About St. Joseph · Newport, Rhode Island
St. Joseph's Catholic Church is a welcoming Roman Catholic parish in Newport, Rhode Island, situated on Broadway at the corner of Mann Avenue and serving the broader Aquidneck Island community. As part of the Diocese of Providence, the parish describes itself as a Spirit-led stewardship community committed to making the world holy, teaching in the Spirit of Jesus, and serving others in His Name, calling itself 'a light on Newport's Broadway.' St. Joseph's offers Mass in both English and Spanish, runs a Religious Education program and an active Youth Ministry, and operates the local conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society — including a Monday soup kitchen and a Tuesday/Wednesday food pantry that are a vital lifeline for neighbors in need.
- Established
- 1828
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Hiep Nguyen
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
St. Joseph's is a bilingual, Spirit-led stewardship parish that warmly invites newcomers to make it their spiritual home. The community gathers for Mass in English and Spanish, devotes an hour each Thursday to Eucharistic Adoration with confessions available, and runs an active Religious Education program along with a Youth Group that meets weekly. Parishioners put faith into action through the St. Vincent de Paul Society's soup kitchen on Mondays and food pantry on Tuesdays and Wednesdays — a tangible sign that belonging here means serving your neighbors in Newport and across Aquidneck Island.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (during Holy Hour with Adoration, before 12:05 PM Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Holy Hour with Adoration; Confession available)
Parish History
Catholicism in Newport is essentially the story of St. Joseph's. The first Catholic parish in Newport was established in 1828 and was 'dedicated to St. Joseph,' when the Diocese of Boston purchased the Eleazer Trevett schoolhouse (built in 1809) near the corner of Barney and Mt. Vernon Streets. A new church built on the same site in 1838 was too small and poorly constructed, so in 1848 a larger lot was purchased on Spring Street and a new, much larger church was built and dedicated in 1852 — the building still known as St. Mary's. In the early 1850s the original St. Joseph's lost its identity and was absorbed by St. Mary's; a 'new' St. Joseph's parish was later nurtured, beginning in 1855, occupying and purchasing several buildings across Newport for a rectory, schools, and a convent.
- 1828 – First Catholic parish in Newport founded and dedicated to St. Joseph
- 1838 – New (but inadequate) church built at Barney & Mt. Vernon Streets
- 1848 – Spring Street property purchased for a larger church
- 1852 – New church on Spring Street dedicated (today's St. Mary's)
- 1855 – A 'new' St. Joseph's parish begins to be nurtured
- 1885 – Bishop Hendricken designates St. Joseph's a separate parish with its first pastor
- 1898–1902 – Broadway / Mann Avenue property acquired
- August 1911 – Cornerstone of present church laid
- September 8, 1912 – Church dedicated by Bishop Harkins
- October 12, 1922 – Solemn consecration by Bishop William A. Hickey
- 125th Anniversary of the parish celebrated (updated history available on the parish website)
Mission & Identity
St. Joseph's Parish Family is a Spirit-led Catholic stewardship community. Its mission statement, published on the parish website, reads: 'committed to making our world holy, teaching in the Spirit of Jesus, while serving others in His Name.' The parish sees itself as 'a light on Newport's Broadway, centrally located and vital to Aquidneck Island.'
- Parish motto: 'Loving Christ, Loving Others'
- Identity: Spirit-led Catholic stewardship community
- Geographic role: centrally located and vital to Aquidneck Island
Administration & Parish Staff
The parish is currently led by Fr. Hiep Nguyen as Administrator, with Fr. Mauricio Antonio Romero Viquez serving as Chaplain to the Hispanic Community. Lay staff and musicians complete the parish team.
- Fr. Hiep Nguyen — Administrator (Pastor)
- Fr. Mauricio Antonio Romero Viquez — Chaplain to the Hispanic Community
- Nathan Ledoux — Seminarian
- Denis Tetrault — Director of Music
- Cindy Sullivan — Parochial Secretary / Assistant to the Pastor
- Lynn Banigan — Wedding Coordinator and Director of Religious Education
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Joseph's offers Sunday Mass in English at 7:00 AM and 10:30 AM, plus a Sunday evening Mass in Spanish (Misa Dominical en Español) at 6:30 PM. The Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5:15 PM. Weekday Mass is offered on Mondays and Thursdays at 12:05 PM (with a 9:00 AM Mass on federal holidays such as Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day — parishioners are asked to double-check the bulletin).
- Saturday Vigil — 5:15 PM
- Sunday — 7:00 AM (English)
- Sunday — 10:30 AM (English)
- Sunday — 6:30 PM (Spanish / Misa Dominical en Español)
- Monday — 12:05 PM (9:00 AM on federal holidays)
- Thursday — 12:05 PM
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
St. Joseph's runs an active Religious Education program for parish children, under the direction of Lynn Banigan (Director of Religious Education / Wedding Coordinator). A Youth Group meets on a weekly schedule for teens, complementing classroom faith formation with peer community and service.
- Director of Religious Education — Lynn Banigan
- Weekly Youth Group for teens
- Family-based faith formation for the parish
Parish Life & Ministries
The parish encourages parishioners to put their faith into action through a wide range of ministries. Liturgical roles include choir, lectors, altar servers, and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist. Social-justice outreach focuses on visiting the homebound, serving the poor, and volunteering at the food pantry and through the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Parish life also includes men's and women's groups and the annual parish bazaar.
- Liturgical ministries — choir, lectors, altar servers, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
- Social-justice ministries — homebound visitation, food pantry and St. Vincent de Paul service
- Youth Ministry
- Men's and women's parish groups
- Annual Parish Bazaar
- Open invitation to suggest new parish ministries
St. Vincent de Paul Society & Outreach
The St. Joseph's conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul operates one of the parish's signature outreach ministries: a Monday soup kitchen and a Tuesday/Wednesday emergency food pantry. Anyone in need of food assistance can call the parish's Food and Emergency Help Line at 401-258-5773. The SVdP Rhode Island network lists the St. Joseph – Newport Conference as serving East Bay / Aquidneck Island by delivery only, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
- Soup Kitchen — Mondays 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Food Pantry — Tuesdays & Wednesdays 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Emergency Food / Financial Assistance Help Line — 401-258-5773
- Vincentian home visits through SVdP's 'home visit' model
Sacraments
St. Joseph's celebrates the standard sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church and offers preparation for each. Weddings are coordinated through Lynn Banigan; the Anointing of the Sick is available by appointment; and Reconciliation is offered each Thursday during the Holy Hour.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage / Weddings — Lynn Banigan, Wedding Coordinator
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment (401-847-0065)
- Confession / Reconciliation — Thursdays 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- First Communion & Confirmation — through the Religious Education program
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
St. Joseph's is located at 5 Mann Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, on Broadway — central to Aquidneck Island. The rectory office is open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and can be reached at 401-847-0065 or [email protected].
- Address — 5 Mann Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
- Phone — 401-847-0065
- Email — [email protected]
- Office hours — Mon / Tue / Wed, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Food & Emergency Help Line — 401-258-5773
- Website — www.stjosephsnewport.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- First pastor (unnamed in published history)1885
In 1885, Bishop Hendricken reactivated St. Joseph's as a separate parish under the guidance of its first pastor.