About St. Joseph · Mobile, Alabama
St. Joseph Parish, Maysville is a Catholic parish in Mobile, Alabama, staffed by the Josephite Priests and Brothers along with dedicated lay people. The parish was founded in 1930 to serve the faithful of the Maysville community south of Government Street near Weinacker Avenue, and it has been a 'beacon of hope' in the neighborhood ever since. The current church building — the third to stand on its Dublin Street campus — was built in the early 1960s under Fr. Thomas Collins, SSJ. St. Joseph lives out its L.I.F.E. motto — Love, Integrity, Faith, Eucharist — through sacraments, religious education, RCIA, the Knights of Peter Claver #210, liturgical dance, youth ministry, and a deep tradition of Black Catholic witness in the Archdiocese of Mobile.
- Established
- 1930
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Dr. Bura A. Karoba, PhD, SSJ
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Mobile (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile)
Why belong here
St. Joseph Maysville is one of the historic Black Catholic parishes of Mobile, staffed by the Josephite Fathers and Brothers and a deeply committed group of lay ministers. Worshippers can attend daily Mass several days a week, join a Knights of Peter Claver court (#210) or its Junior branches, enroll children in PreK–8 religious education, walk through RCIA, sing with the music ministry, dance with the Liturgical Dancers/Youth Choir, serve as an usher, lector, Eucharistic minister, or on the Bereavement, Outreach, or Health ministries. The parish carries nearly a century of witness in the Maysville community and welcomes anyone seeking a faithful, family-oriented Catholic home in south Mobile.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays 8:45–9:15 AM
- Anytime upon request (contact the Rectory)
Parish History
The parish traces its roots to 1930, when Father John Albert, SSJ, proposed a Maysville-area mission for the area's Catholic faithful. After Bishop Thomas J. Toolen and Fr. Joseph Schmutz, SSJ, of St. James Major selected a Dublin Street city block — land purchased with a gift from Philadelphia attorney John Sullivan — a frame church was moved from St. Elmo and named Our Mother of Mercy Mission. In 1950 the mission was rebuilt as the brick St. Joseph Church (designed by Fr. Schmutz, funded by Mrs. Charles Donnelly, and first used September 11, 1950). The present sanctuary, built in 1963 under Fr. Thomas Collins, SSJ, is the third church on the Maysville campus.
- 1930 – Mission founded; frame church moved from St. Elmo
- 1940s – Fr. Vincent Warren, SSJ first to live in the community
- 1950 – Second church dedicated as St. Joseph; first Mass Sept. 11, 1950
- 1963 – Third (current) church built under Fr. Thomas Collins, SSJ
Our Patron — St. Joseph
St. Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth and husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the patron of the universal Catholic Church (declared by Pope Pius IX in 1870), of fathers, and of social justice. The parish celebrates two feast days for their patron: March 19 for St. Joseph the Husband of Mary, and May 1 for St. Joseph the Worker.
- March 19 — Feast of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary
- May 1 — Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
- Patron of the Catholic Church, of fathers, and of social justice
Mission, Vision, and L.I.F.E.
The parish mission is to provide spiritual guidance and pastoral and sacramental ministries to all parishioners and the Maysville community. Its vision is to lead parishioners and the community into a deeper relationship with the person of Christ through evangelization. Everything the parish does is organized around the L.I.F.E. motto — Love, Integrity, Faith, Eucharist — and supported by an annual Pledge Drive that has funded projects such as the Carrollonic Bells, illuminated ceiling fans, and central air conditioning.
- Mission: spiritual guidance and pastoral/sacramental ministry
- Vision: deeper relationship with Christ through evangelization
- L.I.F.E. = Love – Integrity – Faith – Eucharist
Josephite Heritage
St. Joseph Maysville is staffed by the Josephite Priests and Brothers (Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart) along with dedicated lay people. The Josephites were founded specifically to serve African American communities, and St. Joseph has been a flagship of their ministry in the Port City for decades. The parish is also home to Knights of Peter Claver Court #210, whose parent order was founded in Mobile in 1909.
- Pastors from the Society of St. Joseph (SSJ)
- Knights of Peter Claver Court #210 on site
- Long Black Catholic witness in Mobile
Sacraments
St. Joseph prepares parishioners for and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Forms, preparation details, and sacramental scheduling can be arranged through the Rectory.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation and First Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Holy Orders
- Anointing of the Sick
Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Joseph serves every age from Pre-K through adult. The parish runs a PreK–8 Religious Education program for children, an Adult Faith Formation program, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for those journeying toward full communion with the Catholic Church. Deacon Ronnie Hathorne and Lillie Key lead the RCIA team, with Religious Education and Youth Ministry coordinated by Monica Motley and Tracy Hicks.
