About St. Joseph [Jennings County Catholic] · North Vernon, Indiana
St. Joseph Parish is a rural Catholic mission church of the Catholic Community of Jennings County (CCJC), located at 1875 S. County Road 700 W in the countryside southwest of North Vernon, Indiana. Originally founded in 1850 as St. James Parish in the little crossroads community of Buena Vista (locally known as Four Corners), the congregation was renamed St. Joseph in 1892 when Father Joseph Thie built the present church on the site. With about 125 families and a church capacity of 235, St. Joseph is the smallest of the three parishes (St. Mary, St. Ann, and St. Joseph) that make up the Catholic Community of Jennings County in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. It is currently pastored as a cluster with Fr. Christopher (Chris) Craig, who was installed as pastor of all three CCJC parishes on Aug. 16, 2025, the day the parish celebrated its 175th anniversary.
- Established
- 1850
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Christopher (Chris) Craig
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Seymour Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a small, multi-generational farming parish where most member families have been Catholic in Jennings County for five or six generations. Members describe it as 'one big family,' with deep roots in the land and a parish cemetery whose gravestones go back to the 1800s. Joining St. Joseph means becoming part of an intimate rural Catholic community served by the priests and deacons of the Catholic Community of Jennings County, with shared faith formation, youth ministry, RCIA, and a Catholic school (St. Mary's) just down the road in North Vernon.
Mass times at St. Joseph [Jennings County Catholic]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confessions are heard at the parish; consult the parish office or the CCJC website (ccjc3.org) for the current St. Joseph reconciliation schedule.
Adoration times
- A perpetual adoration chapel exists at St. Mary Parish in North Vernon (the first perpetual adoration chapel in the Seymour Deanery, inaugurated in 2024), which serves the CCJC cluster including St. Joseph.
St. Joseph Parish at a Glance
St. Joseph is the smallest of the three parishes of the Catholic Community of Jennings County (CCJC), a rural cluster in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. The parish serves about 125 families at its country church at 1875 S. County Road 700 W, southwest of North Vernon. Mass is celebrated at St. Joseph on Wednesday evenings and Saturday evenings, with the rest of the parish week (and Sunday Mass) served by the cluster's other churches, St. Mary in North Vernon and St. Ann in the Hayden area.
- Address: 1875 S. County Road 700 W, North Vernon, IN 47265
- Phone: (812) 346-3604 (Parish Office, 629 Clay St., North Vernon)
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Seymour Deanery)
- Founded: 1850 (as St. James Parish); renamed St. Joseph in 1892
- Families: ~125; Church capacity: 235
History: From St. James at Four Corners to St. Joseph (1850–Today)
The parish began in 1850 as St. James, a German Catholic mission in the rural crossroads of Buena Vista — a hamlet so named for its 'good view' but known locally as Four Corners after the four prominent buildings that marked the intersection of two country roads. On the northeast corner stood the original St. James Church, rectory and cemetery; across the road were a school, a general store, a dance hall and a saloon. The congregation had broken off from the nearby Irish community that founded the former St. Catherine Parish (whose cemetery still survives in the area). The mission was attended from St. Ann's and later St. Mary's in North Vernon for its first forty years. In 1891 Father Joseph Thie arrived as pastor, had the aging St. James Church torn down, oversaw construction of the present St. Joseph Church and renamed the parish in 1892. Throughout the 20th century St. Joseph remained a small but extraordinarily stable farming community. Generations of families — the Haags, the Maschinos, the Elsners, the Frenches — were baptized, married and buried there. In 2025 the parish marked its 175th anniversary with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Charles C. Thompson on Aug. 16, 2025, the same day Father Christopher Craig was installed as pastor of the CCJC cluster.
- 1850: St. James Parish founded at Four Corners (Buena Vista)
- 1891: Father Joseph Thie arrives as pastor
- 1892: Original St. James Church replaced by present St. Joseph Church; parish renamed
- 1995–1998: Fr. Paul D. Etienne (now Archbishop of Seattle) serves as pastor
- 2024: Fr. Bobby Vogel, a son of the parish, ordained to the priesthood
- Aug. 16, 2025: 175th anniversary Mass with Archbishop Thompson; Fr. Craig installed as pastor
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Joseph is pastored as part of the Catholic Community of Jennings County with one pastor and one shared parish staff. The parish secretary, business manager, music director and parish associate serve all three CCJC parishes from the parish office in North Vernon.
