About St. Joseph · Huntsville, Alabama
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Salvatorian (Society of the Divine Savior) parish in Huntsville, Alabama, established in 1950 as a mission to the Black Catholic community of the city. From humble beginnings — twelve families meeting in a former plantation mansion — it has grown into a parish of roughly 500 families, served by Salvatorian priests, sisters, lay Salvatorians, and lay ministers. The parish is most renowned for the school's quiet integration on September 3, 1963, when it became the first elementary school in Alabama to integrate peacefully (two days before George Wallace's stand in the schoolhouse door). A parish of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama, St. Joseph still shares its Beasley Avenue campus with Holy Family School, the inter-parochial elementary school founded in 1956, and welcomes a culturally diverse congregation spanning Black, white, and Latino communities.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph P. Lubrano, S.D.S.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a parish where you will find a genuinely multicultural Catholic community — Black, white, and Latino families worshiping side by side in a church with deep civil-rights roots. The parish sponsors Holy Family School on its campus (serving K–8), runs a full Religious Education / OCIA program, supports the local St. Vincent de Paul conference, and is small enough that newcomers are quickly drawn into liturgical ministries (lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers) and parish life. The Salvatorian charism of welcoming the stranger is the parish's daily practice.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM (in the Church)
- By appointment with the pastor
Parish History
St. Joseph Catholic Church traces its origins to 1950, when Bishop Joseph Toolen asked the Society of the Divine Savior to minister to Black Catholics in Huntsville. Father Hermenegild H. Messmer, S.D.S., arrived and on May 4, 1952 the Salvatorians purchased the 93-year-old Beasley mansion and 9.5 acres of land. The mission house was blessed on September 7, 1952, and on September 14, 1952 the first public Mass was celebrated — attended by roughly eighteen Black parishioners. St. Joseph was elevated from mission to canonical parish of the Diocese of Birmingham in 1979, and a new modern church building was dedicated in November 2010.
- Founded 1950 by Fr. Hermenegild H. Messmer, S.D.S., at Bishop Joseph Toolen's request
- Beasley Mansion purchased May 4, 1952 for $19,600
- First public Mass: September 14, 1952
- Mission blessed September 7, 1952 by Fr. Theodore L. Flynn
- Canonical parish established 1979; renamed St. Joseph Catholic Church
- New church dedicated November 6, 2010 by Bishop Baker and Bishop Foley
Civil Rights & The Quiet Integration of 1963
St. Joseph's most enduring mark on American history was made on September 3, 1963, when its school became the first elementary school in Alabama to integrate peacefully. With Redstone Arsenal drawing thousands of new white Catholic families to Huntsville, twelve white families — including the Halls and the DeMaioribuses — enrolled their children alongside the existing Black student body of 106. The 118 students took their places together 'quietly and peacefully' just two days before Governor George Wallace confronted federal authorities at the University of Alabama. Pastor Father Mark Sterbenz, S.D.S., framed it simply: 'All we're doing is teaching religion … to whites, to blacks, to anybody who comes. That's living the gospel, plain and simple.'
- September 3, 1963 — 118 students (106 Black, 12 white) enrolled together
- Two days before George Wallace's stand in the schoolhouse door
- Pastor: Father Mark Sterbenz, S.D.S.
- Sally Mottram was the first lay teacher hired by the school
- A state historical marker on the campus commemorates the event
- Hosted the USCCB Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions in October 2024
Holy Family School — A Shared Campus Ministry
What began as a two-room mission-house school in 1956 is now Holy Family School-Huntsville, an inter-parochial Catholic elementary school serving St. Joseph and St. Mary of the Visitation parishes. After decades as a state-accredited institution — the first parochial school in Huntsville to earn that distinction in 1975 — St. Joseph School merged in 1979 with St. Mary of the Visitation's school and was renamed Holy Family School. The school sits on the St. Joseph campus and continues to reflect the broader Huntsville community, drawing students from Latino, white, and Black families.
- First opened September 4, 1956 with 61 Black students in grades 1–4
- Fully state-accredited in 1975 — first parochial school in Huntsville so recognized
- Renamed Holy Family School in 1979 after merger with Visitation
- Jim Bell — Principal, Holy Family School-Huntsville
- Fully integrated September 1963, before statewide school integration
- Serves Kindergarten through 8th grade (~200 students today)
Salvatorian Heritage
St. Joseph has been continuously served by the Society of the Divine Savior (Salvatorians) since its founding. Today the parish is staffed by Salvatorian priests, Sisters of the Divine Savior, lay Salvatorians, and lay men and women. Current pastor Father Joseph P. Lubrano, S.D.S., is a Salvatorian with 48+ years of priesthood and 53+ years as a Salvatorian religious; he also serves as administrator of Holy Family School.
