About St. Joseph · Middletown, Delaware
St. Joseph Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Middletown, Delaware, belonging to the Diocese of Wilmington. It was founded in 1883 as a mission of St. Francis Xavier Parish and established as an independent parish in 1908. The parish today serves the growing Middletown area and beyond, with two affiliated mission churches — St. Rose of Lima in Chesapeake City, Maryland, and the historic St. Francis Xavier Shrine in Warwick, Maryland — and counts more than 2,600 registered families and roughly 8,700 members. Worship is offered in English and Spanish, with a daily Mass schedule, a Saturday Vigil, and an active Religious Education program that is one of the largest in the diocese.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Mark A. Kelleher
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wilmington
Why belong here
St. Joseph is one of the largest and fastest-growing parishes in the Diocese of Wilmington, with daily Mass, a Saturday Vigil, three Sunday Masses including a weekly Spanish Mass, Friday adoration, and Saturday confessions — making Catholic worship accessible throughout the week. The parish runs one of the largest Religious Education programs in the diocese, with dedicated OCIA (formerly RCIA), First Communion and Confirmation preparation, and a regional Catholic school partnership. Bilingual Hispanic Ministry, a parish choir and Hispanic choir, OCIA, the Breaking Open the Word Bible study, a Prayer & Life Workshop, a divorce support group, Knights of Columbus and Columbiettes councils, Boy Scout and Cub Scout packs, and seasonal traditions like the Lenten Fish Fry and Stations of the Cross give parishioners of every age a place to serve and belong.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (St. Joseph Church)
Adoration times
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Adoration & Benediction, St. Joseph Church)
History of St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph has its roots in the 1704 foundation of the St. Francis Xavier mission — 'Old Bohemia' — on the Bohemia River. The first Sunday Mass in Middletown was celebrated in 1876, the cornerstone of St. Joseph Church was blessed in November 1883 with a 750-pound bell, and the original church was completed in October 1884 at a cost of $3,500. The parish was formally incorporated in 1906 and established as an independent parish in 1908 with the opening of the Cochran Street rectory. The parish's history timeline, compiled by Jake Vukich, traces this story through the 20th and 21st centuries — through the parish centennial in 1983, the building of Price Hall in 1993, the opening of Christ the Teacher Regional School in 2002, the construction and dedication of the new 900-seat church on November 25, 2007, and the Double Jubilee Year (125 years of the church, 100 years of the parish).
- 1876 — First Sunday Mass celebrated in Middletown
- November 1883 — Cornerstone and 750-pound bell blessed; St. Joseph founded as a mission of St. Francis Xavier Parish
- October 1884 — Original St. Joseph Church completed (cost $3,500); Mass of Dedication
- January 26, 1906 — Certificate of Incorporation recorded
- 1908 — Cochran Street rectory opened; St. Joseph Parish established
- 1983 — Centennial year celebrated
- 1993 — Ground broken for Rectory, Parish Offices and Price Hall; first liturgies on Christmas Eve
- September 2002 — Christ the Teacher Regional Catholic School opens (first regional parish school in the diocese)
- May 29, 2005 — Bishop Michael Saltarelli presides at groundbreaking for new church
- November 25, 2007 — New 900-seat St. Joseph Church dedicated
- November 23, 2008 — Jubilee Year concludes with Bishop Malooly blessing the newly installed crucifix
- June 2009 — Spanish-speaking deacon assigned; weekly Spanish Mass moved to Sunday afternoons
- June 2012 — Statue of St. Joseph installed on the church lawn as an Eagle Scout project
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Joseph Parish operates one of the largest Religious Education programs in the Diocese of Wilmington, with 777 children enrolled in PREP Grades 1-8. The program is open to registered parishioners on a first-come, first-served basis, with summer-session registration open until May 15 and fall-session and sacrament-preparation registration accepted June 1 through August 15. Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation and First Eucharist is a separate process from regular Religious Education class registration, with its own schedule and fee; Confirmation preparation is a two-year program for students who have completed 7th and 8th grades.