- Pastor: Rev. Christopher (Chris) Craig — [email protected]
- Deacon: Lawrence (Larry) French — [email protected]
- Parish Secretary / Admin Assistant: Tricia Maples — [email protected]
- Music Director: Walt Stanley — [email protected]
- Parish Associate: Lisa Vogel
- Business Manager: Robert Galyen — [email protected]
- Principal, St. Mary's School: Meredith Inman — (812) 346-3445
- School Secretary: Courtney Maschino — (812) 346-3445
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation in the CCJC cluster is shared by all three parishes. The K–8 Religious Education Program catechizes the children of the community in Scripture, Catholic tradition, morality, prayer and the sacraments, with parents responsible for their child's participation. Older youth (grades 8–12) gather through Frassati Youth Ministry, which is named for Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and uses the motto 'To the Heights!' The cluster also takes youth to the National Catholic Young Adults Conference and the National Catholic Youth Conference.
- K–8 Religious Education Program
- Frassati Youth Ministry (grades 8–12)
- Young Adult Ministry (ages 18–35)
- National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) participation
- Vacation Bible School (summer)
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in the CCJC cluster is described by the parish, quoting G.K. Chesterton, as 'a journey of faith… a restoration of the ancient practice of initiation in the Church.' Sessions are held Sunday mornings from 10:50 am to Noon at the St. Mary's Parish Center and are joint with St. Ann, St. Joseph and St. Mary's parishes. All fallen-away Catholics, non-Catholics and practicing Catholics wishing to learn more about the faith are welcome to attend.
- When: Sundays, 10:50 am – Noon
- Where: St. Mary's Parish Center
- Open to: fallen-away Catholics, non-Catholics, and practicing Catholics seeking deeper formation
Adult Faith Life: Retreats and Parish Mission
Adult members of St. Joseph and the wider CCJC cluster are invited into a rhythm of retreats and parish missions throughout the year. The annual retreat, the Women's Welcome Retreat (the parish's adaptation of Christ Renews His Parish, now published by Dynamic Catholic as 'Welcome'), a Lenten Day of Reflection, a Lenten Series, and a periodic Parish Mission are all part of parish life. These opportunities are advertised through the parish bulletin and the parish website.
- Yearly Retreat (adults)
- Women's Welcome Retreat
- Lenten Day of Reflection
- Lenten Series
- Parish Mission
St. Mary's Catholic School (CCJC)
St. Mary's is a fully accredited pre-K through 8th grade Catholic school located across the street from St. Mary's Catholic Church in North Vernon. According to Principal Meredith Inman, the school has been providing students with an excellent Catholic education since 1865. Weekly all-school Mass, yearly retreats and an annual kickball tournament anchor the school's tradition-rich rhythm. The school is the educational arm of the Catholic Community of Jennings County and serves families from St. Joseph, St. Ann and St. Mary's parishes.
- Address: 209 Washington St., North Vernon, IN 47265
- Phone: (812) 346-3445
- Hours: Mon–Fri 7:00 am – 3:30 pm
- Principal: Meredith Inman
- School Secretary: Courtney Maschino
- Serving the Catholic Community of North Vernon and Jennings County
Getting Involved and Parish Life
St. Joseph parishioners describe their parish as 'one big family.' Volunteer life centers on the parish school, faith formation, the music ministry, and service to neighbors in need. Because the parish shares a single staff and many ministries with St. Ann and St. Mary, getting involved is straightforward: contact the parish office at (812) 346-3604 or use the staff email addresses on the parish website.
- Music Ministry (Music Director: Walt Stanley)
- Faith Formation volunteers (K–8 and youth)
- Parish School support
- Service and outreach through the wider CCJC cluster
Visiting St. Joseph: Address, Office and Contacts
The church itself sits in rural Jennings County at 1875 S. County Road 700 W, North Vernon, IN 47265. The shared parish office for the Catholic Community of Jennings County is at 629 Clay St., North Vernon, IN 47265, and is open Monday 9 am–Noon, Tuesday–Wednesday 9 am–5 pm, Thursday 9 am–3 pm, and closed on Friday. The parish can be reached by phone at (812) 346-3604.
- Church: 1875 S. County Road 700 W, North Vernon, IN 47265
- Parish Office: 629 Clay St., North Vernon, IN 47265
- Phone: (812) 346-3604
- Office Hours: Mon 9–Noon; Tue/Wed 9–5; Thu 9–3; Fri closed
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Thie1891–
Arrived in 1891, had the original St. James Church torn down, oversaw construction of the present St. Joseph Church and renamed the parish St. Joseph in 1892.
- Rev. Paul D. Etienne (later Archbishop of Seattle)1995–1998
Served St. Joseph while also serving as vocation director for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis; now Archbishop of Seattle, sent a congratulatory letter for the parish's 175th anniversary.
- Father Jonathan (Bobby) Vogel
A son of St. Joseph Parish, ordained in 2024; now parochial vicar of St. Jude Parish in Indianapolis. Speaker at the 175th anniversary celebration.
- Rev. Christopher Craig2025–
Installed by Archbishop Charles C. Thompson as pastor of the CCJC cluster (St. Joseph, St. Ann, and St. Mary) on Aug. 16, 2025.