- Society of the Divine Savior (Salvatorians) founded the parish in 1950
- Sisters of the Divine Savior arrived to open the school in 1956 (Sr. Bernadette Kline, Sr. Ruth Dittmann)
- Current pastor Father Joseph P. Lubrano, S.D.S.
- Lay Salvatorians are part of the parish leadership team
Liturgy & Worship
St. Joseph offers multiple liturgical ministries, with schedules published quarterly. The parish believes 'unity in diversity' is central to its identity — a 'shining example of how hospitality can grow a community where everyone is truly welcomed and loved for their gifts.' Liturgical ministers gather in the chapel ten minutes before Mass begins.
- Lectors (coordinator: Tom Uss)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC)
- Altar Servers
- Music ministry / choir (implied)
- Quarterly published Liturgical Ministry Schedule
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Religious Education at St. Joseph is directed by Maritza Lopez Holland. The parish prepares children and teens for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation, requiring at least one year of formation prior to sacramental preparation. Adults and older children enter the Church through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults).
- Director of Religious Education: Maritza Lopez Holland ([email protected])
- First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation prep
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) / RCIA
- RE Calendar posted annually on the parish website
Sacraments
St. Joseph celebrates all seven sacraments. Baptisms require a preparation session for parents and godparents; weddings require parish registration and active stewardship before the wedding date is set; the Anointing of the Sick is arranged directly with the pastor.
- Baptism — preparation session required
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — one year of prior formation
- Confirmation — one year of prior formation
- Marriage — registered/active parishioners; contact parish before setting date
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment with Fr. Lubrano
- Funerals — contact parish office before contacting the funeral home
Outreach & Charity
Charitable outreach is a living legacy of the parish's founding mission. The St. Vincent de Paul conference at St. Joseph ministers locally to neighbors in need, and the parish has historically extended its ministries beyond parish boundaries through the Salvatorian charism.
- St. Vincent de Paul Conference (active at the parish)
- Parish outreach through the Society of the Divine Savior
- Hospitality ministries welcoming newcomers
Parish Staff & Leadership
Day-to-day parish operations are led by a small team of Salvatorian and lay ministers. Fr. Joseph Lubrano, S.D.S. is pastor and administrator of Holy Family School. Three lay staff support the parish office, religious education, and the school.
- Rev. Joseph P. Lubrano, S.D.S. — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Greg Thompson ([email protected])
- Maritza Lopez Holland — Director, Religious Education ([email protected])
- Patricia Ayala — Bookkeeper ([email protected])
- Renate T. Banks — Parish Secretary ([email protected])
- Jim Bell — Principal, Holy Family School-Huntsville ([email protected])
Parish Life, Registration & Getting Involved
From its founding twelve families to approximately 500 families today, St. Joseph has grown into a multicultural Catholic community. The parish encourages newcomers to register and to share their time and talent through one of the parish's ministries or groups.
- Approximately 500 registered families
- Multicultural membership: Black, white, and Latino Catholics worshiping side by side
- Parish Registration Form available on the website
- Group Directory lists ministries and groups to join
- Electronic Offertory / online giving available
- Parish bulletins published weekly (announcements due Friday prior at noon)
Visiting & Contact
Parish office hours are Monday–Friday 9:30 AM–4:30 PM (closed 1:00–2:00 PM for lunch). Visitors are warmly welcomed; the pastor can be reached at the parish office for anointings, marriage preparation, or pastoral needs.
- Address: 2300 Beasley Avenue NW, Huntsville, AL 35816
- Tel: (256) 534-8459 — Fax: (256) 534-8450
- Email: [email protected]
- Bulletin email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Hermenegild H. Messmer, S.D.S.1950–?
Founding missionary; established the mission in the Beasley Mansion; celebrated the first public Mass on September 14, 1952.
- Father Mark Sterbenz, S.D.S.1963
Pastor at the time of the school's pioneering integration in September 1963; quoted saying 'All we're doing is teaching religion … that's living the gospel, plain and simple.'