- PreK–8 Religious Education
- Adult Faith Formation
- RCIA (Deacon Ronnie Hathorne / Lillie Key)
St. Joseph School
Catholic education has been central to the parish since 1931. Our Mother of Mercy Mission School opened part time in 1931 with the Sisters of the Most Pure Heart of Mary Convent; St. Joseph School became full time in 1950 with 48 pupils under Fr. Schmutz and two lay teachers. In August 1951 three Oblate Sisters of Providence (Mother Anselm, Sister Augustine, Sister Marcella) joined the faculty. A new school building was constructed in 1953 by Nathaniel, Andrew, and Joseph Heningberg. The original school was renovated in 1997 and now serves as the Parish Fellowship Hall.
- 1931 – Part-time mission school opens
- 1950 – Full-time St. Joseph School opens (48 pupils)
- 1951 – Oblate Sisters of Providence arrive
- 1953 – Heningberg brothers build new school
Parish Ministries and Organizations
More than two dozen lay-led ministries animate parish life, from the Altar Society, Music Ministry and Liturgical Dancers, to Bereavement, Outreach, Health, and Stewardship ministries. The Parish Council and Finance Council guide parish governance, and the parish kitchen hosts regular events. Specialized groups include Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Hospitality/Ushers, Sacristans, Offertory Counters, and the Evangelization/Interfaith/Interparish team.
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers/Hospitality
- Music Ministry, Liturgical Dancers / Youth Choir
- Bereavement, Outreach, Health, Security, Maintenance
- Parish Council, Finance Council, Stewardship, Communications
Church Organizations
St. Joseph is home to several long-standing parish organizations. Knights of Peter Claver Court #210 includes Knights, Ladies Auxiliary, Junior Knights, and Junior Daughters; the order supports parish youth through scholarships and helps fund church maintenance. The Legion of Mary, the Ubuntu Empowerment Group, and the Diamond Jubilee committee round out the parish's organizational life.
- Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver #210
- Junior Knights and Junior Daughters of Peter Claver #210
- Legion of Mary
- Ubuntu Empowerment Group
- Diamond Jubilee Committee
Parish Life and Community
The parish gathers regularly for Youth Week and the Josephite Harvest, and the website archives photo galleries going back to 2013. Bible Study meets on Mondays at 6:00 PM, and the first Sunday of every month is celebrated as 'Youth Sunday'.
- Bible Study – Mondays at 6:00 PM
- Youth Sundays – First Sunday of each month
- Youth Week and the Josephite Harvest (annual)
- Photo galleries archived 2013–2024
Giving and Stewardship
Weekly giving sustains the parish's day-to-day needs, while the annual Pledge Drive focuses on specific capital improvements. Past projects funded by pledges include the Carrollonic Bells, the illuminated ceiling fans, and the church's central air-conditioning and heating system.
- Weekly Sunday giving
- Annual Pledge Drive for capital projects
- Past projects: Carrollonic Bells, lighted fans, HVAC
Visit, Contact, and Connect
The parish rectory is open for phone calls, email, and walk-in inquiries at 1703 Dublin Street, Mobile, AL 36605. Worshippers and visitors are invited to the parish's social media channels for announcements and bulletins.
- Phone: (251) 473-3761
- Fax: (251) 473-3768
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: StJosephsMaysville
- Twitter/X: @StJosephMaysvil
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Albert, SSJ1930s
Initiated proposals for a Maysville mission church for Catholics of color; first proposal of the site.
- Father Joseph Schmutz, SSJlate 1930s–1950s
Proposed the chosen Dublin Street site; designed and built the 1950 brick church and rectory; opened St. Joseph School full time in 1950.
- Father Vincent Warren, SSJ1944–1948
Associate pastor; first priest to live in the Maysville community (at 459 Booker Street).
- Father Thomas B. Collins, SSJuntil 1972
Led construction of the current (third) church building in 1963.
- Father Edward Lawlor, SSJ1972–1980
- Father Bartholow (Bartholomew) Hines, SSJ1980–1986
- Father Paul Ortner, SSJ1986–1989
- Father Cornelius Sexton, SSJ1989–1998
- Father John Carroll, SSJ1998–2002
Pastor of St. Joseph and Prince of Peace Parishes.
- Father Jeremiah Brady, SSJ2002–2013
Pastor of both St. Joseph and Prince of Peace Parishes; became pastor solely of St. Joseph in 2005.
- Father Stephen R. Sohe, SSJ2013–2017
- Rev. Dr. Bura A. Karoba, PhD, SSJ2017–present
Current pastor.