- PREP — Parish Religious Education Program, Grades 1-8
- Transitional Religious Education
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist preparation (Grade 2 and up)
- Confirmation preparation (two-year program, entering 9th grade)
- Summer and fall session registration windows
- Catechist and volunteer opportunities (contact Religious Education Office, ext. 107)
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
Formerly known as RCIA, the parish OCIA process welcomes adults who wish to become Catholic, baptized Christians from other denominations seeking full communion, and baptized Catholics who have not yet received Eucharist or Confirmation. The parish holds a 'Come & See' inquiry meeting each year to explain the process, and adult Confirmation is celebrated by the Bishop at Pentecost for baptized Catholics who have received Eucharist but not Confirmation. A team is also available to work with students age 8 and older who have not been baptized and wish to become Catholic.
- Come & See inquiry meetings (held in the Religious Education Wing, Rooms 5 & 7)
- Catechumen track — unbaptized adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist
- Candidate track — baptized Christians entering full communion
- Candidate track — baptized Catholics completing Eucharist and/or Confirmation
- Adult Confirmation preparation celebrated by the Bishop at Pentecost
- Children's OCIA track for ages 8 and up
Hispanic Ministry / Ministerio Hispano
St. Joseph Parish has welcomed and served Spanish-speaking Catholics in the Middletown area for two decades. A Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry began working exclusively for the parish in 2005, and a Spanish-speaking deacon was assigned in June 2009; that same year the weekly Spanish Mass moved to Sunday afternoons. The Hispanic choir (Coro Hispano) rehearses at the church on Saturdays, and Talleres de Oración y Vida (Prayer & Life Workshops) are offered in Spanish. The parish mission statement is published bilingually on the bulletin cover.
- Spanish-language Sunday Mass at 1:00 PM
- Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry (full-time at St. Joseph since 2005)
- Spanish-speaking deacon assigned since June 2009
- Hispanic Choir (Coro Hispano) — Saturday rehearsals
- Talleres de Oración y Vida / Prayer & Life Workshops
- Rosario y Hora Santa — Thursday evenings
- Bilingual parish bulletin
Music & Liturgical Ministries
The parish Music Ministry, led by Rosemary Hadland, coordinates the Parish Choir and the Hispanic Choir, while Lauren Cataldi serves as organist and Vincent Regusters as sacristan. The Parish Choir rehearses in the church on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM and welcomes sopranos, altos, tenors and basses of all experience levels, with a particular current need for men's voices. Liturgical ministries — lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers and ushers — are organized through the parish Ministry Schedules.
- Parish Choir — Wednesday rehearsals, 7:00 PM in the church
- Hispanic Choir (Coro Hispano) — Saturday rehearsals
- Organist: Lauren Cataldi
- Coordinator of Music Ministry: Rosemary Hadland
- Sacristan: Vincent Regusters
- Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers, Ushers
Parish Life & Outreach
St. Joseph offers a wide variety of parish-life and outreach ministries for adults, youth and families. The Knights of Columbus and Columbiettes maintain active parish councils, and Boy Scout and Cub Scout troops meet on the campus. Scripture-based and support groups include Breaking Open the Word (Wednesday mornings), Seasons of Hope (bereavement support), and a Divorce Support Group. Social life is anchored by parish gatherings such as the annual Carnival and the Grand Kermes celebrating St. Joseph the Worker on May 1.
- Knights of Columbus — parish council
- Columbiettes
- Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack
- Breaking Open the Word (Wednesday mornings)
- Seasons of Hope (bereavement support, Wednesdays)
- Divorce Support Group
- Annual Carnival (planning committee)
- Grand Kermes celebrating St. Joseph the Worker (May 1)
- Lenten Fish Fry (Fridays during Lent)
Missions: St. Rose of Lima & St. Francis Xavier Shrine
St. Joseph Parish is the parent parish of two important historic missions. St. Rose of Lima Church, founded as a mission of St. Francis Xavier Parish with its cornerstone laid August 1874 on the feast of St. Rose of Lima and dedicated in June 1875, serves the Chesapeake City, Maryland community at 301 Lock Street, with Sunday Masses at 8:00 and 9:30 AM and a Tuesday 8:30 AM weekday Mass. The St. Francis Xavier Shrine at 1704 Bohemia Church Road in Warwick, Maryland — known historically as 'Old Bohemia' or 'St. Xaverius' on the Little Bohemia River — was founded in 1704 and is the mother church of the Diocese of Wilmington; it was made a mission of St. Joseph Parish, Middletown, in 1908.
