy Williams
- Faith Formation Administrative Assistant: Mary Pat Gainer
- Director of Maintenance: Gary Smith; Maintenance Assistant: Sam Ross
- Sexton, Mt. Olivet Cemetery: Frank DiCarlo
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's Building the Domestic Church (BDC) family program forms children from preschool through 7th grade together with their parents on Sundays from 11:15 AM to 12:30 PM. Younger children (preschool through grade 1) are formed in a Montessori-style Atrium using Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Children in 2nd grade receive catechesis related to First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion; 3rd grade focuses on Scripture, Sacraments, and Saints. The Sacramental Prep for Parents track accompanies families whose children are preparing for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Confirmation preparation is a separate two-year-ish program for teens ages 13–17 (grades 8–12), meeting Tuesday evenings twice a month for 90 minutes.
- Building the Domestic Church (BDC) — 4-year cycle
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — Atrium
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion Prep
- Confirmation Prep (grades 8–12, Tuesday evenings)
- Sunday class time 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM
- Contact: Discipleship Ministries Office, 517-546-0090 x 400
St. Joseph Catholic School
St. Joseph Catholic School is a PreK-8 parish school founded in 1940, serving Livingston County with small class sizes, a partnership between parents and teachers, and a faith-centered curriculum rooted in the Catholic tradition. Its mission is to be "a community of joyful disciples for Christ" — to Know, to Love, to Serve — preparing children to meet spiritual, academic, and social challenges. The school is accredited through the Diocese of Lansing and is currently hiring teachers and accepting open enrollment.
- Founded 1940
- Preschool through 8th grade
- Mission: community of joyful disciples for Christ
- Diocese of Lansing
- School website: school.stjosephhowell.com
Liturgical Ministries
St. Joseph has a robust liturgical ministry program that supports the parish's many Masses and devotions. Volunteers serve as Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors (Readers), and Altar Servers (training offered throughout the year for students in grade 4 and up). Music ministry includes choirs, cantors, and instrumentalists under the Director of Music Ministry. The Homebound Ministry coordinates visits to nursing homes, hospitals, and individual homes to bring Holy Communion to those who cannot attend Mass.
- Eucharistic Ministers (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion)
- Lectors / Readers
- Altar Servers (grades 4+)
- Music Ministry (choirs, cantors, instrumentalists)
- Homebound Ministry — Holy Communion visits to the sick
Prayer Groups and Devotions
St. Joseph maintains one of the most active devotional schedules in the Diocese of Lansing. The Rosary is prayed after every daily Mass Tuesday through Friday. Our Lady of Perpetual Help is invoked every Tuesday after the 6:30 PM Mass, followed by Eucharistic Adoration. Scripture Study meets on Tuesdays in the St. Joseph Room. The Flame of Love Prayer Group meets Tuesdays from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. The Padre Pio Healing Ministry offers prayer teams on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. The Intercessory Prayer Group prays during Thursday Adoration. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is recited every Friday at 3:00 PM. The Band of Brothers men's prayer group meets the 1st and 3rd Saturday at 9:00 AM.
- Rosary after daily Mass (Tue–Fri)
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Tue after 6:30 PM Mass)
- Scripture Study (Tuesdays)
- Flame of Love Prayer Group (Tue 12:30–1:30 PM)
- Padre Pio Healing Ministry (2nd Tuesday)
- Intercessory Prayer Group (Thu after morning Mass)
- Divine Mercy Chaplet (Fri 3 PM)
- Band of Brothers Men's Prayer Group (1st & 3rd Sat, 9 AM)
Mt. Olivet Cemetery
Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a parish-owned Catholic cemetery located in Section 36 of Livingston County. The parish employs a sexton, Frank DiCarlo, to oversee the cemetery, and tombstone transcriptions of Mt. Olivet have been published by the Livingston County Genealogical Society. The cemetery is one of the oldest continuously operating parish facilities in Howell and continues to be a ministry of the parish.
- Section 36, Livingston County
- Parish-operated; parish sexton on staff
- Tombstone transcriptions published by Livingston County Genealogical Society
Parish Pastoral Council
The St. Joseph Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) is the primary consultative body assisting the pastor in responding to the pastoral mission of the parish. The council helps develop and evaluate pastoral goals and priorities, and serves as the voice of the parishioners working in tandem with parish leadership.
- Fr. Gary Koenigsknecht (Pastor)
- Kevin Bonkowski
- Mickey Bonanni
- Javier Chapa
- Emily Radecki
- Michael Sage
- Rebecca Swift
- Eric Vannewkirk
Spanish-Language Ministry
St. Joseph serves the growing Spanish-speaking Catholic community in Livingston County through a weekly Saturday Vigil Mass at 6:30 PM celebrated in Spanish, with prayers and songs in Spanish and an on-the-spot English-to-Spanish translation of the homily. Visiting priests from the Livingston Vicariate assist the pastor in celebrating this Mass. All are welcome to attend.
- Spanish Mass every Saturday at 6:30 PM
- Spanish-language prayers and songs
- Homily translated live from English to Spanish
Getting Involved — Totus Tuus, Youth, and Family Programs
Beyond weekly faith formation, the parish hosts Totus Tuus each summer — a week-long Catholic youth program led by four trained college missionaries that shares the Gospel through the Sacraments, Eucharistic Adoration, prayer, music, and fun. The 2026 Totus Tuus themes are the Ten Commandments and the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. The parish also has a St. Joseph Homeschool Ministry that supports homeschooling families with social gatherings, fine arts classes, and faith formation.
- Totus Tuus — week-long summer youth program (Mon–Fri day camp for grades 1–6; Sun–Thu evening for middle/high school)
- St. Joseph Homeschool Ministry
- Family-based Building the Domestic Church formation
Visiting and Contact
St. Joseph Parish is located in downtown Howell, the county seat of Livingston County, Michigan, and welcomes visitors to all scheduled services. The parish office can be reached at (517) 546-0090 (fax 517-546-3126). Mass, Confession, and Adoration times are posted on the parish homepage and on the Confession Times page; a Spanish-language Mass is offered Saturday evenings.
- Address: 440 East Washington Street, Howell, MI 48843
- Phone: 517.546.0090
- Fax: 517.546.3126
- Website: https://stjosephhowell.com
- School website: https://school.stjosephhowell.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. David Speicher
Listed as pastor on third-party directory (UnitedStatesChurches); predecessor to current pastor.