St. Joseph (New Kensington)

St. Joseph Parish — New Kensington Catholic Community

St. Joseph Parish is a faith community established in 1891 to serve the spiritual and temporal needs of Catholic Christian believers in the New Kensington area. Dedicated to the worship of God and the celebration of the sacraments, the parish is committed to knowing Christ and the power of the Resurrection and to serving brothers and sisters in the parish, the wider community, and the world in bringing about the Kingdom of God. St. Joseph is one of three parishes — along with St. Mary of Czestochowa and Mount Saint Peter — that together form the New Kensington Catholic Community (NKCC), a single collaborative pastoral family within the Diocese of Greensburg.

History of the New Kensington Parishes

St. Joseph's origins are tied directly to the 1891 founding of New Kensington itself. The Burrell Improvement Company, led by Samuel E. Moore, platted the town and recruited industries — most notably the Pittsburgh Reduction Company (later ALCOA) — to anchor it. Once residents arrived, the company ran 'church trains' to Pittsburgh on Sundays for Mass until houses of worship could be built locally. On October 24, 1891, Bishop Richard Phelan of Pittsburgh purchased four lots at Stanton Avenue and Locust Street plus three bonus lots at Kenneth Avenue and Catalpa Street, all for $1 each. A small Mission Church on those lots served local Catholics until construction of the first St. Joseph Church was completed. The parish has been worshipping, growing, and rebuilding on the same general footprint in New Kensington ever since.

Mass and Worship

St. Joseph Church offers a full weekly schedule of Masses in English, including a Saturday Vigil and a Sunday morning Mass, plus weekday Masses on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. The Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass at St. Joseph are part of the wider NKCC schedule, which also includes Masses at St. Mary of Czestochowa, Mount Saint Peter, and sister parish St. Margaret Mary in Lower Burrell.

• Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
• Sunday: 9:30 AM
• Monday: 12:30 PM
• Tuesday: 12:30 PM
• Wednesday: 6:00 PM
• Friday: 12:30 PM

Sacramental Life

The NKCC parishes prepare parishioners for and celebrate each of the seven sacraments. Infant Baptism, Marriage, OCIA, and Anointing of the Sick are coordinated through the parish office, with the priests serving the community (Father Ken, Father Joel, Father Bimbot, Father Rody, and Father Anthony) available to offer Anointing of the Sick on request. Reconciliation is offered every Saturday in the community: 12:00 noon – 1:00 PM at Mount Saint Peter and 1:00 PM at St. Margaret Mary.

• Baptism — contact the Parish Office 4 months before the child's birth to begin preparation
• Marriage — contact the Parish Office at least one year in advance
• Reconciliation — Saturdays 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM at Mount Saint Peter; Saturdays 1:00 PM at St. Margaret Mary
• Anointing of the Sick — contact Father Ken, Father Joel, or Father Bimbot
• OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — contact the Parish Office
• Sponsor Certificates — for Baptism and Confirmation

Parish Office & Registration

All business for St. Joseph, St. Mary of Czestochowa, and Mount Saint Peter parishes is handled centrally at the NKCC Parish Office at 100 Freeport Road, New Kensington, PA 15068. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. New members are warmly welcomed; after completing a registration form (available online) and mailing it or placing it in the Sunday collection basket, they receive a welcome letter and an invitation to meet with Fr. Dan to be introduced to the parish staff.

• NKCC Office: 100 Freeport Road, New Kensington, PA 15068
• Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• St. Joseph Parish Office Phone: 724-337-6412
• NKCC Parish Office Phone: 724-335-9877
• Fax: 724-335-9138

Stewardship & Giving

St. Joseph parishioners can support the parish through online donations via the parish's WeShare page (using a debit or credit card) or by setting up recurring Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) directly from a checking or savings account. Completed EFT forms, with a voided check or savings account deposit slip, are sent to the NKCC Parish Office at 100 Freeport Road. For questions about giving, parishioners can contact Fil Matuszewski, Financial Secretary.

• WeShare online giving
• Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) recurring donations
• Stewardship resources on the parish website

Ministries & Faith Formation

As part of NKCC, St. Joseph parishioners share in community-wide faith formation, youth ministry, OCIA preparation, and stewardship formation. The parishes offer opportunities for disciples of every age to grow in worship, faith formation, community outreach, and faithful stewardship, working together as one community of faith while honoring the traditions of each parish.

• Youth Ministry
• OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
• Faith Formation / Religious Education
• Stewardship Committee
• Follow Our Flock (parish communications)

Outreach & Home Visitation

The NKCC parishes extend pastoral care beyond the church walls through the Ministry of Home Visitation, which is coordinated through the Parish Office at 724-335-9877 and the Sisters of Mary Immaculate at 724-845-2828. Anointing of the Sick is also available on request for those who are homebound, hospitalized, or preparing for surgery.

• Ministry of Home Visitation — 724-335-9877 or 724-845-2828
• Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick on request