About St. Joseph · Marietta, Georgia
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marietta, Georgia, is the oldest Catholic parish in the city and one of the largest in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, serving nearly 5,000 registered families. Founded in 1906 as a mission of Sacred Heart, Atlanta, the parish was canonically established in 1952 and is currently shepherded by Father Carlos Bustamante with three full-time priests and five deacons. Worship is offered in English, Spanish, and a youth-focused Life Teen liturgy, and the parish campus includes St. Joseph Catholic School (Pre-K4 through 8th), an Adoration Chapel, and notable gardens of religious statues.
- Established
- 1906 (mission); 1952 (parish established)
- Patron
- Saint Joseph
- Rector
- Father Carlos Bustamante
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Atlanta
Why belong here
St. Joseph is the historic heart of Catholic life in Marietta and the mother church of several surrounding Cobb County parishes, offering a rare combination of scale and warmth — almost 5,000 registered families served by three full-time priests, five deacons, and around thirty staff. Worship is offered daily in English, twice on Sundays in Spanish, and through a youth-focused Life Teen Mass, alongside an Adoration Chapel open four days a week. Its campus also houses St. Joseph Catholic School (Pre-K4–8), a National Blue Ribbon School, plus active faith formation, Hispanic ministry, and outreach programs for every age and stage of life.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday following the 8:00 AM Mass
- Wednesday (Miércoles): 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Español/English
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Or by appointment with a priest
Adoration times
- Monday: 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
- Wednesday (Miércoles): 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Spanish Adoration)
- Friday: 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
- Saturday: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
- First Friday: 7:00 PM Mass followed by Adoration until 10:00 PM
History of St. Joseph Parish
Saint Joseph began as a mission of Sacred Heart, Atlanta, in 1906, in a small white building converted from an opera house on Atlanta Street. A second church on Church Street was built in 1929, originally named St. James but renamed Saint Joseph after the local Episcopal bishop asked that the duplication with the nearby Episcopal St. James be resolved. A 450-seat brick church was built in 1957 on the site of the former Sugar Hill plantation, and the present 750-seat church was dedicated on February 10, 1991 by Archbishop James P. Luke, OFM. The Marist Fathers ministered here from 1987 to 1996, when the Archdiocese of Atlanta took over pastoral care.
- 1906: Mission founded from Sacred Heart, Atlanta
- 1929: Second church built on Church Street (originally St. James, renamed St. Joseph)
- 1952: Parish canonically established
- 1957: Third church, brick, 450 seats, on Sugar Hill plantation site
- 1987: Marist Fathers assigned to the parish
- 1991: Fourth and present church dedicated, Feb. 10, by Archbishop James P. Luke, OFM
- 1996: Pastoral care transferred to the Archdiocese of Atlanta
Mother Church of Cobb County
As the first Catholic church in Marietta, Saint Joseph put off its own building program to help found mission parishes throughout the area. This heritage of multiplication continues today through a regional Catholic school that draws students from 14 parishes.
- St. Thomas the Apostle, Smyrna
- Holy Family, Marietta
- St. Ann, Marietta
- Transfiguration, Marietta
- St. Catherine, Kennesaw
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by three full-time priests and five deacons, with about thirty lay staff supporting parish life.
- Father Carlos Bustamante — Pastor
- Monsignor John Walsh
- Father Darragh Griffith
- Father Paul Nacey — Parochial Vicar
- Father Mario — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Bruce Reed
- Deacon Norm Keller
- John Luegering — Deacon
- Joseph Carter — LIFE TEEN High School Youth Minister
- Summer Brown — EDGE Middle School Youth Minister
- Laura Fenton — JOURNEY, Director of Adult Formation
- Kendra Lockhart — EMBARK Preschool/Elementary Faith Formation Coordinator
- Tom Reichert — Pastoral Minister
- Sister Maria Pia, Maria Aviles, Dolores Lomeli — Hispanic Ministry
- Sarah Beno — IT / Media Communications
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Joseph is organized by life stage, from preschool through adulthood, with a director of adult formation and coordinators for elementary and youth ministry.
- EMBARK — Preschool / Elementary Faith Formation (Kendra Lockhart, ext. 127)
- EDGE — Middle School Youth Ministry (Summer Brown)
- LIFE TEEN — High School Youth Ministry (Joseph Carter)
- JOURNEY — Adult Faith Formation (Laura Fenton)
Hispanic Ministry
Hispanic Ministry at St. Joseph began around 1999 to serve the growing Mexican community in Marietta and has grown into a vibrant, multilingual presence on the parish campus. Spanish Masses are offered twice on Sunday mornings and on Wednesday evenings, with Spanish/English confessions on Wednesday evenings.
- Sunday Misa en Español: 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM
- Wednesday Misa en Español: 7:00 PM
- Wednesday Adoración en Español: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday Confesiones: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Staff: Sister Maria Pia, Maria Aviles, Dolores Lomeli
St. Joseph Catholic School
St. Joseph Catholic School, located at 81 Lacy Street NW on the parish campus, is a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence serving nearly 400 students in Pre-K4 through 8th grade. The school draws its student body from 14 parishes and is recognized for academic excellence, spiritual growth, and character development within a Catholic community.
- Address: 81 Lacy Street NW, Marietta, GA 30060
- Phone: 770-428-3328
- Grades: Pre-K4 through 8th
- Enrollment: about 397 students; 15:1 student-teacher ratio
- Recognized twice as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
- Established 1953 as a mission of St. Joseph Catholic Church
Parish Campus & Community
The St. Joseph campus includes the main church, an Adoration Chapel, the PMC Office Building, the Rectory, the historic Sugar Hill house, Campbell Hill house, and St. Joseph Catholic School. The grounds are known for an extensive collection of outdoor religious statues. With almost 5,000 registered families and a growing African and Hispanic community, the parish is recognized as a welcoming, multicultural Catholic home in the heart of Cobb County.
- PMC Office Building
- Rectory
- Sugar Hill house
- Campbell Hill house
- St. Joseph Catholic School
- Outdoor statues throughout the campus
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors are welcome to stop by the parish office during regular hours or reach a priest through the after-hours answering service in any sacramental emergency.
- Address: 87 Lacy Street NW, Marietta, GA 30060
- Phone: 770-422-5633
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Sacramental Emergency (after hours): 877-858-7305
- Website: http://www.saintjosephcc.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor John WalshThrough 2022 (at least 14 years by 2022)
Long-tenured pastor who celebrated the parish's 70th anniversary in March 2022; credited with welcoming large Mexican and African communities and overseeing diversification of the parish.