About St. Joseph · Lucinda, Pennsylvania
St. Joseph Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Lucinda, Pennsylvania, established in 1840 and belonging to the Diocese of Erie. It is the main church of a pastoral partnership that also includes St. Mary Parish in Crown, St. Michael Parish in Fryburg, and (since October 2023) the former mission church of St. Ann in Marienville. The parish serves the rural Knox Township area of Clarion County and shares its Catholic identity with St. Joseph School, the parish's faith formation program, and ministries such as Walking with Moms in Need and an active liturgical music ministry.
- Established
- 1840
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Very Rev. Brandon Kleckner, VF
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
St. Joseph Parish in Lucinda offers rural Catholic families a long-standing community of faith, dating to 1840, supported by a Catholic grade school (St. Joseph School), a religious education program led by Judy Wolbert, and a vibrant liturgical music ministry directed by Peggy Wolbert. The parish takes seriously its calling to walk with families through every stage of life — from a long-standing Catholic school and religious education for children, to the Walking with Moms in Need pregnancy and parenting support ministry developed in cooperation with the U.S. bishops. As the main church of a four-parish partnership spanning Lucinda, Crown, Fryburg, and Marienville, St. Joseph provides multiple daily and weekend Mass opportunities, Eucharistic Adoration before weekday Masses, and regular confession.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday at 3:00 p.m. (on the same months as Saturday Vigil Mass: February, April, June, August, October, December)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 7:30 a.m. (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament before 8:30 a.m. Mass)
- Friday 7:30 a.m. (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament before 8:30 a.m. Mass)
About St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph Parish is a Catholic community of faith in Lucinda, Pennsylvania, in Clarion County, founded in 1840 and entrusted to the care of the Diocese of Erie. Through its website at watch4deercatholic.church (also reachable at stjoseph-stmichaelparishes.org), the parish warmly welcomes visitors and links them to information about Mass, sacraments, ministries, the parish school, and the partner parishes of St. Mary (Crown), St. Michael (Fryburg) and St. Ann (Marienville). The parish is led by Very Rev. Brandon Kleckner, VF, as Pastor, with Rev. Chijioke (John) Nwankwo serving as Parochial Vicar, supported by a small staff of parish and school employees.
- Parish Office: 112 Rectory Lane, Lucinda, PA 16235
- Mailing: P.O. Box 9, Lucinda, PA 16235
- Office: (814) 226-7288
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastor: Very Rev. Brandon Kleckner, VF
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Chijioke (John) Nwankwo
Parish History
St. Joseph Parish was established in 1840 in Knox Township, Clarion County, to serve the rural Catholic families of northwestern Pennsylvania. In its nearly two centuries of life it has weathered the boom-and-bust cycles of the regional timber and oil industries, and today continues as a faith home for the surrounding farming and small-town communities. The parish website hosts a 'St. Joseph Parish History' page drawn from the local history book 'A Proud People, A Proud Heritage; A History of Clarion County's Knox Township Area'; the page is marked 'Coming soon,' signaling that the full narrative is being prepared for publication.
- Founded: 1840
- Patron: St. Joseph
- Diocese: Erie
- Region: Knox Township, Clarion County, PA
Parish Partnership with St. Mary, St. Michael and St. Ann
Since October 2023, St. Joseph Parish (Lucinda) has operated as the main church of an expanded pastoral partnership. St. Mary Parish in Crown was added to the existing partnership of St. Joseph and St. Michael (Fryburg). St. Ann Church in Marienville, formerly a mission of St. Mary, was reclassified as a secondary church 'without' mission status: it no longer offers Sunday Mass but remains available for weekday Mass, funerals, and weddings. Together the four sites share clergy and staff and offer Mass on every day of the week, providing broad sacramental access across the rural area.
- St. Joseph Parish, Lucinda — Main Church
- St. Michael Parish, Fryburg — Secondary Church
- St. Mary Parish, Crown — Secondary Church
- St. Ann Church, Marienville — Secondary Church (weekday Mass, funerals, weddings)
Sacraments
Beyond Sunday Mass, the parish prepares and celebrates the other Sacraments of the Church. Penance (Reconciliation) is offered at the scheduled Saturday time before Vigil Masses, or by appointment with the parish office. Arrangements for Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral Masses are coordinated through the parish staff, with weddings at the Marienville site arranged through the main St. Joseph Parish office.
- Penance: Saturday 3:00 p.m. on Mass-weekends or by appointment
- Eucharist: daily/Sunday Mass schedule
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing, Funeral: contact parish office
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation for the parish's children and youth is led by Religious Education Leader Judy Wolbert, who can be reached through the Religious Education office at (814) 226-8399. In addition to parish-based religious education, St. Joseph School provides a Catholic elementary education integrated into the life of the parish. Each May the school community gathers for a Mass and May Crowning at St. Joseph, with students serving as lectors, altar servers, gift-bearers, choir and flower-bearers, followed by fellowship and a parish breakfast.
- Religious Education Leader: Judy Wolbert — (814) 226-8399
- St. Joseph School (Catholic elementary school)
- Annual May Crowning Mass with school and parish
Liturgical Music Ministry
Music for parish liturgies is coordinated by Peggy Wolbert, the parish's Liturgical Music Contact. The music ministry supports the sung parts of the Mass and supports special feasts and seasons such as the May Crowning celebration each spring, when school and parish musicians join forces to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Liturgical Music Contact: Peggy Wolbert
Walking with Moms in Need
Walking with Moms in Need is a nationwide parish-based ministry initiated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The combined parishes of St. Joseph (Lucinda), St. Mary (Crown), St. Michael (Fryburg) and St. Ann (Marienville) participate, working with local pregnancy centers, parishioners, community members, and county agencies to 'walk alongside' pregnant and parenting women in need — providing material assistance (maternity and infant supplies, food, household items) as well as referrals for spiritual and parenting guidance. The ministry is open to mothers, fathers, and families of all backgrounds.
- Initiated by: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Contact: [email protected]
- Phone: (814) 226-7288
- More info: walkingwithmoms.com
- Inspired by John 13:34 ('love one another')
Parish Staff
The daily operations of the parish and its school are supported by a small team of lay staff. The Secretary and Business Manager handle parish administration and finances, while dedicated leaders coordinate liturgical music and religious education.
- Very Rev. Brandon Kleckner, VF — Pastor
- Rev. Chijioke (John) Nwankwo — Parochial Vicar
- Julie Lencer — Secretary
- Lisa Carroll — Business Manager
- Peggy Wolbert — Liturgical Music Contact
- Judy Wolbert — Religious Education Leader, (814) 226-8399
Cemetery, Child Protection, and Parish Policies
The parish publishes a number of supporting pages on its website for the orderly running of parish life. Among these are the cemetery regulations governing the parish cemetery, church-address listings for all partner sites, and the Diocese of Erie's child protection policies and reporting procedures.
- Cemetery Regulations page
- Church Addresses (all partner sites)
- Child Protection page (Diocese of Erie safe-environment links)
Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to participate in the liturgical, educational, and outreach life of St. Joseph. Whether singing in the music ministry, walking alongside mothers and families through Walking with Moms in Need, enrolling children in St. Joseph School or the religious education program, or volunteering behind the scenes at parish events like the May Crowning breakfast, there are many ways to belong. The parish office can be reached by phone at (814) 226-7288 or by email at [email protected].
- Join the music or religious-education ministry
- Volunteer with Walking with Moms in Need
- Enroll children in St. Joseph School
- Attend weekday Adoration for personal prayer