- St. Rose of Lima — 301 Lock St, Chesapeake City, MD 21915; Sunday Masses 8:00 & 9:30 AM, Tuesday 8:30 AM
- St. Francis Xavier Shrine — 1704 Bohemia Church Road, Warwick, MD 21912 (GPS: 1690)
- Both missions are administered from the St. Joseph Parish office (302-378-5800)
- St. Francis Xavier was the mother church of the Diocese of Wilmington, founded 1704
Christ the Teacher Regional Catholic School
Opened in September 2002, Christ the Teacher Regional Catholic School was the first regional parish Catholic school in the Diocese of Wilmington, founded to serve the children of St. Joseph Parish and three other parishes. The school is located at 2451 Frazer Road, Newark, DE 19702, with Kelly Lanza serving as Principal and Kelli Colella and Ashley Torelli as Assistant Principals. St. Joseph parishioners send 117 children to Christ the Teacher and other Catholic elementary schools, supplementing the parish's own PREP enrollment.
- Address: 2451 Frazer Road, Newark, DE 19702
- Phone: 302-838-8850
- Website: www.christtheteacher.org
- Principal: Kelly Lanza
- Assistant Principals: Kelli Colella and Ashley Torelli
- First regional parish Catholic school in the Diocese of Wilmington (opened September 2002)
Clergy, Staff & Pastoral Office
The pastoral team is led by Pastor Rev. Mark A. Kelleher, with Rev. Bruce T. Anderson serving as Associate Pastor / Parochial Vicar and Deacon Michael A. Boyd, Sr. assisting. The parish office, located at 371 E. Main Street (entrance on Cleaver Farm Road), is staffed by Thomas Kane, Jr. (Business Manager), Vidette Benn (Administrative Assistant), Mary Kirk (Director of Religious Education), Michelle Moore (Coordinator of Religious Education), Patrick Olliver (Facilities Manager), Mary Vawter (Custodian), Lauren Cataldi (Organist), Rosemary Hadland (Choir Director / Coordinator of Music Ministry), and Vincent Regusters (Sacristan). Parish Office hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM (closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM) and Friday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM.
- Pastor: Rev. Mark A. Kelleher
- Associate Pastor: Rev. Bruce T. Anderson
- Deacon: Michael A. Boyd, Sr.
- Business Manager: Thomas Kane, Jr. (ext. 103)
- Administrative Assistant: Vidette Benn
- Director of Religious Education: Mary Kirk
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Michelle Moore (ext. 107)
- Facilities Manager: Patrick Olliver (ext. 113)
- Custodian: Mary Vawter
- Organist: Lauren Cataldi
- Choir Director / Coordinator of Music Ministry: Rosemary Hadland
- Sacristan: Vincent Regusters
Visit, Contact & Connect
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Joseph Church, 319 E. Main Street, Middletown, DE 19709, with the mailing address 371 E. Main Street, Middletown, DE 19709. The parish office can be reached at 302-378-5800 (toll-free from Maryland: 888-433-1874; fax 302-378-5808) or by email at [email protected]. The parish maintains a presence on Facebook, publishes a weekly bulletin (with a Spanish-language section), and welcomes new parishioners to register through the office.
- Physical address: 319 E. Main Street, Middletown, DE 19709
- Mailing address: 371 E. Main Street, Middletown, DE 19709
- Phone: 302-378-5800 (toll-free from MD: 888-433-1874; fax 302-378-5808)
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.stjosephmiddletown.com
- Facebook: Saint Joseph Parish, Middletown DE
- Parish Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–4 PM (closed 12–1 PM); Fri 9 AM–12 PM
- Back-door and back-parking access available for formation events
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Thomas Flowers
Transferred to St. Polycarp Parish in Smyrna, DE in June 2002.
- Fr. Steven B. GiulianoJune 2002 – June 2012
Appointed pastor June 2002; led new-church planning, groundbreaking (2005), construction and dedication (2007), and the Double Jubilee Year. Transferred to St. Peter the Apostle Parish in New Castle, DE in June 2012.
- Fr. David F. KelleyJune 2012 –
Appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish in June 2012, following Fr. Giuliano's transfer.
- Rev. Mark A. Kelleher
Current pastor; leads OCIA inquiry meetings and is listed on the parish bulletin as pastor.